BURKE'S WOMEN

Let me introduce you to James Burke, care of historical fiction author Tom Williams. Tom and I used to be with the same publisher. We’re both with someone else now (that sounds more salacious than it is!) but have remained great authory friends. Tom has a new book out called Burke in the Peninsula. I’ll let Tom spill all the gossip about Burke and his women…

James Burke was a real person so the fact that his name sounds so like that of a 20th-century spy is simply a coincidence. His adventures in the first book featuring him, Burke in the Land of Silver, are closely based on historical fact and his enthusiastic sex life (he has affairs with a queen, a princess and the mistress of the local viceroy) is a reflection of the real man.

Given an enthusiastic oversexed spy with the initials JB, it was reasonable enough for me to make a deliberate decision to write the books as early 19th century versions of the adventures of James Bond. Most books, as with Bond, start with Britain's finest agent being summoned in to his boss to have his next mission outlined. He then sets off to some interesting part of the world to face a Napoleonic villain and bring him to a horrible end. Each of the books features at least one woman.

I like Ian Fleming's books. Because spy thrillers are often under appreciated as a literary genre, people tend to downplay the sheer quality of his writing. (Anthony Burgess is an exception, so I'm clearly not alone in feeling that we should perhaps pay more attention to Fleming as a writer, rather than just a source of ideas for screenplays.) Even Fleming's most ardent admirer, though, is unlikely to praise the depth of characterisation of the women involved in Bond’s life. Some critics have suggested the same applies to me and that I really should try harder.

I was taken in hand by a woman who writes historical romantic fiction and who I won't name here because I don't want people pointing accusingly at her when they are still dissatisfied with the way I handle my female characters. She gave me important insights from a woman's point of view. "A woman wouldn't like that." "A woman would be more likely to react like that." She made me notice the things that a woman would be more likely to notice and to make sure that these featured in the stories.

The latest book, Burke in the Peninsula, is the first to feature her input. I hope it made the female lead, Bernadita, a more fully rounded and credible character. Bernadita is the only woman to have appeared in two of the books (unless we include William Brown’s inamorata, Molly). I wanted to bring Bernadita back because I was upset at suggestions that in Burke and the Bedouin she was just a damsel in distress. I saw her as brave, resourceful, an excellent rider, able to handle a boat, and, when needs must, quite happy to assist Burke by smashing heavy objects onto the heads of his enemies. She reminds me of my own beloved it and I hope that after Burke in the Peninsula nobody will see her as primarily a damsel in distress ever again.

The Kindle edition is available for order at https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08JLJ8SC1. Paperback to follow shortly.

About Tom Williams

Tom Williams used to write books for business. Now he writes novels set in the 19th century that are generally described as fiction but which are often more honest than the business books. The stories have given him the excuse to travel to Argentina, Egypt, Borneo and Spain and call it research. 

Tom writes adventure stories about Napoleonic-era spy James Burke (based on a real man) and rather more thoughtful stories set at the height of the British Empire. Burke in the Peninsula is his eighth book.

Tom blogs regularly on his website, http://tomwilliamsauthor.co.uk where you can also find details of all his books. You can follow him on Twitter as @TomCW99 or Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTomWilliams).