wales
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Slate Heart Faces
The black and white photo is Charles Easton Spooner – splendid fellow, Ffestiniog Railway engineer and secretary from 1856 to 1886. He and his sister Louisa are the ‘real’ people in the story, although sadly I’ve been unable to find an image of her. There are plenty of photos of Charles’ locos, but not his… Continue reading
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January 2026: Life & Writing Updates
I’m a bad person, I haven’t updated the blog for so long, but you know…. life and stuff! LifeWell, I fled my NHS medical PA role back in May 2025 after twelve years in post, stressed to the gills, determined to save my own life (melodramatic, I know, but I was ready to explode or… Continue reading
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Louisa’s Peacock Dress
I am indulging my love of Dante Gabriel Rossetti with this brief post. In Slate Heart Louisa Spooner explains that her new gown was inspired by Mr Rossetti’s paintings, although Lowri has no idea who that is. In truth the paintings which inspired it for me were all produced post 1863, when the novel is… Continue reading
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Research: Beloved Books
The books listed here are my favourites, the ones I have found most useful. It is not an exhaustive list; I will also have to compose an ‘online resources’ list at some stage. Whilst online resources are of course incredibly useful, I don’t think you can beat having a good old solid BOOK in your… Continue reading
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Louisa Spooner: A Brief History
Louisa Matilda Spooner was born in 1820, the fifth of ten children, to Elizabeth and railway engineer James. At the time of her birth the family lived in Maentwrog, a village a few miles from Porthmadog. It must’ve been a boisterous household to grow up in, full of games, noise and no doubt arguments amidst… Continue reading
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Settings: Porthmadog
I have been fascinated by the industrial revolution since studying it at school. A fair chunk of it seems to come together in Porthmadog with the surrounding quarries, mines and mills, narrow gauge railways and international shipping in the age of sail. The Porthmadog in ‘Slate Heart’ is a little different to what you see… Continue reading
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The Welsh Obsession
I grew up in Gloucestershire and a lot of my childhood holidays were spent camping across Wales. Aberporth and Tresaith were initially family favourites before we ventured further north, to Barmouth, into Snowdonia and then: Dad discovered the Ffestiniog Railway. Momentous day! It was the early 1970s, the railway was in a state of ambitious… Continue reading
Jacqueline Day 