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
Heroes in Defeat
Have you heard of (or seen the movie about) the Monuments Men, the special force of Americans and Brits assembled after Germany’s World War II defeat? They rushed to recover artwork stolen and hidden by the Nazis. It’s a suspenseful story that has found its way...
The Underground Railroad—Is Freedom Worth Breaking the Law?
Why wouldn’t all Quakers help enslaved people escape to freedom via the Underground Railroad? I review Tracy Chevalier’s The Last Runaway, which hints at answers.
Celebrate Mother’s Day with a Novel!
Review and author interview of Washington’s Lady, a novel about Martha Custis Washington, by Nancy Moser.
From Victim to Rescuer: Poland’s Heroism
This article discusses Poland’s shift from victim to rescuer, and reviews The Warsaw Orphan, a novel set in Warsaw during and after WWII.
An Unlikely Hero? The Case of Biochemist Rosalind Franklin
If you enjoy a story that immerses you in an earlier time period, takes you inside the main character’s psyche, and if you have at least a passing interest in how science progressed, Her Hidden Genius is a book for you.
Siege at St Andrews Castle: Choose Your Hero!
Who would you choose as a hero? Bethia, a sympathetic young girl with old-fashioned beliefs? or Will, her obnoxious brother who sacrifices everything (including the well-being of his family and town) for his new faith? Fortunately, you don’t have to make that...