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Drawing of old-fashioned sailing ships on a river against a background of wooden houses and a vast, cloudy sky; cover of Sandra Freels, Anneke Jans in the New World

New Books Network Interview: Sandra Freels

New Books Network interview with Sandra Freels, whose debut novel, Anneke Jans in the New World, came out in January 2026 from She Writes Press

cplesley

1 day ago2 min read

A young, dark-haired woman in a floor-length crimson gown stands in a garden, looking at a large gray mansion with only a few lighted windows; cover of Janie Chang's The Fourth Princess

Interview with Janie Chang

Author interview with Janie Chang, whose latest historical novel, The Fourth Princess, came out in early February 2026 from William Morrow.

cplesley

Feb 125 min read

A young woman with short, blonde hair, dressed in rose pink, holds a jar of daffodils while another woman pushes a pram in the garden outside; cover of Rhys Bowen's From Cradle to Grave

Historical Mysteries, Part 3

Historical mystery series I love, part 3, featuring novels by Rhys Bowen, Dianne Freeman, Alison Goodman, Darcie Wilde, and P. Srigley

cplesley

Feb 64 min read

A hand holding a green leather-bound book, with a visible white cuff against a black background. The title The Story of Stories: The Million-Year History of a Uniquely Human Art appears above, and the author's name, Kevin Ashton is written below.

Stories and Storytellers

Thoughts on stories and storytelling inspired by Kevin Ashton's nonfiction book "The Story of Stories," due out in March 2026 from Harper.

cplesley

Jan 303 min read

Against a background of blue-green water and sea plants outlined in gold, a woman in a long-skirted dress and a jacket, hands clasped behind her back, is silhouetted; cover of Linda Wilgus's The Sea Child

New Books Network Interview: Linda Wilgus

New Books Network interview with Linda Wilgus, author of The Sea Child, a historical novel set in early 19th-century Cornwell, just published by Ballantine Books

cplesley

Jan 232 min read

Novel Writing: Trouble with Titles

A writing post on the importance of titles and the difficulty, sometimes, of finding the right one for a particular novel

cplesley

Jan 162 min read

A woman with red, curly hair and brown eyes, dressed in a loose gown, embroidered shoes, and a tall hat with an attached veil, standing next to a deer and seen against a wooded background

Where Historical Fiction Shines

A discussion of historical fiction and its benefits, despite various difficulties caused by the lack of information

cplesley

Jan 93 min read

A woman in Elizabethan dress, including a large ruff and cut off above the nose; cover of Jennifer Ashley's Eloise and the Queen

Bookshelf, Winter 2026

Novels, mostly historical fiction, on my Winter 2026 bookshelf, by Jennifer Ashley, Janie Chang, Sandra Freels, Kaoru Mori, Casey Scieszka, and Linda Wilgus

cplesley

Jan 24 min read

Snow-covered fir trees against a blue sky shading into pink

Annual Roundup, 2025

Annual roundup of what I did in 2025 and hope to accomplish in 2026

cplesley

Dec 26, 20253 min read

A young African-American man wearing protective gear stares at a wall of tubes and funnels

Memories of a Remarkable Life

Memories of a remarkable American life, 1922-2025

cplesley

Dec 19, 20252 min read

Drawing of a woman in a tight-fitting blue dress, wearing pearls and a tiara and looking over her sunglasses. At her feet are two Welsh Corgis. She carries a camera and a black purse with the letters ER, all set against a lighter blue backdrop; cover of S. J. Bennett's The Queen Who Came In from the Cold.

New Books Network Interview: S. J. Bennett

New Books Network interview with the author S. J. Bennett about her mystery series featuring Queen Elizabeth II

cplesley

Dec 12, 20252 min read

Drawing of a tomb with a large vial of poison in place of a door, surrounded by flowers, skulls, and a sword hilt; cover of Christina Dodd's A Daughter of Fair Verona

Historical Mysteries, Part 2

More historical mysteries I love, including series by Christina Dodd, Vanessa Kelly, Heather Redmond, Katie Tietjen, and Mary Winters

cplesley

Dec 5, 20253 min read

Picture of a set of book covers showing the author's Legends of the Five Directions and Songs of Steppe and Forest historical fiction series

Giving Thanks—For Writing

C. P. Lesley on her gratitude for time to write and inspiration for characters worth writing historical fiction about.

cplesley

Nov 28, 20253 min read

The silhouette of a woman in late Victorian clothing, steadying a bicycle is outlined against the background of a several-story house surrounded by trees and a wrought-iron fence; cover of Misery Hates Company by Elizabeth Hobbs

Interview with Elizabeth Hobbs

Interview with the author Elizabeth Hobbs, whose historical mystery series featuring a student at Wellesley in the 1890s is published by Crooked Lane Books

cplesley

Nov 21, 20255 min read

A line drawing of a tired, stressed woman in a brown dress with a Puritan collar, draped in a red shawl or cloak. She has red hair and wears a Tudor-style cap; cover of The Bailiff's Wife, by Maren Halvorsen

New Books Network Interview: Maren Halvorsen

New Books Network interview with Maren Halvorsen, whose debut novel, a murder mystery and character study set in 17th-century England has just come out with Cuidono Press

cplesley

Nov 14, 20252 min read