I receive remarkable questions from students and readers—about stories, history, the process of writing, and all those dark, unexplored crevices in history. It never ceases to amaze me how inquisitive young minds can be. I learn so much for what I’m asked to consider or rethink, so whether you’re a young reader or not, ask away… Submit a question!

Q: What drew you to historical fiction in the first place?

Short answer: Because textbooks are limited in breadth and depth to a handful of famous people and key events....

Women & Girls: Ching Shih

Did you know the most successful pirate in history was a woman? Did you also know she was not...

Q: When you’re traveling, what types of things spark your imagination?

When traveling for fun, I expect to stumble upon info. Locals have the best stories! They know the people...

Women & Girls: Lucille Ball

Captain’s Log: Star Date 1960. LUCILLE BALL takes control of Desilu Studios to become the most powerful woman in...

Q: What do you do when you get stuck? Part II

Last month, I partially answered this question. Here’s a snippet of my response (or you can go back and...

Ear Pick
Q: How do museum artifacts lead to narrative details?

When on a research trip, in addition to bringing my notes with questions to ask historical interpreters (these people...