Seven things you might not know about me as a writer

Historical novelist, Judith Arnopp, tagged me in a game on Facebook where I need to share seven lesser known facts about me as a writer (I've expanded the remit to cover my books as well). It has taken me about a month to get around to this, but better late than never!

So, here goes:

1. I knew next to nothing about Anglo-Saxon Britain before starting to write The Serpent Sword. The period chose me, and I just had to research to catch up.
2. I designed the cover of The Serpent Sword. 
   
3. The cover photo of The Serpent Sword is an original taken by living historian and reenactor, Matthew Bunker. He belongs to the group Wulfheodenas, and the helm, byrnie and sword are all authentic replicas of archaeological finds from the period of the novel.
4. My dad edited The Serpent Sword, and also the sequel, The Cross and the Curse. I hope he will continue to edit book three of the Bernicia Chronicles and beyond.
5. I started writing about Bebbanburg before Bernard Cornwell published his first Uhtred novel. But he beat me to the punch, and I then set the novel aside for nearly a decade.
6. I failed history at school.
7. I also failed English Literature!