One of the oddest and most forgotten episodes in California history was that of the “Ingot Lottery” of France in 1851. As sources for this story I rely mainly on that excellent book, The Madams of San Francisco by Curt Gentry, © 1964 by Curt Gentry. I also draw upon The Annals of San Francisco, by… Read More »The California French by Steve Bartholomew
My latest book, Spirit Catcher, has just come out and is available on line. I’ve been asked to say a few words about it, but first I’m going to mention Singapore. As I write this Singapore is in the news due to the recent death of its modern founder, or… Read More »Spirit Catcher by Steve Bartholomew
Elsewhere I have made some comments on the dangers and discomforts of travel by sea during the Nineteenth Century. Indeed, from a modern perspective, it seems almost incomprehensible that ordinary citizens would have taken such risks to get from one place to another. The fastest voyage on record from New… Read More »Perils of the Sea by Steve Bartholomew
Authors of historical fiction get their inspiration from many sources. Sometimes it comes from a fascination with certain famous individuals (you will find plenty of books about various kings and queens and famous artists in our catalog) or specific events (wars in particular seem fertile ground for inspiration.) Sometimes the… Read More »My inspiration for Deadly Proof by M. Louisa locke
In the year 1597, Sir Frances Drake did not discover San Francisco Bay. He did find Drake’s Bay, a rather small cove near Point Reyes. He landed his ship for overhaul and spent more than a month exploring the neighborhood. The natives were friendly, since they yet failed to realize… Read More »How Old is San Francisco Bay? (With Addendum) by Steve Bartholomew