A recent historical fiction webliography

Speaking For the Dead: The June "Mystery Strumpet" column for Bookslut is at once a meditation on the meaning of Memorial Day and a look at recent historical novels (literary thrillers, mostly) about historical characters from the not-so-distant past. Edgar Allan Poe, anyone?

Fact Is Invading Fiction: More on Poe & Co from Slate.

You'll only be able to catch a snippet of this letter to the editor from Salem News (MA) without paying, but its second paragraph might provoke a chuckle or two.

A recent interview with Alan Furst, author of numerous "moody, sophisticated historical spy novels," in the Raleigh News & Observer.

An interview with Sarah Waters, author of "lesbo Victorian romps" (her words), from the Guardian.

A USA Today piece on Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants, a literary romance set in a Depression-era traveling circus (which I continue to misremember as "Like Water for Elephants," a la Laura Esquivel).

Pirate success: Helen Hollick's latest novel, Sea Witch, a swashbuckling pirate adventure that she decided to self-publish after it failed to find a print publisher.

The Gale Group's Five Star imprint, which publishes hardcover fiction mostly for the library market, is having a huge 50% off sale. Lots of historical fiction to choose from here. I'm going shopping.

Finally, pardon a little BSP, but Greenwood Press (my publisher) is offering a 20% discount on their titles (including my book) if you use code #F935 at checkout (www.greenwood.com).