Introductions

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

The top bookshelves for The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America (excluding "to-read" and "currently-reading") are "non-fiction," "history," and "nonfiction."

[Jenny]

Welcome Kimberly and Jim!

[Ken]

You sound like my ideal reader. Couldn't have customized one better. My book is serialized on Amazon and occurs in 1848 (check) and follows a young couple as they emigrate from Missouri westward (check) to Oregon. Along the way they hear of the gold discovery in California (check). They break off from their party and head to the gold fields.
One of the reasons I wrote it was because I liked the Kent Family Chronicles by John Jakes (check) and thought a series following Josh and Elizabeth Bonner through the next thirty or so years would be a good project.
See my author page here for links, a synopsis and an impartial five star review of my own first volume. The first is just to introduce the story and characters without taxing the wallet. Then I gotcha.

[Ken]

Interesting results using the serialization. I find I get about 85% that buy all five eventually. Guess I have a fan base. I did it primarily so I would have more to offer. Reader less likely to buy a writer's only offering. If they like it, then what? Wait a year for the next?
Downside. Hard to climb the best-seller list when you cut it up into five pieces. Same thing with reviews as they get portioned out, though I think it would be more likely to get better reviews with those that read all and poorer reviews from those who read the first and decide its a stinker. Hard to say with limited reviews.
I'm thinking of putting the book back together and selling it as an alternate with a price less than the combined. This is entirely factored on the royalty setup and not just to flog yesterday's papers

[Windelbo]

Thanks for the welcome, Jenny! Based on Susanna's comments I was afraid I'd be kicked out before I'd even begun. ;)

[Shay]

Susanna wrote: "The top bookshelves for The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America (excluding "to-read" and "currently-reading") are "non-fiction," "histo..."

I read somewhere that books like The Devil in the White City are grouped in the genre of "narrative non-fiction". Which I can see it being a distinctive genre or type of non-fiction. I read "Devil" and then Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898 by Edwin G. Burrows (more "straight" history) and you can really tell the difference between the two styles of books. (I like both depending on mood, I guess.)

[Jenny]

@Jim: No worries! Even if it is non-fiction, it's still historical and still relevant! Anyone who loves to read about history is welcome here :)

@Shay: I like that term, narrative non-fiction. Sounds like that's exactly what it is!

[Kimberley]

Hi Im Kimberley Patterson and I am an author. I just recently released my western fiction book Red Rock on October 20th. The book description is below:

Rachel Hunter, a high spirited teen, is struggling to take care of her ill mother. Her mother’s illness soon forces the family to sell everything, and move to a new town seeking a cure they can't afford. Along the way, they stumble onto a fortune and, in financial desperation, decide to keep it. Upon arrival in Red Rock, she quickly settles in to their new life, with Rachel's mother receiving the care she needs from the town doctor. Rachel even finds herself with two suitors, one that she is very likely falling in love with -- and one who annoys and irritates her at every turn. Though there is some guilt associated with the secret of their fortune, she is content -- until one night someone throws a rock through the Hunter family's window, threatening to take back what is theirs. Lies, deceit, and betrayal plague Rachel and her entire family as they struggle to keep their secret, and find out who is behind the devious plan. With every secret comes consequences, and Rachel will soon find out that not everything or everyone is what they seem to be.

[Jenny]

Sounds good Kimberley! Congratulations, and thanks for joining us!

[Suzanne]

Welcome to the group, Kimberley!

Suzanne Adair

[K.P.]

KSMary wrote: "What interesting conversations lately! I love historical fiction of all time periods and all locales - European, Asian, American..

New Mexico is beautiful from what I have seen. I've only been..."

Sorry to be so late in thanking you, Mary -- been busy writing :) I'm so pleased that you like the cover of TIERRA RED . . . .

Kathy

[Shelly]

Hello, everyone, I’m Shelly. I love to read and write about the 20th century, especially the 20s, 30s, and 40s. I’ve already posted a question, got great feedback, and answered a question, so I thought I should introduce myself to this awesome group.

[Jenny]

Welcome, Shelly!

[Ken]

Welcome aboard Shelly. You came to the right place. We are sooooo twentieth century.

