I hit a very exciting milestone this week. I have now written more than 50,000 words of the first draft of Strychnine & Strangeways, the true story of Mary Ann Britland. That’s more than 200 pages in paperback terms. WOOHOO!
Take that, draft!
This is a massive achievement if I do say so myself (and l do 😉). Strychnine & Strangeways is the very first book dedicated to Mary Ann Britland. Very little has been written about her until now, which means there has been little existing research to guide my work. I’ve had to do almost all of it myself, from scratch. Because I live in Australia, I’ve also had to do most of it long-distance, ordering page checks and digital copies from archives. Anyone who’s ever done that can attest to how time-consuming the process is – anywhere from one week to get a digital copy of a birth or death certificate to six weeks for a scan of an archival document.
Waiting on copies from the UK National Archives like…
And when I say it’s me doing the research, I really mean it. Unlike many history and non-fiction writers, I don’t have a research assistant. However, I have had some invaluable assistance and support from some super awesome people. So I’d like take this opportunity to send a brief but massive THANK YOU to some of the folks who’ve helped me get this far. Dr Sue Joseph, my amazing UTS Honours supervisor, who guided the beginning of this project and always believed in it. Dr Emma Fraser and Dr Clancy Wilmott, two of my favourite people in the world, who’ve repeatedly opened their home (and kitchen) to me and joined me on multiple Manchester and Yorkshire research adventures. Kathryn Stout from Roots Family History Service, who did some of the early Ashton Reporter article searches for me at a time when my going to the UK was simply impossible. Lindsey Bannister, my wonderful murder cousin, for tracking me down on Twitter, sharing her side of the Britland family goss and taking me to a plague village (best birthday ever). My excellent travel work peeps, who are so supportive and encouraging in spite of my creative promiscuity (I swear, it’s just you guys and the book 😜). My brilliant family and friends, who are all so weirdly sure that I’ll actually pull this off. I mean, I will, but I appreciate the confidence! And, of course, my supernaturally patient and ridiculously supportive partner, Mark Bristow. Guys, Mark literally keeps me alive at times and makes me laugh like nobody’s business (although we both agree that I’m funnier – obviously!). Mark’s also an amazing writer and artist too – check out his Deviant Art page and Redbubble store.
You guys are amazing. Please enjoy this stylish 19th-century iguana.
Finally, thank you to all of you for taking an interest in this project. YOU ROCK! The book is still awhile away, but if you’re excited about it and want to help make it a success, there are a few easy things you can do even now. Spread the word by sharing this blog post on Facebook or Twitter. Subscribe to this blog to get a heads-up whenever I write a new post. And follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest for more regular updates and occasional cat pics.
Don’t know what this is all about? Find out more about Mary Ann Britland – the first woman hanged at Strangeways Prison and my distant ancestor.
Psst! Love the vintage pics in this post? They’re free to download and use from the British Library’s Flickr page.
I am so envious of your tireless commitment to this! In a world where we follow the empty lives of kardashian people (I deliberately use a small ‘k’), we gloss over all the genuine riches that life offers. And here you are, painstakingly unearthing the fascinating wealth of real history, for us all to one day thoroughly enjoy. I salute you in your endeavours and wait with baited breath for your labours to finally result in the birth of your first book!
Thank you, Sandy! That’s really kind of you to say. I hope you enjoy the book when it’s finally here. It’s getting closer!