CJ Cooke, also known as Carolyn Jess-Cooke, grew up on a council estate in Belfast, Northern Ireland, at the height of the Troubles. Since then, she has published 16 books in 23 languages and won numerous awards, including an Eric Gregory Award from the Society of Authors, a Tyrone Guthrie Prize, a K Blundell Award, and she has won a Northern Writer’s Award three times. In 2011, her debut novel, The Guardian Angel’s Journal, was published by Little, Brown. The novel was an international bestseller. Her second novel, The Boy Who Could See Demons (Little, Brown, 2012), is a cult classic. Her sixth novel, The Lighthouse Witches (HarperCollins) was published in October 2021, and was an Indigo Book of the Month, an international bestseller, a New York Public Library Book of the Year and nominated for both an Edgar Award by Mystery Writers of America and an ITW Thriller Award in 2022. It is soon to be a major TV series produced by StudioCanal and The Picture Company. A Haunting in the Arctic (HarperCollins) is her latest novel and is published in October 2023. Now Reader in Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow, CJ convenes the prestigious MLitt Creative Writing, and she researches ways that creative writing can help with trauma and mental health. Throughout 2013-18 she directed the Writing Motherhood project, which explored the impact of motherhood on women’s writing. She is also the founder and director of the Stay-at-Home! Literary Festival, which is dedicated to providing people with accessible, inclusive, and eco-friendly ways to access literature. CJ has four children and lives with her family in Glasgow, Scotland.
Historical fiction: From research to submission
Historical fiction continues to captivate readers- offering an escape into the past while also shedding light on the present. Join award-winning authors, C J Cooke and Abir Mukherjee to explore the gripping and increasingly popular world of long-form historical writing. During the week, you’ll travel back in time and find inspiration from real people and events as well as the fantastical and gothic. You’ll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the historical setting of Tŷ Newydd, a Grade II* listed building which dates back to the fifteenth century, and also build a community of fellow-minded historical fiction writers.
Whether you’re looking to develop a new piece of fictional work, or simply curious about an individual story or historical event, the tutors will guide you through the complete process from research to first draft. At what point is your research complete? How do you capture a sense of time and place? How do you turn historical figures into convincing characters, and transform factual timelines into a compelling narrative? Through participative workshops, and one-to-one tutorials, you’ll be encouraged to consider to what extent writers have the licence to reimagine history and the key differences between historical fact and fiction. You’ll gain confidence in your writing and develop new skills and techniques which will enable you to recount history from your own unique voice.
Come prepared to write, experiment and discover, and expect to leave feeling inspired and with a renewed sense of direction for your historical fiction writing.
Bursaries
One £250 bursary space is available for this course. To apply, please complete this application form
Deadline for applications: Wednesday 27 August 2025
For further information about the support available, please visit our Financial Assistance page: https://tynewydd.wales/courses-retreats/financial-support/
Tutors
Carolyn Jess-Cooke
Abir Mukherjee
Abir Mukherjee is the Times bestselling author of the Wyndham & Banerjee series (Vintage Publishing) of crime novels set in Raj-era India which have sold over 400,000 copies worldwide and been translated into 15 languages. His books have won numerous awards including the CWA Dagger for best Historical Novel, the Prix du Polar Européen, the Wilbur Smith Award for Adventure Writing and the Amazon Publishing Readers Award for E-book for the Year. Alongside fellow author, Vaseem Khan, he also hosts the popular Red Hot Chilli Writers podcast, where every fortnight, joined by special guests from the media and literature, he takes a wry look at the world of books, writing, and the creative arts, tackling everything from bestsellers to pop culture.
Guest Reader
Rachel Dawson (Digital)
Rachel Dawson is a lesbian, working-class Welsh writer. Neon Roses is her debut novel, and it was shortlisted for the Wales Book of the Year Award 2024. She was awarded a bursary by Literature Wales in 2020, which enabled her to write it. She was born in Swansea and has done a variety of jobs, including selling sausage rolls and vibrators (not at the same time), and volunteering for an MP. She now works in the third sector and lives with her wife in Cardiff.