Verona, 1576.
Heresy is fatal in late Renaissance Italy, but Martin Luther’s book ignites a young girl’s faith.
She must choose—abandon her beliefs or risk everything.
Join Lucia as she navigates the exciting and perilous world of late 16th-century Italy!
“A gripping tale of a young girl of Renaissance Italy…a superb example of historical fiction based on actual fact.”
Dr. Jeannine Olson, Professor of History, Rhode Island College
HISTORICAL NOVELIST
C.L.R. Peterson
Renaissance history came to life for C.L.R. Peterson during a semester in Italy.
Later the classic David-versus-Goliath battle of Luther and the Roman Church hooked her on the Reformation, and she earned a PhD in Early Modern European History at Stanford University.
She loves to tell the stories of little-known heroes of the Renaissance/Reformation era.
Lucia’s Renaissance is her debut novel, soon to be followed by the sequel, Lucia’s Journey.
She has also written several short stories in Lucia’s storyworld, including “Caterina’s Choice,” which is available at no charge to readers who sign up for her author newsletter.
My New Short Story! Free to my Subscribers!
Verona, 1571.
When Caterina welcomes her husband’s brilliant student, Alessandro, into their home, she has no idea how he will heighten the danger her family faces as the Inquisition closes in.
Against the vivid backdrop of Renaissance Verona, this prequel short story to my novel Lucia’s Renaissance captures the terror of the Inquisition’s reach.
Immerse yourself in rich historical detail and high emotional stakes in this dramatic story of danger and conscience!
Recent Blog Posts
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Those Stubborn Waldensians!
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Heretics and bunny trails
Readers of my debut novel, Lucia’s Renaissance, have insisted it needed a sequel "yesterday." My apologies if you’re among those frustrated souls! What’s taking me so long? Research! I’ve been on a quest to pursue the trails of Italian followers of Martin Luther, and...
LocalLit 2018 San Jose
If you're in the area, please join me and twenty-one other local authors as we talk about our books, writing process, and inspiration on Sunday, December 16th, from 2 - 5 pm at King Library in San Jose.
“Lucia’s Renaissance Christmas”–New Short Story
New short story set in Renaissance Venice BREAKING NEWS: “Lucia’s Renaissance Christmas,” my new holiday short story, is now out as a Kindle ebook: Renaissance Venice at Christmas time—what could be more festive and exciting for Lucia, a fresh-faced newcomer? But she...
A literary panel about strong women like Lucia…
If you're local, please join me and fellow novelists on June 3rd as we discuss our fictional heroines, what they achieved, and how they did it in eras with limited options for women: https://events.sjpl.org/event/when_strong_women_werent_pc