Isolde Martyn

Visiting the Tower of London when she was eight, Londoner Isolde Martyn fell in love with history and by fourteen was determined to become a historical novelist. An Honours degree in History with specialization in the Yorkist Era gave her a solid grounding in research. After meeting a rather charming geologist at a bus stop in her graduation year, she somehow ended up in Perth and then Sydney, working in academia and publishing. Before taking up writing fiction full-time, she edited the ‘Motoring Guide to Australia’, ‘Foods that Harm, Foods that Heal’ and ‘How to Fix Just About Anything’ for Reader’s Digest General Books. Isolde’s debut novel, THE MAIDEN AND THE UNICORN, won the Rita Award for ‘Best First Novel’ in the USA and her first two books won the R*BY [Romantic Book of the Year Award] in Australia. More recently, Isolde’s novels have focused on real historical people: Mistress Shore; Katherine Neville, Lady Hastings; Queen Elizabeth Woodville; and Harry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham. She is now the author of eight historical novels and these are are being republished by Sapere Books, UK. First off the rank are THE LADY AND THE UNICORN and THE SILVER BRIDE. Sapere are also publishing her ninth novel, set in late Elizabethan England, Isolde is a former chair of the NSW Richard III Society and a co-founder and currently Chair of the Plantagenet History Society of Australia. She is based in Sydney and has a garden frequented by three water dragons and a family of owls. And yes, Bus Stop Day is still a celebration!