BEST-SELLING author Philippa Gregory is speaking at the first Salisbury Literary Festival to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the start of the Reformation.

Speaking in Salisbury Cathedral on Saturday, October 28, 7.30pm, Philippa will look back on this historic time and in particular at the various women involved in reform that she has written about over her illustrious career, including Anne Boleyn, Kateryn Parr and Katherine of Aragon. The event is sponsored by Wiltshire Living, Salisbury Journal and Salisbury Cathedral.

Speaking ahead of her literary festival appearance on what audiences can expect, she said: "I’ve chosen to tell the Reformation story through the eyes of my heroines.

"This is always so interesting to me – to look at the great movements of history through their impact on the individual.

"I will be helped by actors reading extracts from my novels and I’ve had such fun choosing readings for them."

Philippa Gregory is the author of many bestselling novels and is a recognised authority on women’s history. Her latest novel The Last Tudor was published in August 2017.

She says: "Several stand out for me – for instance The Other Boleyn Girl, which made my name, and The White Queen, as I love Elizabeth Woodville so much. But of course my current favourite is my most recent – I think The Last Tudor is the best in my Plantagenet and Tudor series."

Philippa is currently working on the fourth instalment in her Order of Darkness series.

As she explains: "I’m currently preparing the fourth instalment in my Order of Darkness series for publication, and beginning work on a new series and companion non-fiction book.

"Volume IV will be called Dark Tracks; a fantasy story set in medieval Europe during the expansion of the Ottoman empire, and will go to print shortly to be available early next year.

"My new series, Fairmile, is an exciting new project for me – like in Order of Darkness I’m going to tell a fictional story in a historical setting. It’s a family saga starting in West Sussex in the period of the English Civil War.

"For my non-fiction I’m looking at the history of women in England. The research includes an eclectic reading list and I am finding it hugely inspiring."

Her work has been adapted for the screen in The Other Boleyn Girl movie and the acclaimed Starz mini-series The White Queen.

When asked about how she feels to have her books made into film and TV series, Philippa says: "It is completely dependent on the project – each one is very different.

"It is always good to have the chance to reach new readers, and there is a thrill about seeing your book which you imagine in quiet and privacy, on a big screen and at film festivals world-wide. That’s quite surreal!

"But there is always a dialogue between the original material and the contribution of the screenwriting team, producers, actors and crew and sometimes that goes well and sometimes I feel there are too many changes. I think I have a unique view of historical events, which I have honed over the years, and I don’t like to compromise on that."

Philippa started her writing career in journalism. She says: "I credit this training for my ability to handle deadlines. But I decided to go to university late and got a place at Sussex, where I discovered history.

"I went on to get PhD in 18th century literature at Edinburgh, exploring the popular fiction of the time by studying the most-read novels of the circulating libraries – you can learn much about a society when you look at what they read.

"Inadvertently, by reading so many books, I served an apprenticeship in the structure of novel. When I couldn’t get a job as a history academic I started to write my own novel. It was, Wideacre, which became a bestseller, and I became a full-time novelist – 30 years ago this year."

On being part of the first Salisbury Literary Festival, she adds: "Salisbury is such a lovely city to visit and it’s an honour to be invited to speak at the inaugural festival. One of my recent heroines, Margaret Pole, was Countess of Salisbury, so I feel a special connection."

When asked her advice to any budding writers out there, she says: "Write your best book. Don’t worry about who will like it or read it, and don’t chase the popular market, which will probably have shifted by the time your book is complete anyway. Create the best thing you can, in your own style, and whatever the outcome commercially, you will have that to keep and it will be something to treasure."

Salisbury Literary Festival runs from Friday, October 27 until Sunday, October 29. For tickets visit salisburyliteraryfestival.co.uk.

Tickets for adult events also available at Sarum College Bookshop; tickets for children’s events available at Waterstones.