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Hi, I have just joined and am enjoying the passion here! I love MIH novels... (Missing in History) and try to write them too. My novels are set in America, but I read in all places and periods. I love historical novels!

Welcome, newbies!

Hi all!
I'm new to Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, but have been stacking up my TBR pile thanks to all the fantastic authors and intriguing works I've found here. When I'm not reading, I'm working through two Historical Fiction manuscripts.

The first around Catherine Medici's early years in Florence and French court. The second starts off with Sigismund's creation of The Order of the Dragon, and the consequences that come for a reluctant young knight who refuses to put his service to The Order above all else.. consequences that haunt him for nearly four and a half centuries later.. Heavy on the fictional liberties I take with that second plot.

Is anyone else's favorite part of writing HistFic the research? I find it fascinating!

Yes, like you I’d much rather do the research and have all the ferment of possibilities in my head than sit down and crank out the writing. And it shows, sadly.

Abigail wrote: "Yes, like you I’d much rather do the research and have all the ferment of possibilities in my head than sit down and crank out the writing. And it shows, sadly."

Yes! This is why it's taken me over a year to power through. Plus full-time work, and the world being a dumpster fire in general. Let's give ourselves a little grace. I understand Abigail!

I'm new to Historical Fictionistas but not to Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. I've loved historical fiction since I was a child. The first historical romances I read, in my 20s, were Georgette Heyer's and Jane Aiken Hodges's. My books are set in the 1740s and are either historical romance or historical fiction, depending on how you define the two; the line is sometimes blurry.

Glad to find a historical fiction group.

Kathleen it is nice to meet you. I write historical fiction and the line is certainly fine. I set my books in accurate history and weave the stories around the facts. I some times put words in the mouth's of actual historical people, but I work very hard to stay true to what history has written about them. I have had people read, And So It Was Written and come away believing a Third Temple was actually built in Israel. That bothered me, but I guess I wrote a pretty convincing story.

I enjoyed your comments about writing accurate historical fiction. I've attempted to do the same in my first novel about Claide Monet. It's much more difficult being accurate but you wind up with a much more satisfying result. Happy to meet you.

C.R. wrote: "Abigail wrote: "Yes, like you I’d much rather do the research and have all the ferment of possibilities in my head than sit down and crank out the writing. And it shows, sadly."

Yes! This is why i..."

I love doing research! It is a little compulsive to find out how much a Charleville Armory Model 1717 musket weighed so I would know how many wagons were needed to move 2,000 of them, plus powder and a couple of cannon. Which led to learning there were laws about what loads horses could pull...

Ellen wrote: "Kathleen it is nice to meet you. I write historical fiction and the line is certainly fine. I set my books in accurate history and weave the stories around the facts. I some times put words in the ..."

Glad to meet you, Ellen. I try to get the background and details right (and the customs and speech, as much as possible). The great events of history are secondary to my characters, whose lives tend to be of more immediate interest to them. I've only once used an actual person in my books (in two, in fact). As I was making use of the Bow Street Magistrate's Court, I used the real magistrate, Thomas de Veil, as he was hard-working and able, just as I needed the magistrate to be.

Do you write in the one period or skip around?

Joe wrote: "I enjoyed your comments about writing accurate historical fiction. I've attempted to do the same in my first novel about Claide Monet. It's much more difficult being accurate but you wind up with a..."

Hi, Joe. At least you have the advantage of a relatively recent period, with probably more readily available material. And the chances are one of your readers would spot an error.

C. wrote: "...the characters in my earliest books became my friends because my military family moved so often!"

Oh, I can relate to that, C., although I have a big brother who is my best friend! My Mum always read to us at bedtime, and I think "When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit" by Judith Kerr must have been the first work of historical fiction I read � or heard, rather. From nearly contemporary I soon hopped several centuries back and read as much by Rosemary Sutcliff as I could lay my hands on. Georgette Heyer got me through my high-school finals, and I'm here thanks to her, too, because Abigail pointed me to Historical Fictionistas when we met in the Heyer group.
Although I'm fond of Walter Scott, Dorothy Dunnett and Patrick O'Brian, too, and I've read "War and Peace" several times over, it's not strictly because they're historical novels � it's the style of writing that does it for me, a sense of compassion and humankindness.

I feel adding historical accuracy to your writing makes the story much more believable and interesting. Not only are you embarking and a journey, you might actually learn something new. It took me 6 years to write my trilogy, mainly because of the research that was involved. Like answering a simple question: Do they wear blue jeans in 1937?

I really love all the above comments! It thrills me to hear that another writer will do the following: research how much a "Charleville Armory Model 1717 musket weighed so I would know how many wagons were needed to move 2,000 of them, plus powder and a couple of cannon." Or if people wore jeans in 1937! All of that is what makes a great writer of historical fiction. I know it is easy to get sidetracked when we start looking for accuracy, but I think that is part of the thrill. One of my books takes place in 132 AD. It was a fascinating journey into ancient history and the challenges and the reality that people are people, no matter when they lived.

