Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion

This folder is for readers and writers of historical fiction.

Welcome! Please post your books or leave a comment!

Hi Vincent,

Thanks for the invite. I am the author of the award-winning historical fiction (Civil War) novel Shades of Gray. Look forward to chatting with other authors and readers!
Jessica James
www.jessicajamesbooks.com

Hi, Vincent. Thank you again for creating this group. Here is a link to my historical fiction:

Charlie Courtland Hello world! I read and write historical fiction. Here is a link to my newest book, Dandelions In The Garden, about the 16th century Blood Countess, Elizabeth Bathory. It is book one of a two-part series.

Charlie wrote: "Charlie Courtland Hello world! I read and write historical fiction. Here is a link to my newest book, Dandelions In The Garden, about the 16th century Blood Countess, Elizabeth ..."

Your book sounds like something I'd love to read; I'll have to check it out.

Hi, I love historical crime. I loved The Alienist and the Interpretation of Murder. I write horror, but there's a little bit of history in my books. There's not much history in my short fiction but you guys might like
http://www.thecleanwhitepage.com/2009...

Land of Falling Stars
Ravenous Romance - e-version: http://tinyurl.com/bvoqbt

Home Shopping Network (Print) http://tinyurl.com/m9voyw

Snippets of Reviews:
"This is one steamy hot erotic historical ebook that I devoured as soon as I got a couple of pages in...I recommend that all erotic romance readers go out and buy this ebook. It's a keeper." --Phoebe Jordan, Talk About My Favorite Authors

"Keta Diablo has woven a tale set in Civil War times that is truly engaging." --The Girls on Books Blog (4 "martinis")

"I thoroughly enjoyed Land of Falling Stars, and hope to read more of the people of Arbor Rose and Fredricksburg." --Whipped Cream Erotic Romance Reviews (4.5 "cherries")

"If you enjoy passion and emotion in your romance, Land of Falling Stars is one you won't want to miss! --Jennifer's Random Musings (4.5 stars)

"A story that has the ups and downs of a roller coaster and keeps the reader hanging on with bated breath, Land of Falling Stars is captivating. The author has a great knack for weaving words together to bring a vivid picture to the reader's mind." --Bookwenches (4.5 stars)

Crave More Romance says: “If you haven’t read Keta Diablo you haven’t lived!”

Night Owl Romance says: Diablo has penned a beautiful, haunting love story full of passion, deception, and danger that will leave you breathless and longing for more!

About Land of Falling Stars:
Penniless, her parents and brother dead, Sophia Whitfield struggles to save her beloved childhood home during the Civil War. Another bluecoat staggers down the hill, but before Sophia allows him to rob and pilfer like the others, she shoots him. How was she to know it was Gavin, the dark knight of her youth, carrying secrets too horrific to imagine and a passion that ignites her deepest desires?


I can’t tell you how honored I am that Land of Falling Stars was selected to participate in ESCAPE WITH ROMANCE through the Home Shopping Network. Here’s wishing each and every one of you a blessed Holiday season. May all your dreams for 2010 come true.

Namaste, Keta Diablo
http://ketadiablo.blogspot.com

Just a quick FYI: I found a wonderful place for readers and writers of historical fiction. Come check out my page: http://historicalfictionbooks.ning.co...

I like this particular network because it focuses on the genre of my book. Of course, it is also the genre I love to read so I am getting a ton of recommendations!

Beautiful website and I love your book cover. You should consider joining amazon associates. It's pretty easy to set up a store and when anyone buys your book you will receive between 4-8% depending on how many sold in the month. This is in addition to your royalties. Since Amazon gets a 55% cut it can jump your total profit quite a bit. You can do just your book or you can add more. We did an Amazon store on www.TheTsarsMasquerade.com and included nonfiction books which relate to the subject of our novel.

Raphael wrote: "Beautiful website and I love your book cover. You should consider joining amazon associates. It's pretty easy to set up a store and when anyone buys your book you will receive between 4-8% depend..."

I do have an Amazon store for my book. That is a good idea about adding more books relating to my subject. I will work on that this evening. Thanks. I will also check out your store.

If anyone tweets: here is my addy. I'll follow you if you follow me!

http://twitter.com/bitsyblingbooks

Charlie wrote: "Just a quick FYI: I found a wonderful place for readers and writers of historical fiction. Come check out my page: http://historicalfictionbooks.ning.co...

