historical research

A group of people seen from the back on a sunny day, with a tree in leaf in the foreground, and a metallic building shaped rather like a UFO in the background.

Music, Magic, and Writing

The author's writing vacation, just past, with updates on three of her historical fiction novels, set in Russia, the steppe, and Tudor England

cplesley

Sep 113 min read

Public domain portrait of a young woman in Elizabethan coronation garb—gold brocade cloak lined in ermine, matching tight-waisted, full-skirted gown, crown—holding the orb and scepter signifying English royalty. She has unbound light auburn hair and pale skin. Elizabeth I at her coronation.

Dramatizing Elizabeth I

Musings on respecting the historical timeline in fiction, with decisions made while dramatizing Elizabeth I's reign in film as examples of why that might not be necessary

cplesley

Aug 214 min read

A young woman with light brown hair and eyes, wearing a chemise and a brown corset, while tying her blue-gray skirt stares shyly at the artist painting her

Writing: Measuring the Past

Writing post about using clothing measurements to test old theories about a historical character

cplesley

May 84 min read

A young woman with long, unbound red-blonde hair and a white complexion, wearing full Tudor royal regalia and holding an orb and scepter; coronation portrait of Elizabeth I

Writing: Those Darned Dates

On managing date sequences while writing historical fiction, with an example from the age of Elizabeth I and the author's own work in progress

cplesley

Apr 244 min read

Portrait of an Unknown Woman, 1590s, by the artist Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, once believed to be Elizabeth I

Once a Historian

On using my skills as a historian to inform a standalone novel in progress

cplesley

Mar 125 min read

Buried Treasure, Part 2

More buried treasure from my Kindle library, here books by Erika Monahan, Marlowe Benn, Jessie Burton, and Debra Dean

cplesley

Nov 8, 20243 min read

Buried Treasure, Part 1

Buried treasure in books, unearthed from the depths of my Kindle library, here by Jane Johnson, Paullina Simons, and Xinru Liu.

cplesley

Nov 1, 20243 min read

Weaving a History of Silk

A glimpse into the history of wild silk and its possible relevance to my forthcoming novel, Song of the Silk Weaver

cplesley

Oct 11, 20244 min read

C. P. Lesley, Novelist

Music, Magic, and Writing

Dramatizing Elizabeth I

Writing: Measuring the Past

Writing: Those Darned Dates

Once a Historian

Buried Treasure, Part 2

Buried Treasure, Part 1

Weaving a History of Silk