Keeping an Idea Notebook for Fiction Books

Picture of author G.B. Strickland holding a brown notebook.

How do I get ideas for what to write about in my books? I’ve got another blog and video about the idea behind “The Stonemason’s Secret”, but I often come across other art and history information that might be good for a future book. To keep track of them, I have a notebook just for … Read more

Meet the Main Character: Sarah Walker

Smiling woman with long brown curly hair.

I conducted an interview with the main character in The Stonemason’s Secret, Sarah Walker. During this question and answer session, she shares some of her background, how she developed an interest in art history, and why the medieval minstrel carvings in Beverley Minster are special to her. Sarah is researching her dissertation for her PhD … Read more

Medieval Minstrels and Their Music: A Brief Overview

Medieval carving of bagpipe player.

What was a minstrel? What role did they have in medieval society? What type of music did they play? Here is a brief overview. The minstrel carvings in Beverley Minster are central to the plot in The Stonemason’s Secret. I’ve written about them before, but in this post I want to explore who the minstrels … Read more

Elements of My Life In The Stonemason’s Secret

Elements of My Life in The Stonemason's Secret with photo of west end of Beverley Minster.

Authors often use part of their life experiences in creating their novels. What elements from my life are woven into The Stonemason’s Secret? Quite a lot! This post is an answer to the question posed for the Open Book Blog Hop – what elements from your life are woven into your latest book? All posts … Read more