The History Girls is a new joint blog by writers of historical fiction. 26 first-rate writers are lined up to produce a daily blogpost across a range of subjects in the genre. (photo by History Girl Caroline Lawrence)

Prize-winning, internationally renowned authors of YA historical fiction like Celia Rees ,Theresa Breslin, Mary Hooper and Eve Edwards (a.k.a. Julia Golding) are joined by both writers of historical fantasy for younger readers (Katherine Langrish, Katherine Roberts) and those with a primarily adult readership (Louise Berridge, Emma Darwin).

The group ranges from experienced established authors like Adèle Geras and Nicola Morgan to first-time novelists like Teresa Flavin, H.M. Castor and  Imogen Robertson. They cover every period from the Stone Age to World War Two  (N M Browne, Leslie Wilson, Barbara Mitchelhill). And every period in between, Including the England of Alfred the Great (Sue Purkiss) the Tudors (Harriet Castor and Eve Edwards), George lll (Linda Buckley-Archer), Victoria (Eleanor Updale, Penny Dolan and Catherine Johnson), . Geographically they range from Iceland to Troy to the Wild West, via Venice and Ancient Rome and Egypt. (Marie-Louise Jensen, Adèle Geras, Caroline Lawrence x 2, Michelle Lovric and Dianne Hofmeyr)

They are going to run competitions to win copies of their books, regular features on their first History teachers, favourite writers, inspirational objects etc. They'll have reviews, interviews and guest blogs, from other best-selling authors of historical fiction - maybe even a man or two!

They don't have a specifically feminist take on History; they just found when the idea was canvassed that the majority of the writers in this genre seemed to be women. The blog, The History Girls, goes live on 1^st July, with an introductory post by Mary Hoffman on the inspiration for setting the group up, which she did with Michelle Lovric.

They can offer photos, biographies and a list of July's posts to anyone who would like them. Many of the History Girls are available for interview.

Contact: Mary Hoffman

maryhoffman@maryhoffman.co.uk

01993 841219

or Michelle Lovric

michelle@lovric.demon.co.uk

Facebook Page: The History Girls

Twittername: @history_girls

Sample blogposts in July:

Galloping through time (horses in History) - Katherine Roberts

Window-shopping in Museums - Michelle Lovric

Using the present tense in historical fiction - Eleanor Updale

 

History Girls contributors and their specialisms

Louise Berridge - Military history, 17^th century + Crimea

Theresa Breslin - France, Spain, Renaissance Italy, World War I and World War II

N. M. Browne - 1st C AD (Celts and Romans) 5th Century (Arthur/Romano Brits) and 9th (Saxons/Vikings Alfred the Great.)

Linda Buckley-Archer - George III and the Court of Versailles

H. M. Castor - Tudor England

Emma Darwin - 19^th century, Wars of the Roses

Penny Dolan - Victorian England

Eve Edwards  - Tudor England

Teresa Flavin - Renaissance and Georgian London

Adele Geras - Ancient Greece and Troy, Victorian and early 20^th Century

Mary Hoffman - Middle Ages and Renaiassance in Italy

Dianne Hofmeyr - Ancient Egypt, African History, early voyages of discovery including the dhow trade down the African coast.

Mary Hooper - Victorian England

Marie-Louise Jensen - Viking era, Tudor and Georgian

Catherine Johnson - 18^th century and Victorian

Michelle Lovric - 18^th and 19^th century Venice, Peru

Kath Langrish - Viking era and Middle Ages

Caroline Lawrence - Ancient Rome + Wild West

Barbara Mitchelhill - 2^nd World War + Shakespeare

Nicola Morgan - 19^th century Scotland

Sue Purkiss - Alfred the Great + 19^th century

Celia Rees - 17^th and 18^th century + Shakespeare

Katherine Roberts - Arthurian, Alexander the Great, Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia/Persia.

Imogen Robertson - Georgian England

Eleanor Updale - late 19th and early 20th century

Leslie Wilson - 2^nd World War