When Dr Viv DuLac, a medievalist and academic, slips into 499 AD and into the body of Lady Vivianne, little does she realise that their lives across the centuries will become intertwined as they fight for their dreams…and their lives.
I'm pleased to welcome Dr Julia Ibbotson to The Writing Desk"
Tell us about your latest book
I do a lot of research before I write each book and they all arise from a passion I have at the time. I love to turn current thought on its head! My last novel, A Shape on the Air, published by Endeavour, is a historical (early medieval) time slip, set in England in the present day and the post-Roman/pre-Anglo-Saxon era (499 AD). As you can see, I’m not calling this period the ‘dark ages’ which has been our default term. For too long we have accepted the notion that the Romans left Britain suddenly in 410 AD and the country collapsed into ruin and barbarism (‘dark days’), before the good old Anglo-Saxons invaded and rebuilt civilisation. Now we prefer to call it the ‘late antique’/’early medieval’ period.
The only darkness, in my view and from my own research (upheld increasingly by current research and thinking), is the paucity of enlightening hard evidence in records, documents and archaeological artefacts. But evidence is being rooted out and ideas are changing. And I wanted my novel, A Shape on the Air, to reflect the notion that this time (5th into 6th centuries) was a time of continuing civilisation and culture, and more gradual, peaceful change and evolution (cf Prof Oosthuizen 2019). So the setting is of a relatively settled village, albeit with internal tensions, in the midlands of England, the main external threat being from the incursions of the Picts from the north.
How did you use your research in your book?
I depict the world of the late 5th century as rich with cultural and religious artefacts, and intermarriage between Romans, Britons, Celts and Saxons, although at times fraught with dispute. The main conflict is between Sir Pelleas (a Saxon pagan), who is adopted by Sir Tristram (a Romano-Briton), succeeding him as chief of the settlement, and Tristram’s daughter Lady Vivianne, a Christian.
In my story, the inter-marriage of Lady Vivianne’s parents (her mother is also a pagan but Celtic-Briton) intermingled Christian values and rites with more magical ancient deism. Bringing in to my tale the magical ‘king’ Arthur (Arturius), as a mystical Welsh Celtic leader of this time with Roman connections, as well as a legendary figure of literature, also signifies the mingling of cultures and beliefs. And adds a bit of magic (and why not? Even historic novelists are entitled to creative imagination)!
A Shape on the Air is also a love story across time as medievalist Dr Viv DuLac’s life becomes intertwined with that of Lady Vivianne, and the strapline is ‘unlocking a love that lasts for lifetimes … and beyond.’ “In the best Barbrara Erskine tradition … I would highly recommend this novel” (Historical Novel Society)
Are you writing a sequel to this novel?
Yes, my WIP is a sequel using the same main protagonists: medievalist Dr Viv and local priest Rev Rory, who suffer a tragedy and are sent on secondment to Holy Trinity church in Funchal, Madeira, partly to recover. Dr Viv must lay the ghosts of two women from the 14th and 16th centuries in a quest to unite two special artefacts before she and the island can find peace. One of the artefacts is from the beginning of time. But time itself is running out …It’s a bitter sweet love story across time, and the working title (currently!) is The Dragon Tree. Or it might be Azulejo! We’ll see! It’s due next year. It’s a bit of a ‘tour de force’, so I’m working hard.
What would you say are your author USPs?
My ‘author brand’, I guess, revolves around the historical, especially early medieval/Anglo-Saxon periods, and I like to turn the so-called ‘dark ages’ idea on its head, as I outline above. I also enjoy exploring the role of women in history, their positions of power in daily life and in community life, which is often overlooked. And because I am fascinated by concepts of time, the time slip. I like to play around with ideas of quantum mechanics (space-time portals) – those interconnections between times. All these come into play in both A Shape on the Air and The Dragon Tree.
What is your writing routine and where do you write?
I’d love to say I write a sacred 9-12 and 2-5, but it doesn’t always work out like that! I’m required by my publisher to be fairly active on social media and I also do a lot of research for my books, so I tend to get distracted. I also have a busy life outside of writing. Let’s just say that I try to work systematically and regularly.
Having had a very hectic professional life in a demanding area of education, as an academic, when I moved into fulltime writing I found that I wanted to be more flexible. I tend to do my research in the summer months when I can read outside and I get down to writing the book in the winter-time.
I have a dedicated study but I also have a second desk in our conservatory so that I can feel in touch with the outdoors.
What have you found to be the best way to raise awareness of your books?
I’m a member of the Society of Authors, the Historical Novel Society and the Romantic Novelists Association. They all have active inspiring social media presence and real-life presence too, and are very supportive in promoting each other’s work. My publisher has won BookBub deals for me and that has been successful in terms of sales and raising my profile. I do book blog tours and contribute to people’s blogs (like this one, thank you, Tony!). Talks at organisations like the WI and at local libraries and suchlike are also helpful.
I’ve now published 6 books so I have to see that I promote them all in turn, and in the appropriate locations.
What advice do you have for new writers?
I guess everyone would have to say: believe in yourself and don’t give up. We all have our rejections and nasty reviews; it goes with the territory, horrid as it may be. But I’d also say: establish a support network. Join author organisations, online and face to face, in whichever genre you write. Although the RNA is a little tenuous for my genre (or cross genre!), they are a great all-embracing, supportive, encouraging and inspiring organisation, and meet in real life as well as online.
Attend conferences, have 1:1s with agents and publishers to explore the field and its requirements. Write every day, even if it’s only 500 words. Read publications like Writers Magazine. Learn as much as you can from other writers. It’s a craft, not only a natural flair – although this undoubtedly helps!
Dr Julia Ibbotson
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About the Author
Acclaimed, award-winning author Dr Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and concepts of time travel. She read English at Keele University, England (after a turbulent but exciting gap year in Ghana, West Africa) specialising in medieval language, literature and history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics. She wrote her first novel at 10 years of age, but became a school teacher, then an academic as a senior university lecturer and researcher. As well as medieval time-slip, she has published a number of books, including memoir (The Old Rectory), children’s medieval fantasy (S.C.A.R.S), a trilogy opening in 1960s Ghana (Drumbeats), and many academic works. Apart from insatiable reading, she loves travelling the world, singing in choirs, swimming, yoga and walking in the countryside in England and Madeira where she and her husband divide their time. Find out more at www.juliaibbotsonauthor.com and find Julia on
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@JuliaIbbotson
