Author Anita Chapman took the audience on a journey through Italy past and present, as she shared the inspirations behind her acclaimed historical novels at the Athenaeum on Wednesday 23rd September 2026.
Anita Chapman’s dual timeline historical fiction set in Italy has enchanted readers around the world. Her debut novel, The Venice Secret, spent six weeks in Amazon’s Top 100 Kindle chart. This was followed by The Florence Letter, The Tuscan Diary, and The Italian Vineyard. Anita’s latest novel is The House in the Tuscan Hills.
Her inspiration comes in many forms, starting at an early age, when Anita’s mother took her to see the Canalettos at The National Gallery in London as a child. Many of Anita’s summers growing up were spent with her family driving to Italy, and as part of her university degree she spent several months studying and working in Siena. She draws further ideas from reading old journals and diaries, and visits to galleries, museums and stately homes.
The talk was followed by an audience Q&A and the chance to buy signed copies of Anita’s books.
Brought to you by the Smithdown Litfest with support from the Research Institute for Literature and Cultural History at Liverpool John Moores University.