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On The Table Read, “the best book magazine in the UK“, in new book, Wicked Women Of Yore, historical novelist D Lawrence-Young takes readers through the history of notorious female villains, and asks whether they were really wicked.
Wicked Women Of Yore
In a new format for historical novelist D Lawrence-Young, Wicked Women of Yore: Were They Really Wicked?, published on 13th December 2022, takes readers on a spellbinding literary journey of murder, mayhem, blackmail and infamy. A chapter at at time, he showcases 36 of history’s most notorious females, who we may know by name but by little more, and reimagines the conversations they might have had whilst in the throes of their crimes.
From selecting which women of to feature, to setting the scenes, to visualising of conversations they may have had whilst in the throes of their dirty deeds, you’ll get a sense that the author had fun putting this book together There is also an engaging lightness of touch to the writing which further adds to its appeal, but which never jeopardises the novel’s factual accuracy.
For readers who until now may have considered historical fiction a tad too heavy, Wicked Women of Yore: Were They Really Wicked? is a perfect introduction to the genre, and with enough rogues throughout history to provide a whole series, maybe more Wicked Women Of Yore will come.
Who Were The Wicked Women Of Yore?
From the Hungarian Countess who allegedly bathed in the blood of her victims, to a pair of female pirates, to the Roman Empress who hds several senators and members of her family killed to fulfil her sexual desires. These thirty-six Wicked Women of Yore who ‘star’ in the pages of this new book.
Through imagined conversations based on historical documentation, Wicked Women Of Yore explores how women such as Ilsa Koch, the bestial Nazi concentration camp commander, Bonnie (of Bonnie and Clyde), ‘Princess Caraboo’, and Queen Isabella, the ‘She-Wolf of France,’ murdered, conned and blackmailed their way into history and infamy.
As a companion to his book Villains of Yore, this book explores how women aren’t always the fairer sex.
D Lawrence-Young
Born in 1946 in Trowbridge, D Lawrence-Young went to Israel in 1968 where he was an English, History and Drama school teacher and university lecturer, until retirement in 2013. During this time he obtained a BA & MA in English literature and also served in the Israeli army as a sergeant in an armoured infantry unit.
“I have not tried to put over any sort of moralist message, but just show how these women worked according to the relevant historical period and why,” explained D Lawrence-Young. “I have also asked at the end of many of the chapters if indeed these women were or are all truly wicked or whether they were considered so within the light of the periods that they were living. I really enjoy the process of writing and the carrying out of the necessary research, which was especially true for this book, and I hope my enthusiasm for it comes through in the text.
“I also developed a love of Shakespeare and the period he lived in – this was for me a great combination of history and literature,” D Lawrence-Young continuted. “While teaching, I began to write stories for my students in English as a foreign language.
“From this I went on to writing historical novels, starting in 1998. Since then I have written over 20 novels and two other books about crime and also a best-selling (in Israel) English language textbook Communicating In English. I have also edited a book for tourists visiting Jerusalem.
“Outside of reading, writing and travelling, I am also a keen amateur photographer and enjoy playing the clarinet (badly). I also enjoy driving long distances and have covered much of the UK, Europe, USA and Australia (my wife’s family is from Melbourne). This last trip (one of six to Australia) was very useful for my two novels Tolpuddle and Away, Away From Botany Bay.
“Today I spend much of my time writing and editing as well as giving talks on military and civil history, the English language and Shakespeare, as well as on writing and publishing.”
Find more from D Lawrence-Young now:
Published by Cranthorpe Millner Publishers, Wicked Women of Yore (ISBN: 978-1-80378-096-2)
is published on 13th December 2022and is available in paperback and Kindle format.
Waterstones | Foyles | Amazon | Cranthorpe Millner
Social Media:
Facebook: David Young (http://facebook.com/dlyfcb)
Twitter: @DLawrenceYoung
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