Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I like to think I am entering onto my ‘third age’ as a novelist, having had a long career in business. So far I have produced two novels, and have plans for many more: I intend to write until the pen drops from my fingers, so to speak.
Though I live in Melbourne, Australia, I love travel and history, which has provided the fuel for my writing.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novel is ‘The Diplomat of Florence’, which was inspired by the life of Niccolo Machiavelli, the infamous 16th century political philosopher. I first started researching and writing the book while I was living in Florence, a place where Machiavelli’s name is prominent everywhere.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
None that I can think of!!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have been reading historical fiction since I was a child, and it is my favourite genre by far. Writers like Cecelia Holland, Gore Vidal, Alfred Duggan, Robert Harris, Rosemary Sutcliff, and Mary Renault have been with me for most of my life, and are my constant inspiration.
What are you working on now?
After two historical fiction books, I am taking a short break from the genre and working on a memoir of my three years in Italy with my partner Robert, tentatively titled ‘Two Gents in Italy’
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Facebook is most important, along with direct emails. And websites like this one are very helpful for getting out to a wide readership.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Persist!! And try not to get too distracted by the demands of marketing your book, even though that is an essential task.
What are you reading now?
I’ve just finished ‘The Sweet Hills of Florence’, a fascinating novel about the Italian partisans at the end of the second world war.
What’s next for you as a writer?
My future projects include a sequel to my first novel, ‘What News on the Rialto?’, which tells the story of the young William Shakespeare, and I have a project in mind to write another novel set in Florence around the time of the Pazzi conspiracy.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
‘Sword at Sunset’ by Rosemary Sutcliff (the best retelling of the Arthurian legend that I know of, and a book I have read many times); ‘Lincoln’, by Gore Vidal; ‘Imperial Governor’ by George Shipway, and ‘Fire from Heaven’ by Mary Renault.
Author Websites and Profiles
Anthony Wildman Website
Anthony Wildman Amazon Profile
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Goodreads Profile
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