Writing Historical Fiction – Ellen Horan

Ellen Horan is the author of 31 Bond Street, a historical novel published by HarperCollins.  Set against the backdrop of bustling, corrupt New York City four years before the Civil War, the book recounts the tale of a murdered doctor, a mysterious woman who may or may not have killed him … and the political forces at work in the city in the late 1850s … I genuinely enjoyed Ellen’s novel, and I found her descriptions of old New York absolutely fascinating!

 Ellen has worked as a studio artist and as a photo editor for magazines such as Vanity Fair, Vogue, House and Garden, Forbes, and Art News. She is a visual editor on illustrated books about fashion, design and family history. Ellen is a graduate of Hamilton College in Clinton, NY,  and I’m delighted that she took the time to chat with me. 

One of the interesting stories Ellen told me about the book is its origin story. It all began in a print shop where she saw an old newspaper page … on the page was an etching that caught her interest … soon her curiosity became a passion, as she strove to learn more about the story behind the etching. 

Ellen’s investigation … and her research … led her to write 31 Bond Street. And the rest, as they say, is history. 

I began our conversation by asking Ellen if she had enjoyed the process of researching an historical novel based on a real murder … the grisly slaying of Dr. Burdell and the subsequent trial of his alleged killer.