I’m so excited about my latest book purchase I just have to share it! I’ve just acquired a copy of Cicely Hamilton’s autobiography, Life Errant (London: J M Dent and Sons, 1935) – so the latest Spotlight On is about Cicely Hamilton.  Cicely Hamilton (1872–1952) is one of my writing heroines. She was a suffrage campaigner who joined the militant Women’s Social and Political Union founded by Mrs Pankhurst, and wrote the words for the WSPU anthem, The March of the Women , music by Ethel Smythe. Later critical of the dictatorial style of the Pankhursts, she left the WSPU to join the Women’s Freedom League, and edited their paper The Vote . In 1908 she founded the Women Writers’ Suffrage League and the Actresses’ Franchise League.   Cicely Hamilton's autobiography, Life Errant She achieved success with her play Diana of Dobson’s in 1908, and went on to write a   number of suffrage plays with her friend Christopher St John (born Christabel Marshall, 1...

Today’s guest was author Debbie Young. Debbie has written a number of author guidebooks, including Sell Your Books (SilverWood Books) and Opening Up to Indie Authors for the Alliance of Independent Authors (jointly with Dan Holloway). She has also published two collections of essays, both inspired by life in the Cotswold village of Hawkesbury Upton – All Part of the Charm: A Modern Memoir of Village Life and Young By Name . In addition Debbie has published a number of short story collections, including the Christmas themed Stocking Fillers . She is now working on the first in a series of murder mystery novels set in an English village not unlike Hawkesbury Upton – except, of course, for the murders! Debbie has also written the book Coming to Terms With Type 1 Diabetes to raise funds and awareness for the JDRF. JDRF is the largest charitable funder of research into a cure for the disease, which affects both her husband and her daughter. Amongst her many activiti...