Guest Post: Aimee Fleming

Today I am thrilled to welcome author Aimee Fleming to my blog. Aimee’s debut book, The Female Tudor Scholar: The Life and Times of Margaret More Roper, was due to be released on 30th July but has been released early!

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a Mum of three boys, originally from Ripon in North Yorkshire. I have been married to Drew for 16 years, and we met while learning to SCUBA Dive. We have a menagerie of pets, including a Spaniel-cross called Aubrey, guinea pigs, goldfish, a hamster, and a snake too. I studied history at the University of Bangor in North Wales, and then at the University of York, completing my MA in 2018 as a mature student when my youngest son was 5 years old.

How did you get into writing?

I have always loved writing. I remember writing stories and poems while I was at school, and used to love it when we were given larger research projects to complete and then present in book form. One particular one was about the Brontë sisters, and this led me to read all of their books and to research it to the hilt. After that I was a student or writing academically for my work which meant I didn’t have much time to do more, and it wasn’t until I went back to university and rekindled my love of history that I was able to pick writing for pleasure back up and do something ‘proper’ with it.

What era do you write about and what drew you to that time period(s)?

I studied early modern British and European history at university, and seem to gravitate towards Tudor England. I remember one of my teachers at school being a huge fan of Henry VII, and I think some of that passion rubbed off on me. The wider Tudor era was a natural progression from this, and now I enjoy learning and writing about all things early modern.

Can you tell us a little bit about your most recent book?

My most recent book, my first book in fact, is ‘The Female Tudor Scholar and Writer: The Life and Times of Margaret More Roper’. Margaret was the eldest daughter of Sir Thomas More, and one of the most highly educated women in Tudor England. She was a fascinating woman, but her story has been somewhat overshadowed by that of her father and the events that followed on from his death. Her legacy though is massively important, and this is why I decided to write about her.

Where can people order your book?

It will be available wherever you get your books.

Are you working on something at the moment? If so, can you spill the beans a little?

Yes, I am writing another non-fiction book, ‘Tudor Princes and Princesses: The Early Lives of the Children of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York’. This will look in detail at what life was like for a young King Henry VIII and his siblings, and the events they experienced before the death of their father in 1509. I’m almost ready to send it to my publishers and, all being well, it will be out next year. I also have two more projects in the pipeline, ready to start once this one is complete.

How do you go about your research?

First of all I take a look at the general story. I like to read a few books on the people or places I am looking at before I start to look more in depth. This overview sometimes shows up questions that I need to answer, or stories I can follow, and this helps me to plan my writing and also where to look for material. After that it is time to hit the libraries and archives to get up close and personal with the sources to try to bring the project together.

I also like to visit some places that key events happened. This helps me to really get inside my topic and get a perspective that may have been shared by the people I’m writing about. For Margaret’s story I took a trip to Canterbury and visited where she lived and the church where she is buried, and it really felt like I was following in her footsteps.

Do you have a favourite historical source?

I think I have a few books that I refer to A LOT! My copy of John Guy’s ‘Tudor England’, that I bought as a first-year undergraduate over 20 years ago, is still on my desk and comes out at the beginning of virtually every research project! Primary sources, I have a soft spot for Polydor Vergil. His writing gives us a window into life in Tudor England and while he is obviously biased, his writing is vivid and descriptive which helps us to understand the people and events brilliantly.

If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring authors, what would it be?

My advice is always to just go for it! My children are all secondary school age, and this is the most repeated phrase in our house. If you don’t give things a go, you’ll never know if it’s for you. Write the email, ask the question, approach the person… what’s the worst that could happen?

Can you tell us your favourite fiction and favourite non-fiction book?

Fiction is hard to say. I have several favourite authors, but one who stands out is Helen Forrester. I read ‘Twopence to Cross the Mersey’ at school, and quickly made my way through all of her work that the library had to offer! I enjoy a Philippa Gregory, and I’m (admittedly late to the party here!) working my way through the Shardlake books and they’re brilliant! Non-fiction, you can’t go wrong with a John Guy, and I also love ‘How to be a Tudor’ by Ruth Goodman. My husband bought me a copy for my birthday a few years ago and I’ve read it numerous times!

Lastly where can people find you to keep up to date with you work?

I am on Twitter/X as @historyaimee79 – Twitter

My website has lots of information about my writing, research, and any upcoming events – Website

I am also on Facebook