Quotes by Sara Sheridan

The best historical stories capture the modern imagination because they are, in many senses, still current - part of a continuum.

While Im frustrated at the amount Im expected to take on in the present, the 1950s woman was frustrated by being excluded - not being allowed to take things on at all.

Today women have the rights and equality our Victorian sisters could only dream of, and with those privileges comes the responsibility of standing up and being counted.

Im not sure how much easier it is for a mother to balance her life now - have we simply swapped one set of restrictions for another?

I was asked the other day in which era I would choose to live. As a historical novelist, it comes up sometimes. As a woman Id have to say Id like to live in the future - I want to see where these centuries of change are leading us.

In the 1950s at least less was expected of women. Now were supposed to build a career, build a home, be the supermum that every child deserves, the perfect wife, meet the demands of elderly parents, and still stay sane.

Looking at my life through the lens of history has made me increasingly grateful to standout women who pushed those boundaries to make the changes from which I have benefited.

I believe the era of the militant lady is back.

Often we dont notice the stringent rules to which our culture subjects us.

Change occurs slowly. Very often a legal change might take place but the cultural shift required to really accept its spirit lingers in the wings for decades.

As a novelist it is my job to tell stories that inspire and entertain but I am increasingly mindful that many of these historical tales (which of themselves are fascinating) relate directly to our issues in society today.

An important part of deciding where we want to go, as a society and culture, is knowing where we have come from, and indeed, how far we have come.

The net has provided a level playing field for criticism and comment - anyone and everyone is entitled to their opinion - and that is one of its greatest strengths.

Ive been obsessed with stories since I was a kid so its no surprise that I ended up writing for a living.

You couldn’t predict what was going to happen for one simple reason: people.

They march into the future to the rhythm of the past.

You have no future when the past rules you.

Our archives are treasure troves - a testament to many lives lived and the complexity of the way we move forward. They contain clues to the real concerns of day-to-day life that bring the past alive.

If we dont value the people who inspire us (and money is one mark of that) then what kind of culture are we building?

In wartime people took action because of what they believed in. In peacetime people were driven by their private concerns.