Though not a conventional guide to writing fiction - and there are many of these on the market - this is a set of essays and interviews that explores the writing process from the viewpoint of a successful practitioner.

Subjects explored include:

• How to develop a plot?
• How to give birth to realistic characters?
• How to write convincing dialogue?
• How to write about sexual and other assumptions in other times and places?
• How to work round writer's block?
• How to find a publisher, or how to get by without one?

Richard Blake is the author of the Aelric series of Byzantine historical novels. These have been translated into Spanish, Italian, Greek, Slovak, Hungarian, Chinese and Indonesian. As well as this, he is an historian, broadcaster and university lecturer, who lives in Kent with his wife and daughter.

"Fascinating to read, very well written, an intriguing plot and I enjoyed it very much." (Derek Jacobi, star of I Claudius and Gladiator)

"Vivid characters, devious plotting and buckets of gore are enhanced by his unfamiliar choice of period.... Nasty, fun and educational." (The Daily Telegraph)

"He knows how to deliver a fast-paced story and his grasp of the period is impressively detailed." (The Mail on Sunday)

"A rollicking and raunchy read . . . Anyone who enjoys their history with large dollops of action, sex, intrigue and, above all, fun will absolutely love this novel." (Historical Novels)

"It would be hard to over-praise this extraordinary series, a near-perfect blend of historical detail and atmosphere with the plot of a conspiracy thriller, vivid characters, high philosophy and vulgar comedy." (The Morning Star)