[Henry]

Hi,

I'm Henry Mazel. My latest story is The Plot Against Marlene Dietrich, a novelette that takes place in the 30s. Relatively new to Goodreads and and still figuring it out. More of a Twitter person, but I'm beginning to enjoy Gooreads

[Jenny]

Welcome, Henry! Goodreads can't be beat for book discussions, but Twitter is definitely a happening place for readers and writers! I was very daunted by Twitter at first, but I'm glad I made the plunge.

[Henry]

Thanks, Jenny. I'm looking forward to those discussions.

[Mary]

Hi Shelly. I like early 20th century history too, especially the Roaring Twenties. You might enjoy my blog on that decade: marymiley.wordpress.com.

[Henry]

Henry wrote: "Hi,

I'm Henry Mazel. My latest story is The Plot Against Marlene Dietrich, a novelette that takes place in the 30s. Relatively new to Goodreads and and still figuring it out. More of a Twitter per..."

Henry wrote: "Hi,

I'm Henry Mazel. My latest story is The Plot Against Marlene Dietrich, a novelette that takes place in the 30s. Relatively new to Goodreads and and still figuring it out. More of a Twitter per..."

Thought I would leave my original post unedited. You never know when you can use another 'and.'

[Tracy]

Hi. My name is Tracy, and I'm a multi-pubbed author of historical romance. And a huge romance reader, too! So thrilled to have found a group with focus on American settings! Mine so far have been Outer Banks, NC and SC.

Thanks!

Tracy

[Jenny]

Hey Tracy! Please check out our American Historical Romance discussion and add your books and your favorites to the list!

[Tracy]

Will do. Thanks!

[M.]

Hi,

I can't believe I hadn't discovered this group yet, but saw it posted by a friend, Suzanne Adair, on another group.

So, I am a fan of historical fiction and an author, and I am a member of the HIstorical Fiction Authors Coop (HFAC) that promotes historical fiction ebooks.

My pen name is M. Louisa Locke, and my first historical mystery, Maids of Misfortune, is set in 1879 San Francisco, and features Annie Fuller a widowed boarding house owner, who supplements her income as a clairvoyant, Madam Sibyl. Here is a link to a podcast review of this book in case you are interested. http://hfacooperative.wordpress.com/

I have just published Uneasy Spirits, the sequel to this book, and these are just the first in a planned series of books on Victorian San Francisco, each which concentrates on different occupations by women during this period. I wrote a dissertation years ago on working women in the far west, and I am having a good deal of fun using this research to write historical fiction.

I am looking forward to looking at the books that are mentioned on this site. We are always looking for good ebooks to include on the Historical Fiction ebooks site at http://historicalfictionauthors.com/

Glad to be here.

M. Louisa Locke

[Jenny]

Welcome to our group, M! Looking forward to your contributions. Will definitely check out those websites!

[Barb]

Hello M,
I just finished your 'Maids of Misfortune' and enjoyed it very much. I wondered if Barnes and Noble is going to sell the paperback version of 'Uneasy Spirits'?

I got a kick out of the fact that the protagonist and I share the same name (my maiden name).

[M.]

Dear Barb,

Thanks! I know that B&N sell Maids of Misfortune on line. I suspect that you can order Uneasy Spirits through them as well if you ask, although ordering through Amazon would be quicker.

M. Louisa

[M.]

Dear all,

I just noticed that the link I put for the podcast review of Maids of Misfortune was incorrect. So here is the right one!

http://www.indiebookpodcast.com/2011/...

Sorry,

M. Louisa

[Tracy]

I'm pleased to say that my redesigned website is live! We moved it to Wordpress -- which allows me more control over content and release updates, etc. I have a link to the first three chapters to the National Reader's Choice for Best Historial, TIDES OF PASSION. Though you can also get close to the first two in sample on Amazon & B&N, too! Take a peek and let me know what you think.

Tracy
www.tracysumner.com

Happy reading!

