The Danube, Tiber, Nile, Thames, Derwent, Ganges, Hudson, Seine, Euphrates, Amazon Writing is a great river. From a dribbling source in a mountain range, some small spring that any other day may have caused a writer to shrug and turn away, drips and drips. As the drops coalesce, collapse, overcome… Read More »Writing is a Great River by Greg Johnston
While it is not necessary or always possible for authors to travel to their settings in historical fiction, I know how much a visit can enhance the realism and add perspective to any story. In writing a series set in Moorish Spain, each trip to Granada’s Alhambra has increased my… Read More »Historical Fiction: On Location by Lisa Yarde
It has been over 700 years since Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, the last Prince of Wales, was ambushed and killed on a snowy hillside near the town of Cilmeri on 11 December 1282. That date is commemorated every year in Wales as the moment when the dream of Welsh independence died.… Read More »The Significance of ‘After Cilmeri’ by Sarah Woodbury
The importance of a book review Whether you are avid reader, a devourer of books, a casual reader, or someone who only picks up the occasional bestseller just before heading off for vacation, writing a brief book review can have a huge impact to readers and authors. From a reader’s… Read More »BOOK REVIEWS 101 by Mirella Sichirollo Patzer
After many years writing feature articles for national publications such as The New York Times, The L.A. Times, and Wired, as well as several nonfiction books for Penguin, Random House, and other publishers, a few years ago I plunged into writing my first novel. I hope it’s as fun to read as… Read More »How a Boy from Queens Ended Up Writing a Historical Novel About Detroit by Warren Berger