Judith Starkston has spent too much time exploring the remains of the ancient worlds of the Greeks and Hittites. Their myths and clashes inspire her fiction and open gates to magical realms. She has degrees in Classics from the University of California, Santa Cruz and Cornell. She loves myths and telling stories, and her novels imbue fantasy with the richness of ancient worlds. The first book in her Trojan Threads Series, Hand of Fire was a semi-finalist for the M.M. Bennett’s Award for Historical Fiction. Priestess of Ishana, the first in her historical fantasy Tesha series, won the San Diego State University Conference Choice Award. Judith is represented by Richard Curtis.
My favorite posts around the web recently: Donis Casey on War Cake, January Magazine on Harper Lee’s 2nd novel and why more women than men read historical fiction, archaeology news about Tutankhamun’s broken beard & Texan pictographs, and a “celebrity” historical fiction interview between Priscilla Royal and Sharon Kay Penman.
My review of Patricia Bracewell’s The Price of Blood. Queen Emma of England in 1006 faces Vikings, a self-destructive husband and illicit love. Excellent, dark sequel to Shadow on the Crown.
A Review of Heather Webb’s historical novel, Rodin’s Lover, about Camille Claudet, a talented sculptor who had a tumultuous relationship with Rodin and eventually declined into madness.
Here are the posts I enjoyed this week around the web. I seem to have been very ancient. The Amphipolis tomb, Herculaneum scroll and writing historical fiction set within Greek mythology
I’ve joined a wonderful group of authors. You’ll find my post “Giving Briseis Her Voice” on Historical Fiction eBooks, as well as a page about Hand of Fire and an author page about me.
My favorite posts around the web this week & reminder of the AZ Historical Novel Society meeting Jan 24: the movie Exodus goes mad, Tudor seers (Nancy Bilyeau), Roman cops (Alison Morton), gold Bronze Age signet ring, overview of Crime Fiction, how to write historical fiction, interview with Alison McMahan about her HF The Saffron Crocus, a new Historical Thesaurus & are podcasts the new literary form?
Favorites around the web this week: On writing there’s a post about letting go of the research when writing historical fiction, tips fr Stephen King, marketing yr book. On archaeology, flint-knapping, cuneiform cookies. On history, how the movie Selma distorts history in a racist way. And of personal interest, the June Historical Novel Society Conference schedule is out & my panel, Midwifery, Magic or Medicine? is Sat 9:15. I hope to see many of you there.
My favorite posts around the web: history of cooking, why read the Classics, writing & historical fiction, archaeology in Turkey.
My favorite posts around the web this week: Kim Rendfeld on medicinal herbs, archaeology in Israel and Turkey
Favorites around the web this week. In archaeology: a bronze age tomb in Thessaly, Greece, an exhibit of pre-classical Greece in France, 8,000 yr old Israeli olive oil, recreating Egyptian bread. In historical fiction: a post about his fic series with some of my favorite authors in it, a review of All the Light We Cannot See, & insulting people like a good historical fiction writer.
