Stephanie Thornton

Stephanie Thornton: Writing Historical Fiction Part IV – Don’t Avert Your Eyes

This is the final post in a four-part series from our July featured author. Thank you, Stephanie! I write about ancient history’s “forgotten women:” Empress Theodora of the Byzantine Empire, Pharaoh Hatshepsut of Egypt, and the wife and daughters of Genghis Khan. These women faced many problems we continue to deal with today: power struggles,

Stephanie Thornton: Writing Historical Fiction Part IV – Don’t Avert Your Eyes Read More »

Stephanie Thornton: Writing Historical Fiction Part III—Make Your Readers Believe

This is the third in a series from our July featured author. Writing historical fiction is the next best thing to having a time machine. (Side note: Time travel would totally be my superhero superpower if I ever had one.) And I’ll be honest, my favorite part of writing is adding in all the weird

Stephanie Thornton: Writing Historical Fiction Part III—Make Your Readers Believe Read More »

Stephanie Thornton: Writing Historical Fiction Part II – Throw Your Characters Under the Wagon/Chariot/Bus

This is part II from our July featured author. Read part I here. No matter your genre, you must be willing to make your characters’ lives downright miserable. Yes, there can be a happily ever after, but before that, your protagonists must lament the day they were born. Nothing should be easy for them! Of

Stephanie Thornton: Writing Historical Fiction Part II – Throw Your Characters Under the Wagon/Chariot/Bus Read More »

Stephanie Thornton: Writing Historical Fiction Part I – If It Could Have Happened, It's Fair Game

Welcome on this national holiday to July featured author Stephanie Thornton, whose first book , The Secret History: A Novel of Empress Theodora, was published earlier this week. A few years ago when I was revising my first historical manuscript, I had a very knowledgeable author-friend point out the four key elements of any manuscript:

Stephanie Thornton: Writing Historical Fiction Part I – If It Could Have Happened, It's Fair Game Read More »

Scroll to Top