Rosemary Sutcliff (1920 - 1992) wrote a wide range of historical fiction for children, ranging from Ancient Greece to the 1800s. As a child (and throught her life) she suffered from Stills disease which isolated her and led to many stays in hospital. She was initially home educated because of this. She learnt to read relatively late but was always read to as a child, including myths which formed the basis of some of her writing. The Rosemary Sutcliff website has lots of good information and I particularly liked this article for insights on her early life and writing process. There is also a lovely bit in this about the shift of mindset brought about by investing yourself fully in your work. In this case she talks about thinking, feeling and living as a man (Arthur) for so long that it almost disconnected her from how to live as a woman. This twitter account is also excellent.