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Eric Picard

Goodreads Author

Born

The United States

Website

https://ericpicard.com

Genre

Fiction, Historical Fiction, Thriller

Influences

Neal Stephenson
Neil Gaiman
Charles de Lint
Hugh Howey
Emma Bull
J.R.R. Tol ...more

Member Since

April 2025

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Eric Picard grew up in Newport, Rhode Island, and holds a degree in History — yet no one ever told him that the Battle of Rhode Island was decided by a hurricane that wrecked both the French and British fleets in August 1778. Finding stories like that one is why he writes: the American histories that got left out of the books — the vanished towns, the invisible spies, the family secrets that refuse to stay buried.

His fiction is built on archival research, real people, and real places. Before writing novels, he worked as a commercial boat captain, SCUBA diver, and lighthouse keeper — experience that shapes every page he sets on the water. He also holds a degree in Fine Art from the University of Rhode Island and an MFA from the University of Eric Picard grew up in Newport, Rhode Island, and holds a degree in History — yet no one ever told him that the Battle of Rhode Island was decided by a hurricane that wrecked both the French and British fleets in August 1778. Finding stories like that one is why he writes: the American histories that got left out of the books — the vanished towns, the invisible spies, the family secrets that refuse to stay buried.

His fiction is built on archival research, real people, and real places. Before writing novels, he worked as a commercial boat captain, SCUBA diver, and lighthouse keeper — experience that shapes every page he sets on the water. He also holds a degree in Fine Art from the University of Rhode Island and an MFA from the University of Cincinnati.

His newest novel, The Hazard Trade, is a Revolutionary War thriller set in British-occupied Newport, following one family's transformation from shopkeepers to spies. Its pages are populated by real Newporters history nearly forgot — including Duchess Quamino, the "Pastry Queen of Rhode Island," who baked her way toward her family's freedom while still enslaved, and John Quamino, the first African American to receive a college education. And yes, that hurricane is in there too.

His debut, Legacy of the Bitterroots, was inspired by visiting a ghost town in the Bitterroot mountains, then reading a prospector's diary and reading about the Great Fire of 1910. It's a slow-burn historical mystery and multigenerational saga about Crystal Village, a utopian mining settlement in Idaho's Bitterroots that vanished in the fire — and a descendant's discovery that what survived defies everything the history books say. Wyatt Earp and Calamity Jane really did pass through Eagle City, fifteen miles from where Eric placed his fictional village — and they made it into the book.

He is also the author of the urban fantasy novella Frost and the nautical adventure short story Sally Braid.

Eric lives with his wife, Erynn, in a former livery stable built in 1680, a block from the streets and harbor of The Hazard Trade. When not writing, he swims in the ocean, drives his boat, explores ghost towns, and collects the odd historical facts that turn into novels. ...more

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Combine Editions
Eric Picard’s books

Average rating: 4.44 · 57 ratings · 28 reviews · 4 distinct works • Similar authors

	Legacy of the Bitterroots: A Crystal Village Tale 4.38 avg rating — 29 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Hazard Trade: A novel of occupied Newport - 1778 4.43 avg rating — 21 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sally Braid 4.75 avg rating — 4 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Frost it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

19 posts
Eric Picard's Blog

Posting on Royal Road

I will be posting the first chapter of The Hazard Trade, and publishing subsequent chapters monthly. I’m waiting for approval, but you’ll be able to find me there at: https://www.royalroad.com/profile/102... (Partially I’m posting this so that they know it’s really me! They’re very diligent about ensuring ownership of the content.) Read more of this blog post »

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Published on July 18, 2026 13:18

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Eric is Currently Reading

Eric Picard is currently reading

The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777

by Rick Atkinson

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Dec 06, 2025 01:42PM

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Eric’s Recent Updates

Eric Picard made a comment on Christopher Kinsella ’s review of Legacy of the Bitterroots: A Crystal Village Tale " Thanks so much for such a great review, Chris! I'd be happy to discuss it with you sometime! eric@ericpicard.com ...more "
Jul 19, 2026 09:34AM · see review
Eric Picard wrote a new blog post Posting on Royal Road I will be posting the first chapter of The Hazard Trade, and publishing subsequent chapters monthly. I’m waiting for approval, but you’ll be able to f Read more of this blog post »
Jul 19, 2026 06:47AM · like
Eric Picard is now following SubconsciousShelf's reviews
Jun 19, 2026 05:52AM · like
Eric Picard made a comment on Christina Thompson’s review of The Hazard Trade: A novel of occupied Newport - 1778 " Oh - and I also fixed it in the print copy - so new readers who order a print copy will get the new text as well. The beauty of on-demand printing. Fo ...more "
Jun 19, 2026 05:51AM · see review
Eric Picard made a comment on Bonne Sharp’s review of The Hazard Trade: A novel of occupied Newport - 1778 " Thank you so much! Legacy of the Bitterroots is waiting in the wings. ;) "
Jun 18, 2026 11:56AM · see review
Eric Picard liked David Smith's review of The Hazard Trade: A novel of occupied Newport - 1778: "I enjoyed this book immensely. I love historical fiction, especially when it is true to what really happened. This book deals with the British occupation of Newport during the Revolutionary War. Relatives on both sides. Spies and civil disobedience. " Read more of this review »
Jun 18, 2026 11:53AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Hazard Trade by Eric Picard. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Hazard Trade by Eric Picard <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Eric Picard liked Christina Thompson's review of The Hazard Trade: A novel of occupied Newport - 1778: "Good plot, words a bit redundant Giveaway Review I enjoyed the plot - family making impossible decisions during the American Revolution. However, there were places where the information about characters and conversations became redundant to the poi" Read more of this review »
Jun 18, 2026 11:53AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Hazard Trade by Eric Picard. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Hazard Trade by Eric Picard <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Eric Picard made a comment on Mary Devine’s status in Carl's Doomsday Scenario (Dungeon Crawler Carl, #2) " This series is really great. "
Jun 12, 2026 03:21PM
Eric Picard liked Bonne Sharp's review of The Hazard Trade: A novel of occupied Newport - 1778: "A Great Read!!! It captures your imagination from the moment you begin reading! Descriptive of the past it is well thought out and well executed. It made me think of how Patrick O’Brien wrote his series in that it truly placed you in that time and the" Read more of this review »
Jun 12, 2026 03:14PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Hazard Trade by Eric Picard. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Hazard Trade by Eric Picard <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Eric Picard made a comment on Gloria’s review of The Hazard Trade: A novel of occupied Newport - 1778 " I'm glad you liked it! If you ever have any questions, feel free to reach out directly. Also, my website has lots of extras, including period and mode ...more "
Jun 10, 2026 05:23AM · see review