In 2005 I saw "Girl with a Pearl Earring" and just LOVED it. Have had the book for a while, so took the opportunity while on vacation to read it. It was even better than the movie. So I was thrilled to discover Tracy Chevalier's website, featuring information on all her books, including what inspired them, background information and a list of Frequently Answered Questions. If you are a fan of Ms. Chevalier's work, you'll love her website.

Don't forget to visit the Historical Novel Society website. There you can read interviews with, among others, Bernard Cornwell, Helen Hollick, Sharon Kay Penman, India Edghill, Barbara Erskine, and Sandra Gulland. You can find more info about Solander at the HNS site

Two Canadian authors who have websites I discovered recently are: Sandra Gulland, author of the fabulous Josephine B trilogy, has tons of info at her site launched late last year where you can read interviews, reviews, her bio and research tips. And Jack Whyte, he of the Arthurian series, includes radio interviews, a timeline, book details and Reader Forum at his home on the net.

Do you enjoy Elizabeth Chadwick's wonderful novels set in the Middle Ages? You can read an interview with her by Towse Harrison of the Historical Novel Society.

Are you a fan of Historical Mysteries? Canadace Robb has an informative site

Bernard Cornwell has an extensive site, while a fan of his also runs a website devoted to his books.

Fans of Pamela Belle (author of, among other things, the wonderful Wintercombe series) should definitely check out Deanna Kay's website. There you'll find info about the author, lists of her books, some wonderful links and more!!!

Another Pamela Belle site belongs to Beth Martin. It's not as extensive, but still a nice tribute to a great storyteller.

Fans of the French Revolution will want to read A Far Better Rest, published by Soho Press, the wonderful debut novel by Susanne Alleyn. You can read my review of this book, which first appeared in Issue 13 of the Historical Novels Review.

Author and HNS member Alan Fisk has a page listing his books as some links to other HF pages on the web.

I recently found a webpage for Dinah Lampitt. It's not big, but does list all her books and some biographical information.

Here's a page dedicated to the late Jean Plaidy/Victoria Holt/Philippa Carr. Yet another name to scratch off my list of websites for which to look! I've read most of Plaidy's books - it was her Plantagenet series that piqued my interest in Medieval England. There's also another page dedicated to Plaidy (though it seems to be just a list of her books.)

Fans of Alienor/Eleanor of Aquitaine might want to go to this page - a LOC citation list of books about that great medieval queen.

While this isn't an official Anya Seton website, it's the next best thing - an article about her work written by my good friend Tamara Mazzei.

Margaret George now has a website. Of particular interest is her article, Behind the Novels. You can also read a feature article about her at January magazine.

Fans of Pamela Kaufman's Shield of the Three Lions will enjoy the site devoted to her book.

The world of Historical Fiction has lost two of its masters - Patrick O'Brian and Nigel Tranter. Here are some links of interest: Memorial at one of the main Patrick O'Brian Websites.
Nigel Tranter's Obit.

On a much happier note I can now let you know that I've found Roberta Gellis's website. Her work straddles the Historical Fiction/Historical Romance genres, so I've chosen to add links to her site to both my HF and HRF pages. You'll find a complete bibliography of her work, including details about her latest book, a historical mystery entitled A Mortal Bane.

The Literary Heritage Website, based in the UK's West Midlands, has a page devoted to perennial favourite Edith Pargeter.

Reay Tannahill's publisher Hodder Headline has a website featuring the prolific author's work.

Now here's something I didn't know - author Elizabeth Harris (The Quiet Earth, The Time of the Wolf etc.) has been writing under a pseudonym, Alys Clare. You can read an interview with her at wantedbooks.com. Her alter ego, Alys, has a website.

Fans of Valerie Anand can read an interview with her at The Copperfield Review. Like Elizabeth Harris, she has moved from historical fiction to historical mysteries, writing as Fiona Buckley. Unfortunately she doesn't appear to maintain a website for either persona.

If the Civil War is your thing, visit author Trace Zaber's Tales of the Blue & The Grey website.

Sharon Kay Penman

Ann Chamberlin

Cecilia Holland

Stephanie Cowell

Patrick O'Brian

Dorothy Dunnett

Judith Tarr

Diana Gabaldon

Edward Rutherfurd (London only)

Nigel Tranter

John Jakes

Morgan Llywelyn

Catherine Karp

ARTICLES /SYLLABI / RESOURCES

Dr. Cora Agatucci at the Central Oregon Community College includes an Introduction to Historical Fiction in her Literary Genres course syllabus.

Brian A. Kitely of the University of Denver has written an essay on Reading and Writing Historical Fiction. He also recently had a historical novel published, chronicling the history of the town in which he grew up.

If you have a lot of spare time, you might want to check out the Historical Fiction Author Roundtable.

Here's a neat article: Historical Fiction or Fictionalized History? Problems for Writers of Historical Novels for Young Adults by Joanne Brown (from the Alan Review). Dr. Sue Peabody has also written one: Reading and Writing Historical Fiction. I found it very interesting.

Here's an article that has been translated from German: The Purpose of the Historical Novel.

Professor William C. Robinson, who teaches at the University of Tennessee has published on the Web A Few Thoughts on Historical Fiction (part of a larger website for his Readers Advisory Work With Genre Fiction course). It makes for interesting reading.

If you write HF, drop by the Historical Fiction Resources page at Red Inkworks. Then, go to Caro Clarke's interesting article Historical Fiction: who rules, researcher or storyteller? The Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute includes a course on Using Historical Fiction in the History Classroom, taught by Sarah Herz. The syllabus contains loads of info and analysis of our favoured genre.

Author Stephanie Cowell's Take on Historical Fiction

GENERAL HF SITES / REVIEWS /BOOK LISTS / INTERVIEWS

Also from Penguin Canada, check out Sample Chapters from upcoming releases. Though not divided into genres, the page does list some historical fiction. Right now you can read a selection from Pauline Gedge, Margaret George and Barbara Erskine.

Two relatively new sites are the Historical Fiction Review and Amy's Historical Fiction Guide.

The Copperfield Review, is a web magazine devoted to Historical Fiction that has been around for a while. It publishes articles, interviews and other items of interest for HF afficionados.

Do you enjoy reading book reviews? Then this page of reviews from BrothersJudd.com is for you.

Here are some great adult historical fiction lists: Historical Fiction at the Addison Public Library (very comprehensive, with book notes); Historical Fiction at Reader's Choice (book reviews); while at the Homeschool Emporium you will find a very good list of HF for children.

Author Kim Murphy manages the Historical Fiction area at SimeGen. Read reviews, interviews and editorials - all devoted to Historical Fiction!

Arie ten Cate's page dedicated to Edward Rutherfurd's London will be of interest to fans of the author, whose next book tells the story of the New Forest.