One of the things to remember, as you use historical newspapers to research your historical novel or short story, is that “You can’t always believe what you read.” I found this article in the (Thursday September 25) 1919 New York Times and was immediately intrigued. How often do you read of a person being killed… Read More

Research is definitely of the joys of writing historical mysteries. I love it! My work-in-progress is a sequel to THE RED-HOT BLUES CHANTEUSE and takes place in one of my favorite cities in the world…New Orleans. Since starting THE MAGNOLIA VOODOO BRAWLERS (working title) I’ve been on the hunt for unsavory snippets about any French… Read More

Getting your book launched into the reading world can be overwhelming. So many options, so many decisions, and so easy to miss something. Well never fear, the Paper Lantern Writers are here! Join Ana, Linda Ulleseit, Alina Rubin, and Jonathan Posner at Day Two (Sunday February 4) of THE HISTORY QUILL 2024 Convention as they… Read More

‘Tis the Link List before Christmas and today–on the Paper Lantern Writers blog–I’ve lined up the links of all thirty-eight of the previous PLW Link Lists. There are goodies galore in this list, but who can choose between such bright blogs as Eighty Excellent Online Historical Collections, Fashions for the Ages, Gay Subculture of Regency… Read More

Red-Hot Holiday Greetings from Viola, Jimmy, and the rest of the gang. Which includes Ana!

I’m so pleased to share that the Paper Lantern Writers are hosting a historical fiction ebook giveaway this month! We’ll be sending a lucky winner NINE of our 2023 new releases. From Family Sagas to Romance to Mystery (that’d be me) to Adventure to Women’s fiction and finally, our latest short story anthology, there’s something… Read More

Are you looking for your next historical mystery? Something kinda cozy but also kinda SPICY? Something that sweeps you onto the vibrant and competitive vaudeville stage of 1919 where a woman has to fight to be heard and seen? Not to mention, solve her lover’s murder…. The Historical Fiction Company says THE RED-HOT BLUES CHANTEUSE… Read More

Four years ago, five Paper Lantern Writers began blogging @ www.paperlanternwriters.com/blog. We posted about Christmas in Hawai’i (Linda), Georgian Christmas Trees (Edie), our favorite books of 2019 (me), the ghosts of Christmas past (C.V.), and Schmutzli – Sinister Sidekick to St. Nicholas (Kathryn). Now there are fourteen Paper Lantern Writers and we’re still still blogging twice… Read More

In my recent release THE RED-HOT BLUES CHANTEUSE, I wrote a few delicious chapters set at Alameda, California’s late, great Neptune Beach amusement park. Here’s a little more Neptune Beach history, in a post that was initially published in Linda Bennett Pennell‘s HISTORY IMAGINED. . . . Imagine that it’s April 1919 and you’re a… Read More

That’s right! On Sunday November 12th from 1-3pm, I’ll be joining a throng of excellent mystery writers for a RED-HOT reading at Books Inc. in Mountain View, California. There’ll be Michele Drier, Victoria Karazian,  Josie Brown, Claudia Hagadus Long, Karen A. Phillips, Nannette Potter, Lisa Towles, my wonderful former critique partner Terry Shames, and my… Read More