Writing historical fiction: sometime journal of a New York City novelist
Christmas Day
December 25, 2012
my husband and our Christmas tree
Wishing everyone a Christmastide of friendship and peace!
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Hard to believe December is here already!
December 4, 2012

New York City Christmas tree salesmen (from the NY Daily News)
I am writing always and have finished something and well along with something else - more to come! Meanwhile it has been an exciting late autumn with my first presentation of INSIDE THE WORLD OF THE NOVELIST, more things as always for CLAUDE & CAMILLE, and two talks at the Read More
a guest blog from the author of A VIOLET SEASON, New York State 1898
October 29, 2012
NOTE ABOUT MY GUEST AUTHOR:
This rainy and pre-hurricane day in NYC, I want to extend a warm welcome to Kathy Leonard Czepiel, the author of A Violet Season, a historical novel set on a Hudson Valley violet farm on the eve of the twentieth century. I found her book the old-fashioned way: browsing in a book shop! Kathy is the recipient of a 2012 creative writing fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, and her Read More
This rainy and pre-hurricane day in NYC, I want to extend a warm welcome to Kathy Leonard Czepiel, the author of A Violet Season, a historical novel set on a Hudson Valley violet farm on the eve of the twentieth century. I found her book the old-fashioned way: browsing in a book shop! Kathy is the recipient of a 2012 creative writing fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, and her Read More
The Next Big Thing: Find Out What I'm Working On
October 6, 2012

Elizabeth Barrett Browning about the time of her marriage
Writers are tagging writers in this new questionnaire going around the web. What's the next big thing we're working on? Thanks to historical novelist Christy English for tagging me!
What is your working title of your book?
ELIZABETH’S ROOM. I am sure we won’t end up with this title!
Where did the idea come from for the book?
Read More
What is your working title of your book?
ELIZABETH’S ROOM. I am sure we won’t end up with this title!
Where did the idea come from for the book?
Read More
just a little bit of news of my daily life...
October 3, 2012

LIRR Penn Station NYC - I was going to Track 21 (see sign!)
I have been very slow to write here...a very full day and I always want to find another eight hours somewhere because I need them. I wrote in such a frenzy of creativity this morning that I could not bear to stop. Off to physical therapy for a small rotary cuff injury: too Read More
"I'm late!" said the White Rabbit (and the author)
August 24, 2012
...."I'm late." Which is what I seem to be these days but at least I am moving ahead in several areas. We are preparing my first two novels (NICHOLAS COOKE and THE PHYSICIAN OF LONDON) as e-books which is taking some time as they must be scanned (no electronic copies available) and proofed etc. so the first one will be available by the end of August. The two books got marvelous reviews and the second won the American Book Award. And finally I am spending serious hours on pulling the draft of the concluding book of the trilogy together. I have been working on it in bits over the years but I think this is the time for it to flower. Read More
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all sorts of new and lovely things in this writer's life
April 27, 2012

with writer Kimberly Eve at the Cloisters
Well no, I have not finished revising my novels...and that is plural! Two are competing for my attention and one of them better be off to my agent/publisher by the end of summer! I went to a panel on historical fiction last night at the NYC branch of The Women's National Book Read More
a new Indie novel about a young singer debuts
March 13, 2012
I am so delighted to welcome novelist Susan Dormady Eisenberg to my blog. Susan is the author of THE VOICE I JUST HEARD, a coming-of-age story about a young soprano who wants to sing musicals on Broadway and the rather lost, utterly appealing baritone with whom she falls in love.
In addition to asking Read More
In addition to asking Read More
waiting for snow in New York City and finishing a draft of my new novel
January 20, 2012

Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Oh snow will come! I remember climbing over the great heaps of it last year!
I have finished my novel THE BROWNINGS and have just sent it to my agent...and after much discussion, praise, and thoughts, it's felt I should revise some more. So you can't pre-order yet on Amazon or reserve it at your favorite bookshop. Back to the computer!
To let you know, THE BROWNINGS is the story of the lovely, extraordinarily gifted poet Elizabeth Barrett who in 1845 had not left her father's London house for five years after much serious illness and family tragedy. Into her life came the handsome rising poet Robert Browning, several years younger than she, who fell madly in love with her. Read More
I have finished my novel THE BROWNINGS and have just sent it to my agent...and after much discussion, praise, and thoughts, it's felt I should revise some more. So you can't pre-order yet on Amazon or reserve it at your favorite bookshop. Back to the computer!
To let you know, THE BROWNINGS is the story of the lovely, extraordinarily gifted poet Elizabeth Barrett who in 1845 had not left her father's London house for five years after much serious illness and family tragedy. Into her life came the handsome rising poet Robert Browning, several years younger than she, who fell madly in love with her. Read More
On the road with still more readings
December 2, 2011

I wonder if I should subtitle this "HAVE LAPTOP, WILL TRAVEL." This week I had a chance to read from Claude & Camille with my power point presentation at two more wonderful libraries. Tuesday I was at Commack in Long Island; I pulled my suitcase through many puddles and waited for connecting trains under my red umbrella, but in spite of the weather we had a lovely audience. Thursday I was at the Warren Township Library New Jersey where the congenial program director drove me back and forth to the train. The near-half moon Read More