History Talks! Fact vs. Fiction Author Panel Nov. 16, 2020

Nov 2020 History Talks graphic

Mark your calendar for Nov. 16, 2020 at 6:30PM, Pacific Time! I will be participating in an author panel on Fact vs. Fiction in historical novels.

How accurate is historical fiction? How accurate should it be? Four historical authors will answer these questions and more in a panel discussion of FACT VS. FICTION PLUS WRITING TIPS on Monday, November 16, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. (PT) The free Zoom meeting is sponsored by the Santa Clarita Library in their series of History Talks held monthly on various historical topics.

November’s speakers are:

Death City Marshall coverAnne Louise Bannon has made not one, but two careers out of her passion for storytelling. Both a novelist and a journalist, she has an insatiable curiosity. In addition to her mystery novels, she has written a nonfiction book about poisons, freelanced for such diverse publications as the Los Angeles Times, Ladies’ Home Journal, and Backstage West, and edits the wine blog OddBallGrape.com. On the fiction side, she writes a romantic serial, a spy series, and her Kathy and Freddy 1920s mystery series. Her most recent title is Death of the Chinese Field Hands, set in Los Angeles, 1871. She and her husband live in Southern California with an assortment of critters. Visit her website at https://annelouisebannon.com/.

Historical romance author Linda McLaughlin credits her grandmother for her love of history, which kindled her desire to become a writer, amateur genealogist, and historical researcher. She loves all-things-history but has been published in various genres, including romantic fantasy and science fiction. She writes historical and Regency romance novels under her real name, and spicier romance under the pseudonym, Lyndi Lamont. A retired librarian, she lives in south Orange County. Her most recent novel is Lily and the Gambler. Visit her website at https://www.lindalyndi.com.

1884 coverThe daughter of a newspaperman, A.E. Wasserman wrote her first novella at age 14 and never stopped writing. She has received numerous awards, including honors from Writer’s Digest for her work. A.E. Wasserman’s current mystery/thrillers, The Langsford Series, have garnered international attention. After graduating from The Ohio State University, she lived in London, then San Francisco. Currently she resides in Southern California with her family and her muse, a Border Collie named Topper. Visit the author’s web site at http://www.aewasserman.com/index.html.

Jane the Quene cover

 

Moderator Janet Wertman writes fiction set in the Tudor era and has just published The Boy King, the final installment in her critically acclaimed Seymour Saga trilogy, the story of the unlikely dynasty that shaped the era. She also runs a popular blog where she posts interesting takes on the Tudors and what it’s like to write about them. Find her online at https://janetwertman.com/.

Please join the Santa Clarita Library’s presentation of November’s History Talks. Register for this event at: bit.ly/HTFacts. 

I promise it will be fun!

Linda

Meet Spooky History Author Xina Marie Uhl #authorinterview

Spooky Topics

Please join me in welcoming historical author Xina Marie Uhl to the Reading Room today.

Author Xina Marie UhlThanks for joining us today, Xina. Tell us a little about yourself. What do you do for a living?

I write full time: part of the time I write fiction and part of the time I write nonfiction educational books for young people, though Covid-19 has disrupted the nonfiction work for now. Writing is something I do about 6 days of the week, and it occupies an important part in my day. Some days it is harder than others to actually accomplish, though.

What’s your home life like?

Pretty quiet these days. There’s just my husband and me, three dogs, and one 21-year old cat. I’ve worked from home for 13 years now and it is so nice, though it does have its challenges, like anything.

What are your hobbies?

Hiking, travel, research, photography, and mosaics. Of these, hiking is the one I spend most of my time doing. I find it restorative to be alone in the quiet with just my dog for company.

What’s a dream you have? How are you working toward this dream?

I want to see one of my stories as a video. Along with the help of some talented people, I’m working at filming a short script I wrote. It’s exciting but also somewhat scary since I’ve never done such a thing before. I have a few scripts laying about here and it would be so fun to bring them to life.

What historical period is your favorite? Why?

It’s hard to pick just one. My original favorites are the Ancient Mediterranean and the Ancient Near East. The sweep of history involved so many fascinating expressions of human societies. The Assyrians brought the heavy foot of conquest down on their enemies, and created fantastical art while doing it, the Greeks debated and discovered many philosophical and scientific methods; their development of drama and comedy affects us today, and the Romans evolved from stoic and practical farmers to builders of roads, bridges, and aqueducts that remain today. I could go on and on.

What subjects do you like to give historical talks about? Why?

I’ve taught World History and California History in addition to writing about various time periods such as the Ancient Mediterranean, the Old West, and Antarctica and the Arctic from the late 1800s through the early 1900s, so I’m game to talk about just about anything, though favorite subjects include women, explorers, Alexander the Great, and the artistic and scientific achievements of the ancient world.

Necropolis cover

Necropolis cover

Xina’s novel Necropolis is a fantasy greatly influenced by ancient history.

When prison guard Conyr rescues a young priest from execution, he sets off a dangerous adventure that brings allies in a scheming politician, a mischievous urchin, and a beautiful tavern server. Together, the group must navigate a maze of power-hungry rivals, skilled assassins, and deadly sorcery. For the young priest’s lost memory holds the key to more than his past, but the fate of two cities.

Buy Now! Amazon.com * BarnesandNoble.com * Apple Smashwords.com

How to find Xina online:

Website: www.xuwriter.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/xinamarieuhl
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/XinaMarieUhl/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xuwriter/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/xuwriter
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Xina-Marie-Uhl/e/B00E7AKNR4

Newsletter signup link http://bit.ly/30qhIAS (Includes a free short story when you sign up)

And please join us for Spooky History on Monday, October 19, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. (PT) The Zoom meeting is sponsored by the Santa Clarita Library in their series of History Talks held monthly on various historical topics.

Click here to register: bit.ly/HTSpookyHistory

Hope to see you there.

Linda McLaughlin