'Passionate about history'

'A lot of people love to get their history through historical fiction, so it's very important that what they read is as close to the truth as possible. Where the novelist uses her imagination is to fill in the gaps. But even then you can't let rip. What you write has to be credible within the context of what is known about that person. You can't indulge flights of fancy because that sells short both those who know a lot and those who know a little about the subject...

I use the same sources as academics, but I write my histories as narratives. History is full of great stories, great characters and wonderful detail. If you marry those together, you get something that you can infuse with passion. I'm passionate about history and I want other people to share that passion.'

Alison Weir in the Toronto Star