February, for some, is the month of love. For the purposes of this blog, it’s love of books! Even though it’s a short month, February will bring us...
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From page to screen – bringing your book to film or TV
The winners of the Golden Globes were announced last month. The BAFTAs are coming this month and the Oscars in March. It’s that time of year again;...
Writing After. . .
Life can interrupt the creative process, from something as simple as a phone call to family commitments, from the unexpected to the obligations of...
21 Ways to Organize Your Book Pile
The turn of one year to another is a time when New Year Resolutions run rampant. Organizing something usually makes the list, as do daily promises...
Top Historical Fiction Picks January 2026
Happy New Year! 2026 will bring new novels from a number of our Paper Lantern Writers. Watch for Ana Brazil’s The Magnolia Voodoo Brawler sometime...
Featured Blog: Celebrating New Year in the Soviet Union
One of the signs of getting older is when the decade of your childhood is designated as “historic.” Since I grew up in a country that no longer...
Words with a Wordsmith: Herb Williams-Dalgart
Do you tend to write about places you’ve been to, or places you wish you could go...
The Enduring Allure of the Winter Market
As a writer who’s been fascinated with Europe in the Middle Ages since I was a child, I have long wanted to experience the festivity and cheer...
6 Things About Dear Santa and Holiday Traditions
One Last year at my Book Club’s December gathering, my friend, Marsha, shared her experience as the emergency Santa at the Emporium studio where she...
Gilded Age Goodies for the Holidays
Some of my favorite scenes in HBO’s The Gilded Age involve the preparation and display of sumptuous food. Nothing says dripping in money like...
A 250+ Jane Austen Birthday Link List
Happy Birthday, Jane Austen! On the very happy occasion of the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth on December 16, 1775, PLW is pleased to...
Judge The Cover, Not the Book
A book’s cover is the first way a reader interacts with a text. We may know the authors ahead of time, or heard a good review, but ultimately, a...
Top Historical Fiction Picks December 2025
Happy end to 2025! I hope this year brought you success in your endeavors, and health and happiness to you and yours. Releasing a new book in...
Harriet and Dred Scott
The recent Paper Lantern Writer anthology, Echoes of Small Things, contains stories about minor events that may have changed history. Μy story,...
Words with a Wordsmith: Marty Wingate
Welcome to PLW's Words with a Wordsmith Friday! Today we interview Marty Wingate, author of the historical novels The House for Lost...
A twist of fate that cost Anne Boleyn her head
History is a funny thing - a chance event can turn its course in a heartbeat. Turn left instead of right, and everything could have been different....
Q&A – Holiday Traditions of the Past
Holiday traditions link the past and the present—a special family recipe handed down from generation to generation, singing classic carols, or displaying beloved decorations.
A ‘Beloved’ Dynasty that Almost Wasn’t
Life often seems so random. A chance encounter that turns into a beautiful friendship. An overheard conversation that destoys trust. A passage in a book that changes our view on an issue. Seemingly little things can change the trajectory of an individual’s life, a nation’s future, or spark a worldwide catastrophe.
22 Links to Living History Museums
Hello history lovers. How many of you have explored a living history museum? We would love to know which ones and how you enjoyed them, so please...
A Storm is Brewing for Richard the Lion Heart in this Historical Fiction Short Story
A storm is brewing in Châlus-Chabrol. King Richard the Lion-Hearted and his loyal men are days away from conquering the castle of the Viscount Aimar...
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