Ever felt bogged down by the details? Every writer of historical fiction has likely shared the experience. Stories of bygone eras immerse readers in a particular time and place by invoking elements of the past that bring history to life. In the quest to blend fact and fiction, it is… Read More »The Pitfalls of Historical Research by Lisa Yarde
You are young and you are beautiful. You have been captured by the Turks after your Balkan city succumbed to a long siege. Your father and brothers are dead. You are terrified you will now be raped and murdered. But you are not harmed by your captors, fearsome as they… Read More »Life in an Ottoman Harem by Colin Falconer
There is a tale told by Herodatus, the famous Greek historian, about a wily prince called Tyrrhenus who saved his people by encouraging gambling. The story goes like this. Once in the land of Lydia there came a time when the harvest could no longer fill the bellies of all.… Read More »Who were the mysterious Etruscans? by Elisabeth Storrs
I began studying the American Revolution in earnest about fifteen years ago as background for my series set during the southern theater of the war. Connections between the eighteenth century and the twenty-first century jumped out at me. Military and diplomatic errors and incidents that occurred between opposing regimes during… Read More »The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same by Suzanne Adair
Ya’ll know I’m a history buff who loves to experience places and elements of the past, right? So, what’s the best thing you can do for a girl like me? Apparently, if you just put a sword in my hand, I’ll be on top of the world! As I so delicately supported the… Read More »Report on HNS 2013: Swordplay and Historical Fiction by Lisa Yarde