Emma Batten -
Author of Historical Fiction set on Kent's Romney Marsh.
Romney Marsh is a fascinating place. Once under the sea, it has evolved over the last two millennia to be the low-lying land we see today. The countryside can be bleak, but reed-lined drainage ditches and red-berried hawthorn have their own special beauty. The seaside villages can easily be dismissed if you look no further than the arcades and ice-cream shops, but they have a colourful history. And then there is the shingle spit at Dungeness: a truly unique landscape favoured by artists, film-makers and writers.
What about the people who used to live there? We can only imagine what their lives were like.
My stories take readers from Saxon times when monks carried the body of a monk to the Marsh, to the 13th century, when a great storm destroyed the coastline and a river changed course overnight. Then on to life in Victorian and 1920s Dungeness, and WW2. Although predominantly fiction, I work very hard to give readers an accurate sense of Romney Marsh through the ages and do a lot of research. My Dungeness series also include scenes set in nearby Ashford.
What's new for 2020? - Lockdown book launches and workshops
The Pendant Cross set in Anglo-Saxon times was released in April 2020. Then, just as we entered our second lockdown, Still Shining Bright was printed and dispatched to loyal readers.
I started the year with WI talks booked and managed a few before they were cancelled, and look forward to continuing these in the future.
The Kent Wildlife Trust have given me the opportunity to run workshops for beginners. The third 'Stone Faces of Romney Marsh' was held in October and I was also fortunate to be invited to Bilsington Priory with my workshop 'The Black-Robed Monks'. All fantastic days with wonderful participants and some great writing produced. The latest 'The Voices of Midley' is ready to run as a whole day or a series of morning sessions.
All novels are available on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited and as paperback novels.
The paperbacks are for sale in the Romney Marsh Visitor Centre, Mary's Tearooms (Dymchurch), The Chocolate Deli (Hythe), Avocet Tearooms (Rye Harbour), Salts Farm (near Rye), The Cosy Kettle (Hamstreet), Waterstones Ashford (limited stock). Also by clicking on the links below or if you live locally please contact me through this website as I can offer the best price. Prices below include postage. If you would like more than two books please contact me as I can offer a reduction on postage.