Prologue Bari, Kingdom of Naples March 1560 The nightmares did not start until my old age, when sleep becomes elusive for some, while for others it is burdened with images from their past they would rather not remember. The stone cellar, dank and malodorous; the glint of a blade; the killer’s cold eyes; the victim’s... Continue Reading →
La Luministe by Paula Butterfield
If she were alive today, painter Berthe Morisot would be celebrated and admired, but in the 19th century Paris, she was up against formidable obstacles. Women were not allowed to pursue paying occupations, the prestigious Ecole des Beaux Arts did not accept female students, the society treated "lady painters" as odd (if they were rich)... Continue Reading →
Notes from Boston Book Festival 2018 (Sessions on the Craft of Writing Novels)
This past weekend, my favorite Boston event took place in Copley Square, namely the 10th annual Boston Book Festival. It brought together authors, writers, speakers, journalists, and readers for a celebration of new books in a variety of genres, from adult and children's fiction to memoir to public affairs. Each year, it features debut authors... Continue Reading →
Writing (and Publishing) a Novel is Doable – Here’s How I Did It
This week marked the release of my debut novel The Greenest Branch, based on the true story of Germany's first female physician. I won't lie - it has been been a long and challenging road. I started in earnest in the summer of 2011, after spending several months researching the life of Hildegard of Bingen,... Continue Reading →
Ancestor’s Surprising Legal Career Inspires Historical Novel
Guest blog by Sydney Avey My great-grandmother Nellie Belle Carter was the family’s black sheep. In the early 1900s she left the fold to pursue an unusual career. My mother described her as a stern, sarcastic, determined woman who was an excellent writer. But it was her independent ways that made her a legend. “And,... Continue Reading →
Escaping Poverty through Arranged Marriage: The Mystery of the Missing Brides
Guest blog by Carmen Radtke As Queen Victoria’s empire grew and with it the wealth of the nation (mainly of the upper class), the colonies became a beacon of hope for the poor as well as the struggling middle class. In the 1850s and 1860s, New Zealand offered land for farming, and the former convict-colony... Continue Reading →
A ‘Redundant’ Woman – How Mary De Morgan Defied the Expectations of the Victorian Society
Guest blog by Marilyn Pemberton In The Jewel Garden, Hannah, a fictional character, tells of her relationship with Mary De Morgan (1850-1907), a real-life Victorian writer. De Morgan came from an illustrious family: her father was an eminent mathematician and her mother a renowned spiritualist and social reformer. Her brother William made beautiful tiles, which... Continue Reading →
The Anchoress by Robyn Cadwallader
Anchoresses were medieval women who chose to pursue a particularly demanding form of monastic life, namely complete isolation from the world. Once enclosed, they would typically live out their lives in a small cell, servants delivering their food and the priest hearing their confession being the only people with whom they would have contact. So... Continue Reading →
The Walrus Mutterer Explores the Power of Women in Celtic Culture
Guest post by Mandy Haggith The first of a trilogy of historical novels, The Walrus Mutterer is set in the Iron Age and inspired by a real person, Pytheas of Massalia, who is credited with being the first Mediterranean to discover Britain. In 320 BC he undertook an extraordinary voyage, circumnavigating Britain and travelling north... Continue Reading →
