Interestingly, that aspect of the Odyssey IS like historical fiction. The Odyssey is probably from the 8th or 7th century BCE but it's set 12th+ BCE. Don't you love when you dig into a super old text and it's full of people nostalgic for what was already ancient past to them? History is so rich with stories.

@Ian Bosler that is so cool!

@Zena Ryder So far I really love Big Time. It has lots of fun ideas for planning out your day and thinking of time in different ways. Page One to Done is Brody's new book. It can be used in combination with STC, but works as standalone too. I started reading it just before I finished up teaching a Jumpstart Your Novel class, and I was thinking wow, I will never teach that class the same way again!

I usually prefer ordinary people unless it's VERY well researched. It bothers me if it's a major figure and I know something about them that doesn't match their character in the story -- especially if they get a positive write but I suspect they were a total A-hole (see: slavery, serial cheater but the book is about them falling in love with their spouse, etc.). What I hate THE MOST is stories about famous writers where the premise of the book is that they lived the exact story they ended up writing.

I got it from the library but it didn't grab my attention. If other people love it I may give it another shot...

I love Lisa See's writing! I read The Island of Sea Women and Lady Tan's Circle of Women and both stuck with me for years.