I like this pa..."

Thanks for the information; I've just joined the page myself.

I'm Laura Rittenhouse, an Aussie author. My first book Starting Overwas published by Wings ePress in October 2009. The best place to look for it is on my website at www.laurarittenhouse.com. The Amazon link from Goodreads is messed up. If you go to Amazon you have to search for my name since the book title isn't found nor is the ISBN (grrrrr).

Anyway, this mainstream fiction novel (with a big dose of historical fiction) tells the story of 2 migrants; one who moved from Germany to the US in 1903, the second, her great-granddaughter, moved from the US to Australia 76 years later. The book follows them each from the age of 14 to 50 as they seek out their common dreams of travel and independence. They bump up against many of the same hurdles and experience them somewhat differently because of the social norms and technologies of their times, but the key choices they have to make don't really change over time: how much independence to sacrifice for the love of a partner, how to keep a roof over your head without abandoning your dreams, when is it the right time to start over?

I can see joining this group is going to be bad for my TBR Mountain!
There some good ones I'll be checking into!

Hi, I'm Tika Newman, author and publisher of Thistlewood Publishing. I've published three books in The Eyes of Innocence series, the story of a young girl who grows up with psychic abilities and the power to heal.

I am currently working on a historical novel called For the Love of Anne. It's set in Chicago, in the late 1880s. Briefly, it's about a girl and her brother, after their father abandons the family and they lose their mother and are forced to make their way alone. There's a bit of murder, suspense, stories of immigrants, and success in the business world.


Will be published in 2010

Hi Vincent
I'm happy to join this group.
I am the author of Trini Melange, an historical novel set in the Caribbean. It covers a period of 150 years from post-slavery to post-colonial times and the drama unfolds against the economic background of cocoa and sugar plantations and later oil in Trinidad and Tobago. The reason for the constant antagonism of the two main characters, Luanne and Lucy, towards each other is revealed in the novel. Immigration, rape, racial tensions, poverty and religious differences are some of the themes covered.

all you authors have so many interesting titles on here that I am overwhelmed and don't know where to start :o)

well you started with the most important word "start" :o) I've been trying to expand my library and I've been dipping into genres I don't usually read. I've got a reading group on here that has been coming up with some very interesting titles as well. So, maybe we can add some of what is listed here.

Hi, Bertille and Tika-

Your books sound very interesting.

Best of luck!

UrennaTrue Season of Love

Hello Urenna :) tyvm :)

Yours sounds very good too :)

Tika

It's a wonderful, passionate love story, Tika.

Regards,

Urenna

Hi!

I'm Tony Hays, author of the new Arthurian mysteries from Tor/Forge. The first two, The Killing Way and The Divine Sacrifice have already been released. The third, The Beloved Dead, is already in production for a Spring 2011 release. Check out my work here or at http://www.tonyhays.com

Just wanted to let everyone know that my newest book, The Divine Sacrifice, debuted at #2 on the hardcover fiction list in the Nashville Tennessean!

http://www.tennessean.com/article/201...

Holding On To Heaven available now on Amazon Kindle, $2.99

HOLDING ON TO HEAVEN
Keta Diablo
An Erotic Romance (Historical)

ON AMAZON KINDLE: http://tinyurl.com/y4f873p

Blurb:

When the blazing fires of revolt ravage the countryside, Lauren and Sage McCain are trapped amid the flames of destiny. The Civil War has crumbled a Nation, and the Dakota Sioux uprising has turned southern Minnesota into a violent battlefield.

Holding On To Heaven is a story of love between two men and a woman, love between siblings, and love that crosses all boundaries and forges all cultures.

Reviews:

What an outstanding book! Keta Diablo has penned the most amazing story! Five Roses! A Romance Review

Holding On To Heaven is a moving adventure about love, passion, revenge and family honor. Keta Diablo has created a story with characters as rich and adventurous as the Wagon's West Series, The North & South trilogy, and Donati's Wilderness epic." Fresh Fiction

Holding On To Heaven ends on a cliffhanger; surely there will be a sequel to the story of Lauren and Sage. A solid historical novel with attractive characters and a strong sense of place. RoundUp Magazine

Visit Keta on her Web Site; http://www.ketadiablo.com

My name is Simon Acland and I have just published my first novel, called The Waste Land (rather pretentiously, some might say!).



