Paper Lantern Writers Read! discussion

A paper lantern amplifies and diffuses the light from a single flame, allowing the human eye to see further and more broadly in the dark. Paper Lantern Writers aim to shine light on the shrouded stories of the past, giving modern readers a clearer perspective on the people and places that came before them. We are an author collective whose goal is to help each other gain wider visibility to readers.

Visit our website to learn more: https://www.paperlanternwriters.com/

Hi, I'm Linda Ulleseit, the moderator. I just finished These Ghosts Are Family by Maisy Card, which I loved, and I'm now reading The Color of Air by Gail Tsukiyama.

Hey everyone, I'm Ana Brazil (last name rhymes with razzle or dazzle) & I'm one of the Paper Lantern Writers. I just started reading Cara Black's THREE HOURS IN PARIS.

Wow! From the outside cover to the inside covers (with an incredible map of 1940 Paris) to the quotes that start the story, I was totally thrilled to start reading.

Ana wrote: "Hey everyone, I'm Ana Brazil (last name rhymes with razzle or dazzle) & I'm one of the Paper Lantern Writers. I just started reading Cara Black's THREE HOURS IN PARIS.

Wow! From the outside cover..."

That's quite the recommendation...I'll have to look that one up.

Hi All! I'm Rebecca D'Harlingue. I'm currently reading The Water Dancers by Ta-Nahisi Coates. It's about the Underground Railroad, with a bit of magic realism. The perspectives are complex and thought-provoking.

Rebecca wrote: "Hi All! I'm Rebecca D'Harlingue. I'm currently reading The Water Dancers by Ta-Nahisi Coates. It's about the Underground Railroad, with a bit of magic realism. The perspectives are complex and thou..."

Oh that sounds interesting, Rebecca. Is it like Colson Whitehead's book The Underground Railroad? I remember being angry, as a teacher, that the railroad was real in his book. Students have a hard enough time understanding it wasn't real!

Hi, I'm Christine Keleny. Historical fiction is my things (writing it and reading it) so when I got the invite for this group, I was all in.
I am currently listening to (do a lot of car listening) Gutsy Women buy Hillary Clinton and Chelsea (is it still Clinton - I don' t know). Talks about a lot of women in history, though not fictionalized.

Christine wrote: "Hi, I'm Christine Keleny. Historical fiction is my things (writing it and reading it) so when I got the invite for this group, I was all in.
I am currently listening to (do a lot of car listening) ..."

Hi Christine! I've read Michelle Obama's book, but not Hillary's. I'll have to check it out.

Hi, I'm Barbara from Southern California. I am currently reading Veiled in Smoke. It is set during the Chicago Fire. Historical fiction is my favorite reads, but I read women's fiction and contemporary fiction in between.

Barbara wrote: "Hi, I'm Barbara from Southern California. I am currently reading Veiled in Smoke. It is set during the Chicago Fire. Historical fiction is my favorite reads, but I read women's fiction and contempo..."

Welcome! I'm not familiar with Veiled in Smoke. I'll have to check it out.

Linda wrote: "Barbara wrote: "Hi, I'm Barbara from Southern California. I am currently reading Veiled in Smoke. It is set during the Chicago Fire. Historical fiction is my favorite reads, but I read women's fict..."

It is very interesting. A book that made me stop and think that the civil war ending an the Chicagp fire were not that far apart. That is what I love most about historical fiction - learning about history in an entertaining way and putting together events that you did not realize happened close together.

Barbara wrote: "Linda wrote: "Barbara wrote: "Hi, I'm Barbara from Southern California. I am currently reading Veiled in Smoke. It is set during the Chicago Fire. Historical fiction is my favorite reads, but I rea..."

Yes, a different perspective! We learn history as individual events. When we can see it as a whole like that, it has a real impact. I remember clearly when I realized that Father Junipero Serra was building missions in California at the same time the colonists on the East Coast were fighting for independence. Mind blown.

Hi, I'm Cathe. I taught in the same school district as Linda and just retired in June!
I love to read all types of books. I am anxiously awaiting Aloha Spirit!

Cathe wrote: "Hi, I'm Cathe. I taught in the same school district as Linda and just retired in June!
I love to read all types of books. I am anxiously awaiting Aloha Spirit!"

Welcome, Cathe!

Greetings! I'm Evelyn. I have many historical fiction books that I'm intending to read like Beyond the Ghetto Gates (Italy during the Napolionic invasion) and Answer Creek (about women in the Donner party). Just realized that my memoir is historical (Peace Corps in the 1960s). This group has me inspired to get into more books in this genre and try my hand at writing it. Thanks!

Hi, Evelyn! Welcome!