Carol M. Cram - I’m a bit of a late bloomer when it comes to writing historical fiction. My debut novel, The Towers of Tuscany, set in medieval Italy, was published in 2014 when I was in my late fifties. But since then, I’ve been making up for lost time. I joined the Historical Novel … Continue reading How I Found My People at My First Historical Novel Society Conference

Guest Post by E. C. Ambrose - An archive, library, or internet equivalent is your usual starting point when developing the ideas, conflicts and characters you’ll weave into a narrative. While reading is a great place to begin, relying strictly on written matter to re-create a historical world can lead to limitations that prevent the … Continue reading Hands-on with History: Researching Material Culture

Guest Post by Robin Henry - Writers of historical fiction often face criticism for placing “modern” characters in a historical setting. Readers send angry emails about how writers got it wrong. “That could never happen!” they exclaim. These comments frequently concern the actions of female characters. This essay asks writers to look for the spaces … Continue reading The World Needs More Heroines! Use the Heroine’s Journey to Outline Your Next Historical Novel

Guest Post by Amanda Cabot - Carpenters need saws and hammers; portrait painters use brushes and palettes; chefs rely on whisks and saucepans. Those are all tools of their trades. What tools does an author of historical novels have? I don’t pretend to answer for everyone, but I’d like to share my favorite tools with … Continue reading Tools of the Trade