My name is Caroline Wilson and I'm a reviewer and author of historical fiction. I live in Charleston, South Carolina with my husband (aka Hubby) and five cats (Amelia, Watson, Huckleberry "Huck" Finn, Edgar A. Poe, and Benjamin Button). By day, I work in historic preservation and in all of my other spare moments, I write, read, travel, and dream.Being a historical fiction writer requires a love of the past. I started early. In fact, instead of going to Disney World for summer vacation I wanted to go places like St. Augustine, FL and Williamsburg, VA. Oh and England. I actually spent a few weeks every year in St. Augustine, and it was there that I fell in love with history. So I studied historic preservation in school. And naturally, I developed a passion for old buildings. I could not possibly live in a house that isn't historic (much to the Hubby's chagrin). This of course has led into some bad situations like buying a historic home in a transitional neighborhood, and having our door broken down twice...and our flat screen stolen...but who needs a TV when you can read, right?
To be a great author, you have to know your market. Reading is the easiest way to do this and my life would be unfathomable without books. I have my grandfather to thank for that one. When I was a child he would always take me to the library (and pay my fines when I checked out too many books and inevitably lost some of them under the couch). These days you'll find me reading other historical fiction writers...or watching the latest historical melodrama on PBS or the BBC.
Of course, my love of books transported me to far away places that I needed to see, so I travel whenever I have the money. So far, I've only made it to England, Scotland, Ireland, France, and various US states. But the Hubby and I are looking to venture into Eastern Europe eventually--he's got a vampire fascination and I adore the history of Tsarist Russia.Oh and because my life always seems better when I'm dressed in clothes from a different century, I'm a living historian/re-enactor a few weekends out of the year. My current period is the American Revolution. Nothing puts you more in touch with your characters than acting out a life similar to theirs.
That's all for now, so buckle up and enjoy the ride...I mean the blog. I love to hear from all writers and readers, so if you want to drop me a line, I can be reached at oldhousejunkie at gmail dot com.
