What’s this about, then?
I’ve been thinking of doing a Substack for ages, and now the plunge has been taken. (I even wrote an article about its pros and cons a while ago - and so I can hardly be accused of rushing in without thinking about it.) So, here we are. I’m an author, historian, arts writer and editor. I’ll be giving you exclusive insight into my new projects, whether they’re research for a new book, visits to historical archives and collections, interviews with leading figures in all walks of life and of course, giveaways, exclusive previews, Q & As and much more. But, also, I’ll be offering exclusive essays, book reviews and even the odd bit of fiction. Literature, history, film, royalty, music; you’ll find it all here. Hopefully it’ll educate, entertain and perhaps even edify, too.
Sounds good. What am I paying for?
You don’t have to pay a penny; there will be a free newsletter sent out to all my subscribers at least once a fortnight, and plenty of access to the shorter articles I write. But if you want the full immersive experience of twice-weekly content that will include videos, photos, exclusive behind-the-scenes looks at research I’ve done or am doing and access to regular Q & As, then subscribe, and reap the benefits. I’ve kept it super-cheap (the lowest rate Substack will allow me to charge) and hope that you enjoy reading it.
And then, of course, there’s the founder member tier. I’m keeping this super-exclusive, because I want to make sure that those who sign up to it are getting the super-VIP treatment. Inevitably, it’s not cheap. But think private tours of places that have inspired my writing; one-to-one Q & As about anything you want to chat about, from biography to royalty to literature; signed and personally dedicated copies of any books I publish; invitations to book launches and VIP access to events, and much, much more.
Why Substack?
I’ve been writing professionally now for longer than I care to remember, and have enjoyed it immensely. But it’s not a democracy. I write an article, it’s edited, then it’s published. I think there’s another way to get through to my readers, and that’s what I’d like to do here. I want to talk to you - to find out what you enjoy, what you want more of (and, inevitably, less of), and how I can serve you best. And Substack is the perfect platform for me to have this level of communication.
It’s said that when an audience goes to the theatre, they arrive as strangers and leave as a community. That’s the same feeling that I’d like to build here. Come as visitors, stay as friends. And I’ll be immensely proud of that.
