Author of Novels Celebrating Women and the Arts
Silver Medal for "The Merchant of Siena!"
I am thrilled and honoured to tie for the Silver Medal in the Ancient to 16 Century History Category for the first three chapters of my current Work in Progress The Merchant of Siena. Thank you to the 2024 Historical Novel Society First Chapters Competition.
Love Among the Recipes
‘A deliciously charming story with a vibrant Parisian setting. A BRONZE MEDAL & highly recommended!’ - WISHING SHELF BOOK AWARDS
Welcome!
If you love the arts, food, travel, and reading historical and contemporary novels about women who follow their passions, then we have a lot in common! I've written four award-winning novels (with more to come) and I share my enthusiasm for novels inspired by the arts on two additional websites: Artsy Traveler and Art In Fiction -- and on my podcast: Art In Fiction with Carol Cram.
Let's connect! I love chatting with readers and hanging out at book clubs and writers conferences. I also enjoy helping new authors edit their work.
I live with my husband, painter Gregg Simpson, on beautiful Bowen Island near Vancouver, BC.
The Women in the Arts Trilogy
The Towers of Tuscany is a delightful escape to the Siena we all love. Carol Cram has crafted a delicious story about a strong woman torn between her secret past, her love of painting, and the forbidden charms of her rich patron. Hard to resist and highly recommended! —Anne Fortier, author of the New York Times bestseller Juliet and The Lost Sisterhood
In A Woman of Note, Cram’s writing is so vivid, you can hear the music in your head as you read. —Historical Novel Society (Designated Editors' Choice)
The Muse of Fire is another page-turner from Carol Cram – this is an enthralling narrative set in the realistically gritty London theatre world of the early nineteenth century . . . I warmly recommend this wonderful novel.--Professor Susanna Braund, Professor of Classics, University of British Columbia
In A Woman of Note, readers will love Carol Cram’s colorful writing and attention to the minute details of daily life at this time in European history. . . .The book never loses its pace. and readers will be rapidly turning the pages until the very end.--Chanticleer Reviews
The Towers of Tuscany has all the elements of a wonderful historical novel . . . Carol is a first-rate storyteller. The details of dress, fabric, food, are flawless. The clever dialogue and fast pace make the novel zing along. —Roberta Rich, bestselling author of The Midwife of Venice and The Harem Midwife
From the very first page in The Towers of Tuscany, Carol M. Cram captivates with her writing, transporting you to the rolling hills and rich palette of fourteenth-century Tuscany. . . . I cannot praise this novel highly enough. —Janis Pegrum Smith, Historical Novel Society
Oh my stars, The Muse of Fire! Can I give it a standing ovation? Or throw roses at it? Or…what did people do back then when they enjoyed a theater performance…propose! Can I propose to this book, please?--Stacie Tyson, Book Blogger
The Towers of Tuscany unites a strong heroine with settings and characters drawn from the rich tapestry of medieval Tuscany. The novel appeal to readers fascinated by art, by Tuscany during one of Europe’s most turbulent centuries, and by the struggles of a female painter who refuses to be defeated.
Set in 1830s Vienna, A Woman of Note is an intricately crafted and fascinating tale about a female composer and gifted pianist who struggles to find her soul’s song in a dissonant world. A classical music lovers delight, the novel features cameo appearances by some of the 19th century's most famous composers.
In The Muse of Fire, Shakespeare’s sweeping themes meet the wit of Jane Austen in a mashup of theater riots and drawing room angst as actress Grace Johnson fights against social norms to find her place in the fraught and sometimes dangerous world of early 19th Century British theater.
Jump into my award-winning Women in the Arts series and follow the adventures of an artist in medieval Tuscany, a composer in 1830s Vienna, and an actress in Georgian London. And just out is Love Among the Recipes, a fun-filled contemporary novel about Paris and food.
I love writing characters who are involved in the arts and it turns out lots of other writers do too! I launched the Art In Fiction website to celebrate quality fiction inspired by the arts in ten categories--from architecture to music to visual arts. On the Art In Fiction curated database, you'll find hundreds of great new reads. Want more? Listen to my interviews with novelists on The Art In Fiction Podcast!
Do you enjoy independent travel and seeking out museums, art galleries, concerts, and artsy travel experiences? If so, check out my travel website Artsy Traveler where I share with independent travelers my passion for interesting museums, quirky galleries, compelling performances, thought-provoking historical sites and more.