It tells the story of Hugh de Verdon, monk turned knight, during the extraordinary events of the First Crusade. He journeys from the great Benedictine monastery of Cluny to Constantinople, Antioch and Jerusalem. He encounters the Assassins, undergoes a crisis of faith, and discovers the 'truth' behind the Holy Grail.

Hugh's tale is retold by a group of desperate Oxford Professors, based on his autobiographical manuscript, discovered in thier College library. Their humorous and murderous story provides a commentary on the eleventh century events and shows that they are perhaps not all they seem.

The Eliot reference comes about partly because the book blends legends of the Grail with Ovid, as the poem does, and there are elements of all of these woven into the story. Douglas Hurd said that it "will be thoroughly enjhoyed by anyone with a taste for rollicking adventure laced with a subtle dose of literary learning". Tim Waterstone was kind enough to describe it as "highly original and a most enjoyable read". I just meant it to be entertaining!

An ancient autobiographical tale discovered by modern day Oxford Professors from a manuscript discovered in their library sounds like a grand romp & one I'd like to read!

Truly sounds interesting and exciting, Simon!

--Cecilia

What a wonderful opportunity ~ thank you Vincent for setting up this avenue of promotion for us.



Wind Warrior ~ The Iroquois Series ~ Book One

Leslie Michaels is a visionary, and only those close to her know of her special gift and the visions that come when her mind and body surrender to sleep. Fate has a way of righting many wrongs, and for Leslie it is a destiny that changes her life dramatically. But not before she is forced to flee into the wilderness to escape a murderous trapper bent on claiming her for his very own. Faith and a strong will to survive are her only companions, until she encounters Winnokin, the handsome Seneca war chief who first came to her in her dreams. Not only does he prove to be her rescuer and protector, he teaches her that tragedy can breed happiness and the passion to live and love deeply once again.

Wind Warrior plunges readers into the intimate depths of a relationship that unfolds like a live drama before their eyes while painting an insightful and intriguing portrait of Native Indian life in the 1800s. It is a story of longing, of a wanton need to survive all odds, and a love so strong it conquers human evil. Wind Warrior expresses with cunning words the simple, raw human emotions that hold readers spellbound and captivates their hearts.

Terrific to have this forum! I'm the author of three historical novels set on Cape Cod in the years building up to the American Revolution, all the novels linked by one particular strong woman inspired by a small notation in an historical essay about widow's in the 18th century. Quite a tale . . . The research for this novel unearthed another buried tale of an indentured servant charged with infanticide. THAT research led to a young woman who was a key witness to the Boston Massacre.The Widow's War: A NovelBound: A NovelThe Rebellion of Jane Clarke: A Novel

Thanks for letting me tell you about my historical espionage thriller The Losing Role:

Near the grim end of World War II a failed German actor, Max Kaspar, is forced to join a desperate secret mission in which he must impersonate an enemy American officer. So Max cooks up his own fanatical plan - he'll use his false identity to escape tyranny and war and flee to the America he'd once abandoned.

This and my books Besserwisser: A Novel and False Refuge are available on the Amazon Kindle and iPad and are coming soon to the Barnes & Noble, Kobo and Sony Reader e-book stores.

Happy reading,
Steve

www.stephenfanderson.com

Debbie Lester just gave my novel, The Accidental Spy, a four apple review at http://debsbookbag.blogspot.com/2010/...

The Panamanian Princess
K.D. Brogdon
Set in 1903 Panama...
kdbrogdon.com

"Midnight Omen Deja vu" by Marti Melville.

Set in a bustling sea side community hospital, an emergency room team struggles to save the life of one of their patients…and fails. Katherine, RN is enmeshed in the demands of the ER until a series of strange dreams sends cold fear coursing through her body. Suddenly, she becomes the victim of unexplained magical events. Desperately seeking for answers, she is regressed to a previous life in which she discovers the secrets behind her magical powers as a healer. She learns that she once lived in a tiny seaside village near Wales with her grandmother, a Celtic witch who teaches Katherine to use her “Gift” for healing. Their lives change the night an omen surrounding the moon foretells of imminent danger. It isn't long before Katherine is kidnapped by rogue churlish men and taken from her home in the heather to a large ship bound for the Caribbean.



www.martimelville.com

Marti your book sounds just like the type of book I love to read most added it to my to-read list!

