setting « Alison Morton's Thrillers

Mel and the French Army

Mel/Mélisende is a sergent-chef in the French Armée de Terre (land forces), equivalent to junior warrant officer in the UK forces. She chose to join as a direct entrant at the non-commissioned officer (NCO) level at 18. She could have gone to the officer training school at Saint-Cyr, but she had itchy feet after leaving […]

NEXUS starts in (Roman) London...

At the beginning of NEXUS, set in the 1970s in the alternative timeline of Roma Nova, Aurelia Mitela is filling in as interim London nuncia (ambassador). She has the connections, she knows how to navigate the diplomatic and political waters, she’s served in London before as political officer. The most dangerous thing is getting […]

Applying research

Research. Yeah, I know, a sticky subject in more ways than one. Writing of any sort needs research whether it’s a modern shoes-and-shopping story, crime thriller or a historical magnum opus.

Almost every story written hinges on a set-up or a problem the writer has purposefully created, but it must be plausible. Readers will engage […]