Chasing Shakespeares Extras

I have a lot of first-reader friends who have done way more graduate work than is good for them. When they looked at Chasing Shakespeares, they all wanted to know more about the background. Was it all true? (Well, yes, except the letter.) Did Cecil really do what I said he did? (Most of it.) Did I know I was quoting Donne, not Shakespeare? (Well, duh.)

"It's a novel, guys," I said. "What do you want, like footnotes or something? That's like writing a novel about Titanic and asking for more about the iceberg."

They smiled glacially.

So okay, okay. Here's your iceberg. Enjoy.

• Read all about the authorship controversy
• Did Shakespeare write Joe's poem? You decide
• Information for book groups
• Footnotes, yes, this novel has footnotes.
• ...And a bibliography of sources, 13 pages, isn't it sad
• Who Was Who: Oxford's simplified family tree, with all the Cecils and Howards; tiny biographies of everyone; Queen Elizabeth's relationship to Mary Stuart
• Renaissance and Elizabethan links
• How I spent my Shakespeare vacation: A Chasing Shakespeares photo album
• "Tamora and Tamora and Tamora": Don't miss those Shakesweirds