When Fact Meets Fiction: A Conversation with Alex Gerlis
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In conversation together, author Alex Gerlis and historian, Ollie Webb-Carter, will discuss the fine balance of fact and fiction in the context of Alex’s latest novel and thriller, Agent in Peril.
Alex will share an insight into how he approaches the subject of the Second World War and manages to find the correct tone or balance in terms of writing fiction based on relatively recent and such horrific events. For Alex this is a constant issue: ensuring the books are authentic and credible and well-researched but at the same time recognising that they are fiction.
Alex has had ten such novels published (all by Canelo) and all are set in Europe during the war, so issues such as the Holocaust and other Nazi atrocities are recurring themes.
About Alex Gerlis
Alex was a BBC journalist and senior manager for nearly thirty years. He left the BBC in 2011 to concentrate on writing and his first novel – The Best of Our Spies – was published in 2012. Since then he has had nine more novels published, the most recent being Agent in Peril (July 2022). The eleventh – Agent in the Shadows – is due to be published in early 2023. His novels have sold more than 400,000 copies and are all espionage thrillers set in Europe during the Second World War and based on real events. He is published by Canelo and is represented by Gordon Wise at Curtis Brown. Alex lives in London and is married with two daughters and two grandsons.
About Oliver Webb-Carter
Oliver Webb-Carter, having studied Ancient History and Classical Archaeology at the University of Warwick, worked in the City of London for nearly two decades, before deciding to return to his first love, History. He is the editor and a founder of Aspects of History.
Aspects of History
Aspects of History is a magazine, website and podcast dedicated to history and historical fiction. With contributions from authors including Simon Sebag Montefiore, Margaret MacMillan, Bernard Cornwell and Philippa Gregory, they promote new and established writers. Ollie is offering Circle Square members a 50% discount on the e-magazine to attendees – Usually £9.99 for an annual subscription, with a discount code it would be down to £5. That’s 6 issues.