Joe wrote: "I enjoyed your comments about writing accurate historical fiction. I've attempted to do the same in my first novel about Claide Monet. It's much more difficult being accurate but you wind up with a..."

I love that you wrote about Monet. That has to be a challenge as you are writing historical fact about a person. I just finished published my first biography and so I know what it is to tell another person's story. It is very different than making up a life. Good for you.

W.M. wrote: "I feel adding historical accuracy to your writing makes the story much more believable and interesting. Not only are you embarking and a journey, you might actually learn something new. It took me ..."

I think that half the fun of writing and of reading is knowing that knowledge is being acquired along the way.

Kathleen wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Kathleen it is nice to meet you. I write historical fiction and the line is certainly fine. I set my books in accurate history and weave the stories around the facts. I some times put..."

I must admit that I have put words in the mouth of Hitler, Himmler and others. I did it in context to words they had said, or would have said: I did this in 2 of my books. It was not easy but it was necessary for the storyline. I often write about evil characters, and it is ugly but I am amazed how I can feel their presence when I write about them.

Kathleen wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Kathleen it is nice to meet you. I write historical fiction and the line is certainly fine. I set my books in accurate history and weave the stories around the facts. I some times put..."
You asked if I wrote about one period or skip around. Two of my books were holocaust related but then moved forward to the 1970's. Another book took place in 132-136 C.E. in Rome and ancient Israel. So, I guess I skip around.

Trudy wrote: "I am a lover of Historical Fiction. It began with Shogun back in 1976. I felt like I learned so much about Japan and to some extant Europe. I went and researched William Adams(1564-1620), the Engli..."

Trudy wrote: "I am a lover of Historical Fiction. It began with Shogun back in 1976. I felt like I learned so much about Japan and to some extant Europe. I went and researched William Adams(1564-1620), the Engli..."

Hi Trudy! I just read Shogun for the first time and am also very interested in books about India. Do you have any favorites you would like to share?

Hi all, I've been a lurker for a while on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. I love most types of books but especially historical fiction and non-fiction. I also write historical mysteries. (At least one! I just published my first.

Hi, I'm Australian, from gorgeous Broome in the north west. I LOVE historical fiction. Everything from Napoleonic wars to ancient Rome, from medieval England to Ildefonse Falcones' novels set in Spain. Looking forward to seeing what you all like reading :)

Donna wrote: "Hi Sophia and Michele, Welcome to the group. I read a variety of books and Historical Fiction is also my favourite. I also prefer to read about strong, independent women."
I do too, so I'm definitely following your page!

Oh, my goodness ... I'm so new to Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ and have just followed a bunch of you (I hope that isn't too creepy! Not sure of proper protocols for that type of thing :) Learning a lot here and appreciate the warmth and generosity of this community. Thank you.

Hi, I'm Kris. I love HF. It seems like this year especially some amazing books are out. I especially love Kate Quinn & no surprise The Rose Code is my favorite book out so far this year.

Kris wrote: "Hi, I'm Kris. I love HF. It seems like this year especially some amazing books are out. I especially love Kate Quinn & no surprise The Rose Code is my favorite book out so far this year."

Welcome, Kris! I also just finished The Rose Code and it's now on my favorite shelf. You should find lots of great historical fiction suggestions in this group. Happy reading!

G'Day, My historical fiction family. My name is Daniel and I live in land down under with my wife and two sons. I am brand new to good reads and whole social media/online world. My debut published novel was released in Feb 2021. A historical fiction masterpiece...ha ha for all ages. Look forward to getting around to talking with all you at some point.

Dennis wrote: "Hi all,
I’m Dennis. I lived in Ireland for 8 years but moved to Lincolnshire a couple of years ago. I have an eclectic taste in books, both in fiction and non fiction, but I tend towards the genre ..."

Good to meet you, Dennis.

Daniel wrote: "G'Day, My historical fiction family. My name is Daniel and I live in land down under with my wife and two sons. I am brand new to good reads and whole social media/online world. My debut published ..."

Daniel, are you going to tell us the title of your debut novel? And congratulations, by the way!

Dennis wrote: "Thanks Kathleen, you too.

Congratulations Daniel.

Mine was published yesterday. It’s called Michael Sweeney and is based on a true story. It’s set in County Kerry, Ireland and begins in the 1860s."

Congrats Dennis, sounds interesting your novel.

Kathleen wrote: "Daniel wrote: "G'Day, My historical fiction family. My name is Daniel and I live in land down under with my wife and two sons. I am brand new to good reads and whole social media/online world. My d..."

I'll look for it.

Dennis wrote: "Thanks Kathleen, you too.

Congratulations Daniel.

Mine was published yesterday. It’s called Michael Sweeney and is based on a true story. It’s set in County Kerry, Ireland and begins in the 1860s."

I'll look for it.

