The story of making the novels about Hild of Whitby
About
Photo of Nicola Griffith by Jennifer Durham
Gemæcce began as an experiment: I built a blog to share and solicit research on a book I was writing about St Hilda of Whitby. (That book turned into Hild.) I have no formal qualifications in history or archaeology and my languages are either terrible (Latin, Old English) or non-existent (Old Irish, Welsh). Before I got my PhD I was a bit sloppy with citing my research. Sometimes I made a note so long ago and on a platform so far away that sourcing is impossible. I do my best in those cases to find an alternative or, when all else fails, ask for forgiveness.
My writing summary: I’m an English novelist living in Seattle, now a dual US/UK citizen, and hold a PhD from Anglia Ruskin University. I am married to writer Kelley Eskridge. Author of Menewood (2023), Hild, Spear, six other novels, and a memoir. Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the Society of Authors ADCI Literary Prize, the Premio Italia, two Washington State Book Awards, and the Nebula, Tiptree, World Fantasy and six Lambda Literary Awards (among others). Founder of #CripLit and the Literary Prize Data group. I run a personal website as well as this research blog. I’m also on Bluesky, Instagram,Threads, Facebook, Goodreads, LinkedIn, and YouTube
Photo of Nicola Griffith by Jennifer Durham
Gemæcce 