Travel - Helen Callaghan

Dear Amy makes list of Airtours Top books to read on holiday 2017

May 6, 2017April 22, 2018 Blog, Recent Books, Dear Amy, News, Press, Reviews, Travel

I’m delighted to announce that Dear Amy has been selected as one of Airtours top books to read on holiday for 2017! I’m in good company, the list including such luminaries as Kit de Waal

The Broomway: the Most Dangerous Road in Britain

September 1, 2015August 18, 2016 Blog, Recent Travel, Weird

I recently had the chance to walk the Broomway, a public byway six miles long that connects the foreshore at Maplin Sands to Foulness Island when the tide is out. When the tide is in, the way

Adventures in Cocktails: Harry’s Bar in Venice

February 6, 2015August 19, 2016 Blog, Recent Cookery, Italy, Random, Research, Travel, Venice

Harry’s Bar is famous for its dry martini, and speaking as an afficianado of dry martinis, this seemed the perfect destination for me that first night in the city. I had booked a weekend on the

Visiting Felbrigg Hall

January 29, 2015August 21, 2016 Blog, Recent Dear Amy, Fiction, History, Research, Travel

One of the things that I did this year, while writing Dear Amy, was get out to visit some country houses. One of these was Felbrigg Hall. At the centre of the book is a

LonCon 3 – Reaping the Whirlwind

August 20, 2014September 6, 2016 Blog, Recent Books, Dear Amy, Events, Fiction, Short Fiction, Travel, Weird

Back from LonCon 3, which I only attended on Sunday. That said, I have still managed to pick up some kind of bug! Absolutely packed day, but looking back I didn’t do that much, compared

Meerkats at Banham Zoo

August 11, 2014September 6, 2016 Blog, Recent, Video Animals, Science, Travel, Weird

Visited Banham Zoo recently and took this footage of meerkats mucking around at Banham Zoo (click on the picture to view): They are, admittedly, not wearing smoking jackets or talking adorable broken Russian, but

Location Scouting – Blakeney

July 31, 2014September 6, 2016 Blog, Recent, Video Animals, Books, Dear Amy, Fiction, Random, Research, Travel

Another fantastic day – I drove out to Blakeney, looking for locations for Martin and his house. It was idyllic and strange and faintly off-kilter – in short, exactly what I was looking for. I

Writing in the Cambridge University Library

July 28, 2014September 6, 2016 Blog, Recent Books, Cambridge, Dear Amy, History, Research, Travel

Had a wonderful day writing in the university library, with a whole room-with-a-view in the North Front to myself because there was only one desk there, complete with plug. I must have been inured

WFC 2013 in Brighton

November 2, 2013September 7, 2016 Blog, Recent Books, Fiction, Travel

So for this weekend I’ve been taking in the wonderful world of the World Fantasy Convention 2013. It’s taking place in Brighton for the third time in its history. I’ve been schmoozing with all of the

A Trip to the Charnel House

February 27, 2012August 21, 2016 Blog, Recent History, Research, Travel, Weird

This summer I took a research trip out to a charnel house. The plan is this: by checking out peculiarly medieval Christian institutions – monasteries, painted churches, anchoress’ cells, shrines – I can maybe get

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