Kathleen wrote: "Daniel wrote: "G'Day, My historical fiction family. My name is Daniel and I live in land down under with my wife and two sons. I am brand new to good reads and whole social media/online world. My d..."

I'll look for it.

Dennis, I know my father's family was of Irish extraction, but they must have emigrated before my paternal great-grandfather, Howard Major Buckley, was born in Croton Falls, NY in the 1860s. Thanks to you, I guess I can assume they came from Kerry or Cork. Maybe I'll do a little more research.

Thanks, Dennis.

Hello! I'm new to the group, and historical fiction is my favorite genre. I've been on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ for a few years, mostly to get ideas for books to read, keep track of books read, and read other people's reviews. After reading a great book, I usually have no one to talk to about it! So, I thought I should join a book club. Some of my favorite authors are Kate Quinn, Kate Morton, and Martha Hall Kelly. Just finished reading The Rose Code, and I loved it! Have to read up on how to navigate & participate in your online book club.

Hello,
I am a new member here. Have always loved historical fiction, especially concerning the Holocaust.

Live in Perth, Australia, am a teacher and author (just one book) and busy with work and family - but always making time to read!!!!

Hoping to make some new friends in the group too - not many people I know are actually on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ!!!

Renato

Sandra wrote: "Hi there, everyone. So pleased to meet you. My name is Sandra Montanino. I live in Utah, between the mountains and the lake. I am new to Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ and am excited to have recently published my debut..."

Love that - buried at the library!!! :))

Hello everyone :) I am a new member of this group. I have been a member of Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ for two years now and love it. <3 Everyone is so nice and I have been introduced to so many wonderful books that I may not have read. I especially like group reads and buddy reads. I live in Canada and have three adult children. <3 Some genres I love are historical fiction, classics, and children's classics. I am so thankful for my local library and a wonderful Little Free Library in my town. :)

Welcome, you guys! Why don’t you stop in on one of our silent virtual book clubs? Everyone reads what they want. In the beginning, we introduce our book, then we read silently for one hour. At the conclusion of the zoom meeting, we share what we read- perhaps reading an excerpt of the book, a retelling or synopsis of what you read, or even playing us a bit of the audible so we can hear the reader’s voice. This group helped me get through quarantining and it is still going strong.

Go to Community, then Groups, then search for Silent Virtual Book Club , then events. There is one scheduled every day of the week. Pick and choose the day and time that works for you!

Jan

Oops, Look for Silent book club zoom

Dennis wrote: "Hi Susie, Renato and Janice. I’m quite new too but welcome to you, it’s nice here isn’t it?"

Thank you, Dennis, it is nice here. And welcome to you too.

Thank you, Jan, for the welcome and for the invitation to the silent virtual book club. :)

Dennis wrote: "Hi Susie, Renato and Janice. I’m quite new too but welcome to you, it’s nice here isn’t it?"

Yes, thank you!

Jan wrote: "Welcome, you guys! Why don’t you stop in on one of our silent virtual book clubs? Everyone reads what they want. In the beginning, we introduce our book, then we read silently for one hour. At the ..."

Thanks for the info, Jan!

Hi everyone!

I have been on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ for a few years, but only started using it regularly and posting in groups as of last year (pandemic, yay!). I have always enjoyed historical fiction, but also enjoy plenty of other genres. I like to participate in group reads so hopefully there will be a book in the future that catches my interest! Looking forward to chatting with everyone more.

I also started my own [much smaller] group on GR this year, with all 3 group reads for May fitting into "historical fiction", so feel free to take a peek if you wish: Shine&Shadow

*Mods- (view spoiler)[ I know advertising is not allowed, but I saw on the group rules there is an exception for introductory comments! Please feel free to tar and feather me if that has changed 😆 (hide spoiler)]

Hi, My name is Joanne I live in Michigan with my husband and a large dog, who has no idea she is a dog ;). I have been watching this group for a while now. HF is one of my go to genres, a few of my favorite authors: Isabell Allende, Geraldine Brooks, Sara Donati and Sharon Kay Penman. Hoping to find authors here I have not read before.

Question to Mods: I would like to join the Million Mile Challenge and wondering if I can go back and add the HF books I have read since January.

Welcome, Joanne! Since you mentioned that one of your favorite authors is Sharon Kay Penman (also one of my favs) I'll recommend Elizabeth Chadwick. Have read a few in her William Marshal series and enjoyed them. Happy reading!

Thanks for the welcome Peggy-I have read Chadwick' Lady of the Englishs and have the The Summer Queen on my TBR.

Hi, I'm somewhat new to Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ and am just getting used to all that the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ site has to offer. I just published a work of historical fiction, Forget Russia. Well, as you can imagine, I love Russian literature. I love Toni Morrison's Beloved, and The Sympathizer as well. Glad to be here!

Hello everyone,
I've only very recently discovered the groups within goodreads and this one seems ideal for me to join! I have a pretty broad interest in history, both fiction and non-fiction, and am curious about all periods and regions. I'm particularly interested in Ancient, Classical and Mediterranean history.