You see? It's a mindset thing.

Morning Pages | 16 May 2025

It's always an auspicious day when it's time to crack open a new notebook! This is a Pebble Stationery Co A5 with Cosmo Air Light paper. Does it perform? Take a look!

Written with Pelikan M600 (Broad) and Graf von Faber-Castell Fuller Bentley (Broad) fountain pens.

The book I mentioned is Natasha's Dance: A Cultural History of Russia by Orlando Figes. I read it last year and it was one of the best reads for that year. It seems like a good idea that I read it again this year, just as soon as my A4 Leuchtturm1917 notebook arrives so I can make character notes!

I'm feeling very excited about this project. I've been watching Ken Follett's masterclass over on the BBC Maestro platform and taking lots of notes. As authors of historical fiction go, he's certainly one of the world's best right now. I'd do well to read his Pillars of the Earth novel, and also Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, just to see what a really good historical fiction novel is like. Although I do have Janet Fitch's excellent St Petersburg duology to fall back on, The Revolution of Marina M and Chimes of a Lost Cathedral, which I've read three times and twice respectively. That series is probably the biggest influence on my deciding to have a go at writing historical fiction myself.

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