Cathie Dunn writes...

I'm taking part in a wonderful Christmas Blog Hop: we're celebrating the Icelandic tradition of Jolabokaflod ! Yes, it's all about books for Yule.  Throughout December, our group of historical fiction writers will give away free copies of our books, or offer them at reduced rates , for you to enjoy over the festive season! Make sure later to check the link at the end of this post to find all the other exciting, fascinating posts from my writer friends! The joy of gifts! But first, let me tell you a bit about what the 5th December meant to me when I was a child... Benvenuto di Giovanni December 6th is the feast day of St Nicholas (in the West; Eastern churches, where he is more popular, celebrate him on December 19th). The early Christian bishop is said to have died on 6th December AD 343.  It was said that, on his parents’ death, he gave away their wealth to the poor. He was also recorded as helping an impoverished man with the dowry for his three daughters, in that Nichol...

I'm delighted to share the news that I have now re-issued Highland Arms through our new author cooperative, Ocelot Press . If you haven't heard of us before, feel free to discover our authors on the Ocelot Press website . I have decided to bring Highland Arms into the Ocelot clowder because I feel we have a wonderful network of likeminded writers of quality novels, mainly with focus on historical fiction, mystery and romance, and my upcoming titles will also be released through the coop. Highland Arms will now also be available in ebook format not only on Amazon, but also on a range of outlets through D2D, including Kobo, Apple and Barnes & Noble. And for a few days only, it will be priced at 99p / 99c! It is still available in paperback through Amazon, but I'm also exploring other options. So...why not try a gripping historical read with plenty of romance and mystery! ~~~ “The author has a wonderful way of describing the highlands.” ~ Booked Up Revi...

I'm visiting romance writer  Emma Lai 's lovely blog, chatting about writing, reading - and Highlanders! ;-) Come on over & join us! http://emmalaiwrites.blogspot.com/2012/03/meet-author-monday-cathie-dunn.html See you there!

Writing believable historical fiction requires at least some idea of the customs, politics and way of life of the period you choose to write about. The importance of such knowledge varies, depending on genre and storyline, but getting the basics right is vital for your credibility as a writer. In general historical fiction, where the politics of the day might interfere with the MC's life, it is crucial to get your facts right. And there are no excuses! Nowadays, it's fairly easy to read up about kings and queens, political parties and the differences in roles between nobility, gentry and the working classes. There are huge resources available online, that even just a decade ago seemed unobtainable. And, of course, there's always the fat volume of a history book to browse in and take notes. Most libraries can get you copies of the most relevant tomes. Without turning your story into such a history book, you would want your characters to be as close to the real thing as you c...