It feels like it’s the start of a new term for me too! On Monday I gave my latest u3a national talk by Zoom (600 people signed up, though they don’t all log in on the day) and next Tuesday I talk to the Wantage u3a. (Wantage being the birthplace of King Alfred, so they know a bit about him there!) Although different, both talks focus on the period after the death of Athelstan through the Wessex kings who followed up to Aethelred (the badly advised) and the Danish Conquest, which was only 50 years before the infamous 1066 Norman Conquest. It’s a little known period of our history.
Soon after it’s travel time again, this time to stay with friends in Gascony, especially important as Gascony was a constant issue for kings of England from the time of Henry II onwards. Sadly though, I understand it’s been a poor year for Armagnac, so I hope supplies hold out. I’ll then be at the Wallingford Literary Festival (see pic) as a member of OxIA (Oxford Independent Authors) where I’ll be presenting Conquest to Charter as a new release and being part of discussion forum with three historical fiction authors as to fact and fiction. Based on initial chats it will be a lively session! Please come along if you are in that area.