History Behind the Novels
Here is your portal to all of the real history behind the novels
Oil and Marble and Raphael, Painter in Rome
Go here to follow along with many of the major artworks mentioned in Raphael, Painter in Rome
Today, a new Leonardo da Vinci drawing was discovered in France (see featured image). To honor this very real discovery of very real history, here are 10 shockingly true stories from my historical novel, Oil and Marble: a novel of Leonardo and Michelangelo. I wrote lots of imagined bits — that’s why it’s fiction — but these historical facts may surprise you.
Over the last two-and-a-half months, I’ve traveled to 18 states, signed over 1,000 books, and put on 81 “shows” (where I do a reading and/or talk about my novel). I’ve spoken at book stores, museums, art galleries, libraries, historical …
A friend recently told me about his experience seeing the Mona Lisa for the first time. "I was expecting to have this quiet, intimate moment with this beautiful painting," he said. "Instead, it was a madhouse! Why didn't anyone…
Today, a new Leonardo da Vinci drawing was discovered in France (see featured image). To honor this very real discovery of very real history, here are 10 shockingly true stories from my historical novel, Oil and Marble: a novel of Leonardo and Michelangelo. I wrote lots of imagined bits — that’s why it’s fiction — but these historical facts may surprise you.
A lot of people ask about the research that went into my art historical novel, Oil and Marble. I’ve been obsessed with Michelangelo, Leonardo and the Italian Renaissance for over 20 years (I’ve read every book I could find, crawled into …
The first time I visited — over 20 years ago — the painting felt distant. I’d studied it for so may hours in a dark art history classroom that I didn’t know how to connect with the thing itself. The second time, I focused on studying every …
Over the last two-and-a-half months, I’ve traveled to 18 states, signed over 1,000 books, and put on 81 “shows” (where I do a reading and/or talk about my novel). I’ve spoken at book stores, museums, art galleries, libraries, historical …
The most common question I get about my art-historical novel, Oil and Marble: a novel of Leonardo and Michelangelo, is: “What inspired you to write it?”
For five years, from 1501 – 1505, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarroti both lived and worked in Florence. Leonardo was an aging master, the most famous of his day. Michelangelo was a young, up-and-coming sculptor.
No, OCD wasn’t a “thing” during the Renaissance, but there is evidence of people suffering from obsessive behaviors. In this post, I explain my rationale for giving Raphael obsessive behaviors and the research behind the decision.
Today — April 6, 2020 — is Raphael’s birthday (he was born on Good Friday in 1483) AND the 500th Anniversary of the artist’s death. He died on April 6th, 1520 at the age of 37.
Go here to follow along with many of the major artworks mentioned in Raphael, Painter in Rome
In honor of the anniversary of Michelangelo unveiling his Sistine Chapel ceiling on Nov 1, 1512, here are 10 things you might not know about that ceiling.
A list of my favorite Italian Renaissance artists — BEYOND Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raphael.
I asked historical Italian food novelist Crystal King what the food scene would’v been like for Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael
I’m an art-historical novelist, so I’m very familiar with the on-going debate at the center of historical fiction: Is it the novelist’s duty to serve the HISTORY or the FICTION? Readers expect to learn something from historical fiction — to …
Warriors and Queens. Geniuses and schemers. Masters of swords and horses. They weren’t all saints (in fact some were downright evil), but they all fought their own battles. Beware Lara Croft and Katniss Everdeen…
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No, OCD wasn’t a “thing” during the Renaissance, but there is evidence of people suffering from obsessive behaviors. In this post, I explain my rationale for giving Raphael obsessive behaviors and the research behind the decision.