We do have a rule against self-promotion in this community. (Thank you, everyone, for sticking to it and helping to make this community great. It's much appreciated!) But I thought we could have the *occasional* post where members can share their stuff, whatever it may be. So have at it! Comment on this post (and only on this post!) and share your website, social media, Skool community, links to your books, Substack, etc... whatever you like! It doesn't have to be HF-related. Two requirements: (1) Tell people what to expect. So if you post your Substack newsletter or your IG or your Skool community, tell us what it's about. Don't expect people to have to go look at your link to find out. Let them know if they might be interested. If it's about cooking, writing memoir, travel, makeup, business, photography, reviewing horror novels, whatever... tell us what it's about. (2) Don't just drop a comment and run. Check out other people's stuff. Read through the other comments, like them, and — if you're interested in the description — check out their links. Enjoy 😊

Just finished The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath, published in 1963 under a pseudonym "Victoria Lucas." It wasn't written as historical fiction, but I guess it would qualify nowadays. The accurate portrayal of how depression was treated in the late fifties is important history, I believe. It was a very hard read; if you have experience with or knowledge of mental illness, you will understand. It's real. I've never read anything remotely like it, though Howard Moss of the New Yorker said, "there was something girlish in its manner (that) betrays the hand of the amateur novelist." Huh! In 2019 BBC News listed it as one of the 100 most inspiring novels. Gee, I don't know if I'd say "inspiring." I persisted, because the writing is so beautiful. Her metaphors are indeed inspiring. The fact that she died by suicide, believing her writing would never amount to anything, breaks my heart. In 1982 her book, The Collected Poems, won a Pulitzer Prize. If only she'd had better help, she might still be with us, having written even more incredible works. I'd recommend it, for her raw honesty and unique writing style. So sad, but very true.

SPOILERS!! This summary contains spoilers for Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. Don't read this if you want to avoid them. @Adrienne Crowley used Granola to capture a summary of our conversation. I think it did a better job that the Zoom AI. This is a condensed version of those notes. If you've read the book, feel free to share your thoughts on anything! - The group was sharply divided on Natalie: some found her unbearable almost immediately, while others saw her as tragic, naive, and shaped by fundamentalist upbringing, low self-esteem, and social media pressure. - Several people felt Natalie’s unraveling was psychologically legible, but Caleb’s transformation was much less convincing. His long-term complicity, abuse, and commitment to the 1855 setup felt underexplained. - The 1855 twist landed strongly at first, but the more the group unpacked it, the more plot holes emerged — especially around hiding from the law, staying nearby, Natalie’s memory gap, and whether the setup could really hold for so many years. - Clementine’s long delay in intervening was one of the biggest unanswered questions. Even with the explanation that she wasn’t believed at first, people still struggled to understand why no one stepped in sooner. - The group had a nuanced discussion about religion, gender roles, and fundamentalism. Most felt the book critiques rigidity, performance, and harmful systems more than any one denomination, though they could understand why some Christian readers might feel attacked. - The social media thread resonated strongly: the group talked about curated identity, trolls, praise, parasocial audiences, and how the split between “online Natalie” and real Natalie helped drive her collapse. - Reactions to the Anne Hathaway adaptation were mixed. People were skeptical of the casting and curious how the fragmented time structure and twist would translate to screen. - Overall, the group agreed the book was compelling, well written, and rich in ideas, even if some of the plot mechanics felt shaky on closer inspection.

When you DNF, it is usually because...

Does anybody have a recommendation on a historical fiction book set in Canada?