First Thoughts

I realize that historical fiction is too wide a range and I need to choose an era that will limit my research. I decided that this too will be a part of my process, and I am hoping that writing about it will help me decide. When i think of historical novels, I always think of contemporary authors writing about the past. An example would "Girl in the Pear Earring" by Tracey Chevalier. However, I see now that I can also narrow my research to an actual era, the Victorian for example, and its novelists. I've already read many of Charles Dickens' works, the Bronte sisters, Wilkie Collins and Oscar Wilde...all authors who belong to that period. So maybe it will be a good choice. However, I'm also very interested in a few centuries back, in the Renaissance, Queen Elizabeth's period in England and the French Revolution. In order to make a choice I need to know a little more about what I actually like more.....is it the time when art was flourishing...or when literature was finally blooming....or when the world was at a very important and interesting political whirlwind? I will try to learn a little more about the different periods and decide soon I hope.