The Sphinx

The Sphinx is a mythic and fabulous creature with the head of a woman, the body of a lion, and the wings of a bird. She is a figure of wisdom and mystery and sets riddles for the querent to answer. She knows all the secrets lost in the dust of history. The time has come to reawaken the Sphinx, listen to her riddles, and use her gifts to untangle the web of mystery and misconceptions about women in history.

To a large extent, women have been written out of history. Their lives and deeds have become lost to us, as irrevocably as the ancient library of Alexandria, lost in flames and gone forever. To uncover buried lore, we must act as detectives. Study the sparse clues handed down to us. Learn to read between the lines, fill in the gaps.

My fascination with women's history and with trying to recapture the lives that went undocumented led me to become a historical novelist. I wanted to tell the tales and celebrate the women that history books forgot. My heroines are often working class women. Hired girls and immigrant millworkers. Or frontier women and indentured servants. I have been inspired by authors such as Clare Dudman, whose beautiful novel, 98 Reasons for Being, illuminates the experience of a young Jewish girl in a 19th century Frankfurt mental hospital. A dry case study becomes alive, the subject given a voice.

Other historical novelists give us a fresh and empowered view of well known historical figures. Sandra Gulland's meticulously researched Josephine Bonaparte Trilogy captures the soul of her subject in the way few history books ever could. Philippa Gregory resurrects Anne and Mary Boleyn to stunning effect in The Other Boleyn Girl. Paul Anderson paints an unforgettable portrait of Juana Ines de la Cruz, 17th century Mexican poet, in his epic novel Hunger's Brides.

The Sphinx is rising. She will speak if we listen. Let us begin.