What inspired Erika Rummel to write a story that takes place during the Inquisition? How many of the characters were real people? Which scene was her favorite? Which one was the most difficult to write? What are her thoughts on self-publishing? What was your inspiration for this book? I read the trial records of the…
It blows my mind that people who don’t like to read exist. To me, life without reading would be a nightmare. Did someone beat them violently with a book when they were young? Maybe they had a recurring nightmare where a book chased after them with a knife. Were they haunted by the evil ghost…
Reading was a huge part of schooling my children, and we read many books by Mark Twain: Puddn’head Wilson, Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, The Prince and the Pauper, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, and Life on the Mississippi. His life was something we didn’t study though. I knew that he didn’t like people…
A love triangle surrounded by mystery and suspense makes for a thrilling historical fiction novel. One of the best known writers of the macabre, Edgar Allen Poe, falls in love with a struggling female poet, Frances Osgood. But Poe is already married, and his young wife insists on befriending the woman her husband is involved…
Secrets. Every family, whether rich or poor, has them. What happens when these secrets are no longer hidden? What would it have been like to be the daughter of a famous painter? Fourteen-year-old Cornelia has a famous father, Rembrandt van Rijn. He was once greatly admired and his paintings sought after. Now he is tottering…
Just about every writer dreams of writing words that will have a lasting effect on civilization. Wouldn’t it be awesome if at least one line from each of your books tended to stay in people’s minds? An avalanche on a snow covered mountain can be triggered by something as quiet as a person’s voice. A…
What was it about Sofonisba Anguissola and Juana the Mad that caught this author’s attention? What did she do to learn more about these two fascinating women? How old was this author when she began to write? How supportive is her family of her writing? What advice does she have for aspiring authors? Sofonisba Anguissola…
Every little girl dreams that one day her prince will come and sweep her off her feet. After all, Cinderella and Snow White were each rescued from their dreary existence by a prince, and they lived happily ever after. But does this ever happen in real life? Meet Juana of Castile. In many history books,…
