‘Look upon this wretch, all of you! Look upon her and thank God for his love and
his mercy. Thank God that he has sent me
to rid the world of such filth as this.’
1647 and England
is in the grip of civil war. In the ensuing chaos, fear and suspicion are rife
and anyone on the fringes of society can find themselves under suspicion.
Matthew Hopkins, self -styled Witchfinder General, scours the countryside,
seeking out those he believes to be in league with the Devil. In the small
village of Coggeshall, 17–year-old Alice Pendle finds herself at the centre of
gossip and speculation. Will she survive when the Witchfinder himself is
summoned?
A tale of
persecution, superstition, religious fundamentalism, hate and love, ‘The Black
Hours’ mixes fact with fiction in a gripping fast-paced drama that follows the
story of Alice as she is thrown into a world of fear and confusion, and of
Matthew, a man driven by his beliefs to commit dreadful acts in the name of
religion.
5 ***** Amazon reviews:
"The Black Hours" is an enthralling
book, well researched, and beautifully written.
I was disappointed when I reached the last page - didn't want
it to be over!
(Alison’s) quality of
writing is tremendous, her ability to take the reader back in time outstanding,
and her talent for making history engaging is enviable.
What inspired you to
write this particular story (and/or series)?
I feel very strongly that the victims of Matthew Hopkins have
largely been forgotten – all too often they are just names on a list in a book
or in a museum. We tend to forget that they were real people, with real lives,
families, dreams, hopes and fears. What they suffered was dreadful and I felt
compelled to give them a voice. Although ‘The Black Hours’ is fiction and Alice
never existed, the methods Matthew Hopkins uses in the novel are all methods actually
used on real victims. I hope, in some small way, the novel pays tribute to
those real victims.
Was there any
research involved in your work?
Lots and lots! As a
writer of historical fiction I have to be so thorough about the smallest
detail, down to the level of making sure that certain words were actually used
at the time in which the book is set. I did an enormous amount of background
reading, including the infamous ‘Malleus Maleficarum’ or ‘Hammer of the Witches’ - a 1486 treatise on
the prosecution of witches which was a thoroughly unpleasant read! I also spent
a lot of time visiting the villages and towns in Essex in which the book is set
and also visited the cells of Colchester Castle, where Hopkins interrogated
suspects.
What authors inspire
or influence your work?
I adore Hilary Mantel – her writing is
absolutely amazing and inspiring. I think she has brought the historical
fiction genre to a whole new level; absolutely meticulously researched,
intelligent, thought-provoking and entertaining! I also love Karen Maitland and
Elizabeth Kostova – both write beautifully. Their work has a wonderful
atmosphere about it; you become so immersed in the worlds they create.
Favorite snack when
writing.
I go one of two ways when I’m engrossed
in writing – I either forget to eat at all or I eat without thinking about it.
I’m a vegetarian but that doesn’t mean that I always eat healthily. I have a
bit of a crisp addiction – particularly salt and vinegar Pringles. I also eat a
lot of toast (quick and easy). And endless cups of tea of course.
Who gets to read your
drafts before they're published?
I have a group of friends that I met
(online) while completing my Masters in Creative Writing. I know that they are
totally honest and I completely respect their opinions. Aside from that my
husband (he’s an ex-journalist and is great at proof-reading!) and my
17-year-old son Scott – it’s not always true that family will tell you what you
want to hear. Scott is actually my
harshest critic. He certainly doesn’t believe in sugar-coating criticism and he
can be relied on to tell me the truth.
Share with us your
biggest hurdles in the writing process?
Time! Juggling work commitments, family
and everything else is a real challenge. I have two children and, despite the
fact that they are teenagers, they still take up a huge amount of time -
driving them around, clearing up after them (I know, I know!), washing,
cooking, cleaning, walking the dog etc! I’m lucky enough to be able to write practically
full-time (I also do the admin for my husband’s company and write articles for
websites) but there are so many distractions – people tend to think that if
you’re working from home you can drop everything to meet up for a coffee or
have long telephone conversations– it’s really not that easy!
Where can readers
find you and your book(s) online?
Twitter @Alison_WiIliams
Amazon.com author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/alisonwilliams
Amazon.co.uk author page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alison-Williams/e/B00GNHUMTI/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Alison Williams has been
writing ever since she can remember – scribbling down and (badly) illustrating
stories in exercise books whenever she wasn’t actually reading (which was most
of the time when she was awake). After getting married and having two children,
Alison worked in education until deciding to bite the bullet and do what she
had always wanted to do which is to write full-time – it only took her until
her forties! Alison now works as a freelance writer with articles published on
line and in magazines. From 2011-2012 she studied for a Masters in Creative
Writing with the University of Glasgow. As part of her studies, Alison wrote my
first novel ‘The Black Hours’ – available now on Amazon.
Alison is fascinated by history
– but not so much the kings and queens, the emperors, the military heroes or
the great leaders. More the ordinary people whose lives were touched by the
decisions, the beliefs and the whims of those who had power over them and who
now fill our history books. When Alison was
about ten years old she went with her family to visit Winchester
Cathedral. As she wandered through this
magnificent building with its arches, its pillars, its carvings and beautiful
windows, her mother was looking less than impressed. Wasn’t she inspired? Awed?
No, not at all – ‘All I can think of’ she said ‘is the poor buggers who had to
build it.’ And that remark has stayed with Alison since. She wonders just what was it like to be one of those ‘poor
buggers’ toiling to create the soaring gothic arches of Winchester cathedral?
Or a 17th century mother living in London, scared to death as the
plague took hold? How did it feel to a woman in Berwick-Upon-Tweed on The
Scottish border in 1296 watching the English troops storming through the town?
And what about all of those accused, tortured and horribly murdered in the
witch trials that swept through Europe? How did it feel to be one of those
women, terrified and desperate? It is this that Alison finds fascinating – how
it was for the ordinary people, caught up in events they couldn’t control. It
is their stories that she wants to tell.
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