THANK YOU, Joan! Let me know what you think of it. I would love a review if you're willing.

Marti

Stirring Passions

A Regency intrigue novella by Maggi Andersen.

My historical fiction is not strictly "historical fiction".....in an effort for full disclosure, my book has time travel and is set partly in 2006 and partly in the 1860's. Some people would say that that makes it fantasy, but I feel like it better fits in this genre because of the amount of historical research I endured to create this book! Please check it out if you love art, romance, Paris, Chicago, intrigue, destiny and true love.

The Muse of Edouard Manet
M. Clifford

Sounds fabulour M. I love when times mesh because history creates current events (they are always enmeshed!)

Sounds intriguing! I love it when there's a lot of historical detail in a book, and I love Edouard Manet's work. I wish you great success.

Thank you both!! I'm sure you'd be happy to hear that I stayed as absolutely true to the real life events of Edouard Manet's life as much as was possible. In reality, the iconography in his paintings was usually very unclear, causing much debate in his time, and even still in ours. I was able to weave the time travel/romance plot into his life, creating unique explanations for why he painted what he did. If you are ever able to read it, I truly hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

If you have a Kindle (or the Kindle app for your computer), I just lowered the price to $2.99 because I'm beta-testing for the new Kindle dtp format. Here's the link if you're interested:
http://tiny.cc/d52xt

If you'd prefer it in print, here's the link:
https://www.createspace.com/3440403

Thanks again for your kind words!
M. Clifford

M. wrote: "Thank you both!! I'm sure you'd be happy to hear that I stayed as absolutely true to the real life events of Edouard Manet's life as much as was possible. In reality, the iconography in his paint..." Thank you added to my to-read list!

Joan wrote: "M. wrote: "Thank you both!! I'm sure you'd be happy to hear that I stayed as absolutely true to the real life events of Edouard Manet's life as much as was possible. In reality, the iconography i..."

Thanks Joan!

M. Clifford

I just added a discount code for my book that I talk about above in #s 36 & 39. It will give you 25% off, making it cheaper through my eStore than through Amazon.

CODE: 66JYL4MZ
eStore Link: https://www.createspace.com/3440403

Hello all,

I really don't read much historical fiction. I do read History, however; American History, since I write American historical fiction.
When I do read HF, I like the settings in the American West and was particularly taken with Richard S. Wheeler Skye's West series. Book 16 is due out sometime soon.

I'm not as prolific as Wheeler, but have put two HF titles on Kindle (also available in print) and I'm working on a third that should go on Kindle in August and be in print by October.

Titles available: Fury in Sumner County and The Adventures of Elizabeth Fortune.

Hi - as I understand it, historical fiction generally means before "living memory." My book is right on the edge then, as it is set at the end of WW2 (1945) in the South Pacific. However, this is a highly-researched story of the great sweep of world events in the mid-20th Century. Sure - there's adventure on the grand scale, largely due to the "Great Antagonist" (as I call him), "the Father," the biggest and most dangerous crocodile on Earth. He's based on a real man-killer of that time and place, and our 3 heroes - puny men all - must face him, almost stripped of weapons, on his own turf.

I'd love it if you'd check it out - including the video review I posted on amazon, where I show you video I filmed in my role as TV documentarian, of giant killer whales, man-eating Bull sharks - and the body of the real "Father of the Crocodiles."

The American and World history depicted in the book (along with real-life characters, Jack Kennedy and Supreme Commander Douglas MacArthur) is accurate - and books 2 and 3 of the trilogy will have more to do with American history - and a visit to post-atom-bomb Japan! If you like the works of my mentor, James Clavell (Shogun, Tai Pan, Gai Jin, Noble House etc.), Herman Melville, Peter Benchley, Michael Crichton, and Joseph Conrad, you're going to eat up TEETH!

http://www.amazon.com/Teeth-Epic-Nove...

"Father" definitely looks like a modern-day, or at least a fairly 'recent-day' dinosaur. The mid-twentieth century isn't that far gone yet.

What lives in the water that we cannot see has always creeped me out. Now I have yet another creature to fear! Thanks so much, Timothy...:>

Actually, your story sounds interesting & entertaining all at once and one I would really like to read.