[DeAnna]

Hi! I joined the group awhile ago and read the posts often, but just realized I never introduced myself.
I'm DeAnna Cameron, and I've always loved learning about history. My perfect day would be one where I have nothing to do but curl up with a good book that pulls me into another time, with a warm drink in one hand and a fire crackling in the fireplace. Ah, heaven. I read historical novels whenever I can, but since I started writing historical novels, I also spend a lot of time reading straight history for research. Berkey/Penguin published my debut, The Belly Dancer, in 2009 and plans to re-release it March. They'll be publishing my second novel, Dancing at the Chance, in April. Both are set in early America -- the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, and vaudeville in Old New York, respectively. (If anyone is interested, there's more information about both titles on my Goodreads Author page.)
I can't tell you how much I enjoy reading the posts here. American historical fiction is so often ignored, and I love reading the bits from people who love it just as much as I do. :)

[Jenny]

Welcome, DeAnna! Congratulations on your publishing success! Please add your novels to our group bookshelf!

[DeAnna]

Thank you, Jenny :)

[Barbara]

I'm Barbara and I have always been a voracious reader. Now I am an author of a non-fiction memoir. "Elsie -Adventures of an Arizona Schoolteacher 1913-1916" is on Amazon. I read my grandmother's letters and journals from 1913-1916 after she died in 1987 and found within the yellowed pages a tender love story and a vibrant picture of what the baby state of Arizona was like. Elsie was an amazing story-teller. Her own letters and her journal create most of the book in her own words. I researched and added historical tidbits. It was a time period filled with changes. Perhaps the most interesting change was watching Elsie transform from a college-educated "bit of a snob" to a bare-back riding lover of rural Arizona and its people who lived off the land. What an adventure it has been to write this book. As I read it felt like it should be a movie. A movie I could not do but oh what a story her letters revealed.

[Jenny]

Hi Barb! How wonderful to find inspiration in your grandmother's words!

[Barbara]

Thanks Jenny. I always had thought of Elsie as prim and proper and old. As I read her diary I discovered a young Elsie that was adventuresome, tenacious and proposed to by multiple men. There was a mystery hidden in the pages and when doing research in old newspapers I was amazed to discover the answer to that mystery.I knew it was a book. Realizing that in a few months Arizona celebrates it's centennial year I knew now was the time for Elsie's word picture of life in Arizona written 99 years ago to be published. Was a delightful journey for me as I studied this time in history.

[DeAnna]

@BarbaraAnne -- What a terrific story! It's wonderful to preserve the past this way for future generations.

[Barry]

Hi everyone,

I just joined, and wanted to wave hello.

[Jenny]

Welcome, Barry!

[Barry]

Thanks, Jenny!

Jenny wrote: "Welcome, Barry!"

[Amy]

Like Barry, I am a recent joiner. (Member? Associate? Accomplice?) Just dipping my toes into the group discussion thing and thought I'd say hello. I am a voracious reader as well, with interests ranging from nonfiction and biography to historical fiction and contemporary fiction. And almost everything in between! (Except science fiction and romance. Can't quite seem to get into those genres.) I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else likes/recommends/doesn't like!

[Jenny]

Welcome, Amy! You'll find plenty of reading recommendations here!

[Sean]

Hello! I'm a fan of historical fiction, especially that set in the Civil War or my former homes of Missouri or Arizona. I have a big soft spot in my heart for Westerns. Hope to get to know you all better!

Sean McLachlan
civilwarhorror.blogspot.com

[Jenny]

Welcome to our group, Sean!

[Ken]

Welcome, Sean.
Not to chase you away from here but there is a Western Fiction group, too.

[Lynn]

Hello! I'm Lynn from northern California. Just joined Goodreads yesterday and am thrilled to have discovered this group. Looking forward to joining the conversation!

[Jenny]

Welcome, Lynn! What's your favorite American history subject to read about?

[Lynn]

Thanks Jenny! Appreciate the warm welcome. It's a toss up between the Civil War era and the Revolutionary War.

[Suzanne]

Welcome, Lynn! You'll get recommendations here for plenty to read in those two time periods.

Suzanne Adair

[Lynn]

Suzanne wrote: "Welcome, Lynn! You'll get recommendations here for plenty to read in those two time periods.

Suzanne Adair"

Wonderful! I'm looking forward to it.

[[deleted user]]

Hello! We're Istoria Books, a small US epublisher. Please drop by at www.istoriabooks.com to get a taste for what we do.

It's all about the books!

Matthew

[Jenny]

Istoria wrote: "Hello! We're Istoria Books, a small US epublisher. Please drop by at www.istoriabooks.com to get a taste for what we do.

It's all about the books!

Matthew"

You've got some great-looking books there! I look forward to exploring the site in more detail.