Behind the Books
Real Science, Inspiration & Silly Things
Where did Anne get the idea for that? Is there any truth to the science she writes in her books? Scroll down to uncover the real history, folklore, or biological basis behind many of her stories.
Explore Pteridomania: The Victorian Fern Craze—Victorian Britain’s fern fever that blended science and obsession at the heart of ICY BETRAYALS.
Travel with author Anne Renwick through the volcanic landscapes and hidden valleys of Iceland, where real-world research brought Icy Betrayals to life.
Discover Þingvellir National Park, where Iceland’s tectonic plates meet Viking history, Alþingi, and Anne Renwick’s Icy Betrayals historical fantasy.
Learn how symbols for love, heart, and grace inspired scenes in ICY BETRAYALS.
Discover how 45S5 Bioglass bonds to bone, helps heal teeth and soft tissue, and inspired a glowing, deadly tattoo
Discover Iceland’s history from the Norse settlement through Norwegian and Danish rule to independence.
Explore the fascinating science of sinistral (left-coiling) snails, their genetics, and the magical folklore of widdershins.
Discover the science behind snail slime healing—from Hippocrates to hydrogels—in Anne Renwick’s A GHOST IN AMBER.
The idea for FLIGHT OF THE SCARAB started fermenting…
Are those mushrooms Anne Renwick wrote about in FLIGHT OF THE SCARAB real?
Scientists really are turning mushrooms into batteries, sensors, and even “nerves” of robots.
VENOMOUS SECRETS Lamia are women from the waist up, snakes from the waist down.
In VENOMOUS SECRETS we first encounter Cait on a mission to retrieve a serpent…
Visit Loftsalahellir Cave near Vík with breathtaking views of Dyrhólaey and Reynisfjara’s black sand beach.
Discover how nacre—nature’s toughest material—inspires protective armor.
Bioluminescence and how it illuminates the dark nights in The Elemental Web.
In my book, A WHISPER OF BONE, mention of real historical individuals and locations surface.
The inspiration behind the creation of Cait’s character and how she becomes the heroine of VENOMOUS SECRETS.
THE IRON FIN I so very badly wanted to see the Inner and Outer Hebrides…
IN PURSUIT OF DRAGONS Doune Castle lies northwest of Edinburgh.
A SNOWFLAKE AT MIDNIGHT Are researchers really mining medieval texts for ideas they can apply to modern medicine?
A SNOWFLAKE AT MIDNIGHT Traditional holiday foods, something distinctive with a smell that bring to mind memories of the season.
A SNOWFLAKE AT MIDNIGHT Mistletoe, it’s not just for kisses! Is it poisonous? At a low dose, can mistletoe be used as a medicine?
Discover how glowing eyes reflect light for night vision, and how A REFLECTION OF SHADOWS’ heroine uses this feline-like ability to navigate London rooftops.
Discover how glowing eyes reflect light for night vision, and how A REFLECTION OF SHADOWS’ heroine uses this feline-like ability to navigate London rooftops.
The nocturnal flight pattern of the pteryform is tolerated for creature’s predation upon the kraken that infest the Thames.
In A WHISPER OF BONE, we meet Carlos Tetzopa, a visiting professor from the National Mexican Museum.
How the Effra, one of London’s lost rivers, came to play a key role in THE GOLDEN SPIDER.
In THE GOLDEN SPIDER, Lady Amanda Ravensburg invents a clockwork spider that can re-weave nerves.
Where do all those strange words come from?
So one night over a glass of wine, I said, “I’ve this idea for a character… will you help?”
THE SILVER SKULL Bones. Far from static objects.
When a rogue frog on the loose in a small village of Wales became the focus of A TRACE OF COPPER…
Always looking to dive into more books without overspending?
A blue frog hitched a ride home among the plants Evan collected…
Anne Renwick visits book location sites in London.
Why is A TRACE OF COPPER set in Wales?
KRAKEN AND CANALS With everything turning up red, white and pink in February, some might prefer a darker tone.
The books, history, and Romani culture that inspired characters.
A poster commented that the menu categories “salad and plant-based salad” had given him pause.
How long did it take to travel from Edinburgh to London by steam train in 1885?
The Elemental Web: Characters, Locations, Technology, Biology and Other Terms
Discover hidden London locations that inspired places in Anne Renwick’s Elemental Web.
Each story stands by itself and has its own hero and heroine, meaning you can start wherever you want.
Barcelona. It’s a beautiful old city with an odd Christmas tradition.
THE SILVER SKULL One of my all-time favorite castles is Burg Eltz.
What is Kobo Plus? Are Anne Renwick’s books enrolled in it?
Sock MITOSIS involving laundry.
On to MEIOSIS. This is where things start to get messy.
What is that sexy groove that runs from the hips across the pelvis?
In this article we’re going to conduct an at-home laboratory experiment.
The topic: grammar, spelling and nerves. Wait, did I read that correctly?
Remember that awesome scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark where Marion Ravenwood drinks a man under the table?
I decided to try making one of those awesome black steel steampunk tables…
It’s true, I’ve eyed the beautiful swords hanging on various walls for years now.
A TRACE OF COPPER It’s no real surprise that I’ve set a story in Wales, one of the most magical places I’ve ever visited.
Explore 100+ steampunk and gaslamp fantasy romance authors.
Join Anne’s closed group on Facebook where other readers hang out to chat.
THE SILVER SKULL While we’re alive, bones are constantly being remodeled. Approximately 10% of our bone is replaced every single year.
The original opening for THE GOLDEN SPIDER, taking you behind the scenes…
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