Beyond the Headlines: 5 Research Takeaways from Periodicals

Guest Post by Jocelyn Green Newspapers! Magazines! What treasures they hold for the historical novelist, and looking beyond the main articles will yield even more insights for your story. Be sure to pay attention to: Weather reports. Daily newspapers usually report the weather, which is especially helpful for those of us who write stories set … Continue reading Beyond the Headlines: 5 Research Takeaways from Periodicals

Communicating When Circumscribed: Lessons from the Convent

Guest Post by Gina Buonaguro While researching my latest novel set in a sixteenth-century Venetian convent, I was struck by how very circumscribed the world of women was, especially cloistered nuns, in ways we cannot relate to in today’s constantly connected society. One of my goals with The Virgins of Venice was to have my … Continue reading Communicating When Circumscribed: Lessons from the Convent

Normal is Just Another Word for Average: Writing Strong Women Who Still Stay True to History

Guest Post by Stephenia H. McGee I used to teach creative writing at a Christian academy and I will never forget the day when one of my students was brave enough to tell another teen that she “wasn’t normal.” I stopped class in favor of lending a little perspective. “What exactly,” I asked, “is normal? … Continue reading Normal is Just Another Word for Average: Writing Strong Women Who Still Stay True to History