have had no luck with other questions so will try these instead
20a author of cakes and ale7 ??R???? could be forster as he's mentioned in maugham book/
23a sort of rice,say,offered on trial E???? essay?
27a amount reportedly provided for Panza 9 R???N???? rocinante?but that's don quixote's horse
thanks
this was answered earlier as Jerrold. To help with your other questions; 9a ends in N not G; 8d Ellen Douglas is the Lady of the Lake, make that connection to another literary lady; 14d does end in H and looks to me like something associated with unlucky; 23a is the first name of a writer called Rice; 27a think its the horse with an S not C.