Cecelia Holland's works are in category of their own. "Historical Novels" doesn't do them justice: they are glimpses into societies as different from ours as many a made-up world, populated with real people with real passions, motives and flaws. Holland's novels have spanned millennia, from prehistoric Britain (Pillar of the Sky) to future space colonies (Floating Worlds).
Ironically, it was not until her 16th novel - The Bear Flag - that this Californian tackled American history. It especially appropriate that Cecelia Holland is the World Fantasy Conventions special guest this year, the sesquicentennial of the discovery of gold in California.