Susan Higginbotham
Encyclopedia
Susan Higginbotham is an American
historical fiction
author. She has written on the Middle Ages
and the Wars of the Roses
.
, she self-published in 2005. It won ForeWord magazine
's 2005 Silver Award for historical fiction and the 2008 Independent Publisher Book Awards
' Gold Medal for Historical/Military Fiction. It is a fictional account of the life of Eleanor de Clare
, wife of Hugh le Despenser the Younger. Sourcebooks
contacted her in 2008, and offered to republish it. Her next novel was Hugh and Bess, a sequel to her first novel, depicting the life of Eleanor and Hugh's eldest son Hugh le Despencer, 2nd Baron le Despencer
. It was reissued in August 2009. Her next book, The Stolen Crown, was published in 2010 and is a fictional depiction of Catherine Woodville, Duchess of Buckingham. Her latest novel, The Queen of Last Hopes, features Margaret of Anjou
.
, and her master's degree
in English literature from Hunter College
in New York
. She received her law degree from Campbell University
, and began working for a legal publisher, a position she still holds today.
Higginbotham is married, with two teenage children. They live in Apex, North Carolina
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
historical fiction
Historical fiction
Historical fiction tells a story that is set in the past. That setting is usually real and drawn from history, and often contains actual historical persons, but the principal characters tend to be fictional...
author. She has written on the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
and the Wars of the Roses
Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
.
Publishing career
Higginbotham began working on her first novel, The Traitor's Wife in 2003, and after reading some articles on self-publishingSelf-publishing
Self-publishing is the publication of any book or other media by the author of the work, without the involvement of an established third-party publisher. The author is responsible and in control of entire process including design , formats, price, distribution, marketing & PR...
, she self-published in 2005. It won ForeWord magazine
ForeWord (magazine)
ForeWord is a trade journal published six times yearly with the tagline, “Reviews of Good Books Independently Published.” The magazine is distributed primarily to librarians and booksellers to familiarize them with upcoming books from small, independent, and university presses, as well as...
's 2005 Silver Award for historical fiction and the 2008 Independent Publisher Book Awards
Independent Publisher Book Award
The Independent Publisher Book Awards , launched in 1996, are designed to bring increased recognition to titles published by independent authors and publishers...
' Gold Medal for Historical/Military Fiction. It is a fictional account of the life of Eleanor de Clare
Eleanor de Clare
Eleanor de Clare was the wife of the powerful Hugh Despenser the younger. She was born in 1292 at Caerphilly in Glamorgan, Wales. She was the eldest daughter of Gilbert de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford and 7th Earl of Gloucester, and Joan of Acre, daughter of Edward I and Eleanor of Castile; thus...
, wife of Hugh le Despenser the Younger. Sourcebooks
Sourcebooks
Sourcebooks is a book publisher located in Naperville, IL, in the western suburbs of Chicago. The company publishes books, ebooks, and digital products in most consumer categories, including college guides, memoir, children's books, young adult, fiction, romance fiction, and reference books...
contacted her in 2008, and offered to republish it. Her next novel was Hugh and Bess, a sequel to her first novel, depicting the life of Eleanor and Hugh's eldest son Hugh le Despencer, 2nd Baron le Despencer
Hugh le Despencer, 2nd Baron le Despencer
Hugh le Despencer was the eldest son and heir of Hugh the younger Despenser, son of Hugh the elder Despenser. His father and grandfather both were executed in 1326. His mother was Eleanor de Clare, daughter of Gilbert de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford and Joan of Acre...
. It was reissued in August 2009. Her next book, The Stolen Crown, was published in 2010 and is a fictional depiction of Catherine Woodville, Duchess of Buckingham. Her latest novel, The Queen of Last Hopes, features Margaret of Anjou
Margaret of Anjou
Margaret of Anjou was the wife of King Henry VI of England. As such, she was Queen consort of England from 1445 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471; and Queen consort of France from 1445 to 1453...
.
List of works
- The Traitor's Wife (2005)
- Hugh and Bess (2007)
- The Stolen Crown (2010)
- The Queen of Last Hopes (2011)
- The Making of a Queen? (2012)
- Her Highness, the Traitor (2012)
Personal life
Higginbotham earned her undergraduate degree from Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
, and her master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in English literature from Hunter College
Hunter College
Hunter College, established in 1870, is a public university and one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Hunter grants undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees in more than one hundred fields of study, and is recognized...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. She received her law degree from Campbell University
Campbell University
Campbell University is a coeducational, church-related university in rural North Carolina, USA. Its main campus is located in the community of Buies Creek; its law school moved from Buies Creek to a new campus in the state capital of Raleigh in 2009. Campbell has an approximately equal number of...
, and began working for a legal publisher, a position she still holds today.
Higginbotham is married, with two teenage children. They live in Apex, North Carolina
Apex, North Carolina
Apex is a town in Wake County, North Carolina and a suburb of Raleigh. The population was 37,476 according to the 2010 census., wakegov.com-Geography:Apex is located at ....
.