Hi, I’m Jillianne Hamilton. I write historical fiction with rebellious ladies and happy endings. Learn more about my books.
Three Black Explorers Who Made History
It's Black History Month! Who doesn't love a good tale about early adventurers and the lands they trekked? These three Black explorers defied the odds and deserve to be celebrated for their amazing achievements. Matthew Henson Matthew Henson's life is like something...
A Look into the Lives of Women in Communist Romania
This is a guest post from Gift of Diamonds author Roberta Seret, Ph.D. Thanks Roberta! Romanian women during the 1960’s at the time when my literary heroine, Mica, in Gift of Diamonds, was growing up in Transylvania, were “existentialist” women. Many of them were well...
Review: A Curious History of Sex
Even in a weighty book such as Dr. Kate Lister's A Curious History of Sex, sex and sexuality is a massive topic to cover. However, Lister manages to fit a wealth of history succinctly, cleverly and hilariously into one fantastic and accessible read. Also known as the...
Review: The Splendid and the Vile
There is no denying that The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz is an exceptionally good and well-written book. More than anything, it is an extremely human account of Britain's wartime prime minister, those closest to...
Interview: Ian Mortimer, Author and Historian
I am an absolute sucker for social history books about everyday life in Britain. I have a whole shelf of these types of books by historian and author Dr. Ian Mortimer, known for his Time Traveller's Guide series. Mortimer is back with another one! This time, readers...
My Experience with AncestryDNA
First of all, full disclosure: I have been using Ancestry for about a year now. I really like their service and decided to apply for the Ancestry Affiliate Program based on the fact that I genuinely like their products. I've been planning this post for months (way...
Interview with a Morgue Historian
This is how my exchange with Cat Byers began, like all great online friendships: through an Instagram DM. When you see someone describe themselves as a "Morgue Historian," you know I'm going to sit up and pay attention. I had to find out more about this extremely...
20 Virtual Tours of Historical Sites You Can Visit from Home
Like a lot of people, my 2020 travel plans were ruined by the pandemic. Virtual tourism has become something of a cottage industry since COVID-19 went and made a mockery of our carefully curated trip itineraries—even AirBNB has adapted their Experiences feature to...
Virginia Woolf, Talland House, and Historical Fiction
This is a guest post by author Maggie Humm. Thanks Maggie! Amazon have classified my debut novel, Talland House, as historical fiction, but the novel does not simply, or only, fit within that one genre. Set between 1900 and 1919 in picturesque Cornwall and war-blasted...
Abandoned Pennsylvania: Creepy and Beautiful Photography
This is a guest post from Obsidian Urbex photographer, Janine Pendleton. Thanks Janine! I am no stranger to long road trips, but this one was different. My ideal summer consists of scouring the towns and villages of Europe in search of forgotten places. I am an...
Black Panthers vs. Nazis: Meet Patton’s All-Black 761st Tank Battalion that Transformed Race Relations and Made America Better
This is a guest post from author Samuel Marquis. Thanks Samuel! In Soldiers of Freedom: The WWII Story of Patton’s Panthers and the Edelweiss Pirates, Book 5 of his WWII Series, historical fiction author Samuel Marquis tells the real-life story of Sergeant William...
Bardcore: Modern Melodies with Medieval Music
What do you get when you combine modern pop songs and medieval instruments and vocals? Bardcore. Hildegard von Blingin' (a name that is, in itself, a much-appreciated history pun) has quickly been racking up the views on her new YouTube channel since late May. Her...