Best of luck to you...Cecilia

Cecilia wrote: ""Father" definitely looks like a modern-day, or at least a fairly 'recent-day' dinosaur. The mid-twentieth century isn't that far gone yet.
"
While I have been fascinated and inspired over the years by Moby-Dick, Jaws, and the Jurassic Park books and movies, I do have some problems with them. As a maker of documentary TV programs, I've explored the wilds above and under water in many parts of the world, and this I can tell you:

Whales, white or whatever color, do not hunt human beings! While whales have been known to breach on boats that tormented them, not one of them ever tasted Capt. Ahab's leg and pined for the rest of him!

Sharks will eat you - but they are opportunistic feeders. They do not seek revenge on any particular group of humans, despite what that entertaining yarn, "Jaws," suggested.

And while T. Rex, according to recent theories, was an intelligent hunter, his rebirth from ancient blood and a bit of frog DNA is pure fancy from the mind of Michael Crichton.

But crocodilians still roam our world. Crocodiles, the scientists say, have remained superbly adapted, and virtually unchanged, for 200-million years. They were there to watch T. Rex and his brethren go extinct 60-million years ago. And of all the reptiles, they are the closest living relative to those ancient dinos. In fact, a big Saltwater crocodile like the one in my book, has as much crushing power in his great jaws as Tyrannosaurus!

I'm amazed that there has never been a good crocodile story (I hope you'll agree) - until now. After I first read and saw "Jaws," that was my reaction. "This is so obviously a great confrontation! Why has no one ever done this until now?" I hope that will be your response as well.

All the croc movies I've seen are low budget, laughable attempts. Even the Lake Placid movies were silly. Sure, they had their moments, but they got as many laughs as screams.

Believe me, as one who has been close up to these scaly monsters on the rivers and oceans of the South Pacific, when you are actually in the presence of such a Goliath reptile, laughter is the last thing on your mind!

Crocodiles, my friend, do hunt a particular person, sometimes for weeks and months on end! They are ambush predators that watch carefully - select their victim, human or animal, study its behavior (especially its daily habits), and at last lay in wait for them. Then they surge up, seize their prey in their pitiless teeth (all 68 of them) and drag it down to its doom.

There are many stories from the WWII of soldiers in the tropical jungles I know from years of personal experience, trying to hunt the crocs (they do make decent steaks) - while the cunning croc in turn was hunting them. These reptiles are canny creatures, and often won the contest! Many a soldier suffered a gruesome death in the swamps and rivers of New Guinea.

Then, on a trip to the South Pacific, when I ran across a photograph of an actual notorious (and massive!) man-eater from my time period, my story began to swim through my mind.

TEETH is also inspired by the Odyssey: you will see my tip-of-the hat to the Sirens, the Cyclops, and more. It's what I call "serious fun."

Check it out! Remember - a signed 1st Edition can be had for only $5.99, and Kindle is in the bargain basement at $2.99.

The Panamanian Princess
K.D. Brogdon

A new review of The Accidental Spy: http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.act...

I am new to this group, but I am , the author of The Art of Devotion. It is a historical novel, of sorts, set on an island in the Mediterranean Sea from the turn of the century until the late 1930s. The Examiner has proclaimed it "a revival of elegance and grace, reminding us of an era when all literature was lyrical, with a fluidity that makes it appear song-like. Samantha Bruce-Benjamin's debut places her in a class with some of the best literary minds, including F. Scott Fitzgerald, whose Gatsby was a clear sign of inspiration.” I hope that it will whet you historical appetites and that you will check out my website http://www.samanthabrucebenjamin.com/. Thanks!

Hi, and thanks for the opportunity to share our love of reading and writing.

MAGICIAN'S SPELL, an historical adventure romance was recently published by Red Rose Publishing.
Set in the 1800s, the story follows Lady Johanna Cornehl. Her journey begins when her Admiral father forces her to be transported aboard Magician, a 40-gun frigate, commanded by Harold "Hal" Monroe. What she doesn't know is that the captain suspects that it was Admiral Cornehl who was responsible for his court-martial from the Royal Navy. Johanna's adventures that begin aboard Magician will involve her in the theatre, an impulsive affair, kidnapping and a villain’s revenge.
Please visit my website: http://www.magicians-spell.com and my blog: http://debrasuedenson.blogspot.com

Are there "rules" for Historical Fiction? More specifically, how "old" does the history have to be to be considered "historical"? Thank you! Kathy