Historical Info for Historical Fiction Readers discussion

Hi, I am Debra Brown (call me Debbie), the author of The Companion of Lady Holmeshire, an early Victorian novel. I began to think of the idea for this group when considering all the changes that took place all over the earth during the nineteenth century. It really was such a whirlwind of change! A reader may pick up a book of any historical time and place and feel very lost, not understand the vocabulary and wonder what the characters would dress and groom themselves like. Often, actual historical names are thrown out and many readers know little about the persons. The author has had to walk a tightrope- they want their readers to understand what is happening without turning the story into a history lesson. Still, some of the history is fascinating. How can they inform the unlearned reader while not boring the scholar? I hope the information that is brought here will help.

I wrote my Victorian novel after watching many period movies, reading books and doing much research. Still, I know that my knowledge is incomplete, and I hope to learn from others here.

Thanks for showing up!

Debbie Brown
http://authordebrabrown.blogspot.com
http://englishepochs.blogspot.com

What a wonderful idea for a group!
I am delighted that you thought to invite me, and awfully excited about the concept.

History is such a wonderful subject with so many diverse areas to explore.
I can’t wait to see what wonderful knowledge and ideas are presented through this group.

Personally I am most interested in British and American history but I am always keen to learn about the past regardless of its location.
Although History is a factual subject I will warn you that I do tend to have a rather fertile imagination.
The problem anyone interested in history has, is that by its very nature, History is about things that have happened. Unless there is a living or detailed record of an Historical event it is almost impossible to create a totally factual picture of what happened. We take the recorded facts, add in our own personal bias, a dose of assumption, common sense and a bit (or a lot in my case) of imagination and suddenly we have our picture.

Each one of us will create a slightly different picture and that is what makes the learning of history such a glorious and dynamic experience.

Wishing you all a wonderful day and thank you again for including me in this fabulous group.

Hi, I am Zoe Saadia, the author of The Cahokian, a novel of pre-Columbian North America.

I love the idea of this group very much! As an avid reader of historical fiction, I always delighted to receive a little extra information, after I've read this or that historical novel. Any clarification on the periods mentioned or the historical figures involved are always a bonus :)

As a reader and as a writer, I'm looking forward for the discussions of this group.

Zoe
http://blog.zoesaadia.com/

p.s. Debbie, thank you for opening this group :)

Hi everyone. I'm Prue Batten - a devoted reader of hist.fict., reader and writer of fantasy (paranormal/magical realism) and currently writing my first historical fiction. As a reader my interests have always been Middle Ages, Renaissance, Georgian and Regency. As a writer my time frame is the early Middle Age (1190-1210) The book illustrated below is a favourite find.

Hi! Great to meet you! My name is Farida Mestek and I've always been more of a Regency girl, but last week I had an idea for a new novel and it turned out that my heroine is from Victorian England! Thank you for this group - it's just what I need!

Romantic stories set against the backdrop of Regency England

http://faridamestek.blogspot.com/

Brilliant idea from Deb! Thanks for the invitation to join.

I'm the author of four best-selling novels set in Tudor England.

Having deeply researched the English mid-to-late 16th century, I'd love to interact with readers and other authors about background, historical personages, daily life in the period, etc.

Look forward to sharing with you all, and learning too!



http://www.barbarakyle.com

Thanks for starting this group! I'm an author who's published four novels set in 14th- and 15th-century England. My forthcoming novel is set in Tudor England.

Thank you for steering me here! What a fantastic idea! My name is Lauren, and (although I love period fiction in general) my favorite period is the Regency period. My first novel HEYERWOOD: A Novel, and the work in process, are both set in the late Regency era. I love watching period movies as well. I have so much to learn, and it's great to share with a community. Thank you so much for starting this group.

Hello, Lauren - great to connect with you here.

Is the title of your novel HEYERWOOD in honor of Georgette Heyer?

Not intentionally, but I am a great admirer of her books and it just felt right! (I was researching place names, came across Heywood, and made an adjustment!)

I find naming people and places to be the hardest part of the story! I wrote a post on it one time; feel free to comment there: http://englishepochs.blogspot.com/201...

Debra wrote: "I find naming people and places to be the hardest part of the story! I wrote a post on it one time; feel free to comment there: http://englishepochs.blogspot.com/201......"

Me too. It can take me ages to hit upon the right name or last name. But places are even worse!

Hi J. I just read your bio. Got to ask, what is scar from?:-)
J have you ever come across a place called Barley Hall in York (Englan). It is a restored medieval house in the centre of York. Absolutely awesome place.

Hello J. I just had a quick look at your website - a hoot and a delight!

Congrats on the upcoming publication of your debut novel. And welcome to this terrific, fledgling group.

Glad the scar is from nothing serious. You can tell some good tales about it now though:-)

Barley Hall is just amazing. They have a horn window, the only one I have ever seen. It is just so beautiful.

Debra wrote: "I find naming people and places to be the hardest part of the story! I wrote a post on it one time; feel free to comment there: http://englishepochs.blogspot.com/201......"

Me too! It such a pain and I don't know which is worst, naming people or places
(in my case I had a real deficiency, the first half of a book written about people who do not exist for a few centuries, so I ended up with just using words from some neighboring languages (my husbands idea and he practically saved my sanity. I was writing scenes with a goal to avoid naming people :D)

J. wrote: "Hi all -

I'm J, and I know way more about medieval England and Wales than any normal person ought to. I write YA historical fiction, and my debut novel is coming out next year. Looking forward ..."

Welcome :)
We can definitely use the Medieval Section here

I agree!!!
The problem is - with such a group our next novels will come with a serious delay. I've spent here whole day :D

btw, I just finished "The Mists of Avalon" and I'm all open to the medieval revelations :)

I'm a reader rather than a writer. I'm a huge fan of historical fiction. In fact, if you check my profile page, you'll find that historical fiction is the largest of my non-exclusive shelves. I have a taste for the unusual--unusual central characters,plots, periods or locations. I have a B.A. in history and read history as well. I am currently pursuing a master's degree in library/information science.

Since archeology and anthropology are also interests of mine, I have a special liking for novels that take place in ancient times and/or in non-Western cultures. This doesn't mean that I won't read historical fiction set in Western countries or in later periods. I often do, but I'm looking for fresh perspectives.

One trope that always interests me, however, are women disguised as men. In historical contexts where women are constrained by their cultures, these women can accomplish the unexpected and have experiences that few women of that time and place could equal. Readers are also always wondering whether they will be found out and what the consequences will be.

Hi, I'm Pat Brown a recent convert to historical fiction. My first published historical was a novella set in 1932 Los Angeles.

For my mainstream historicals I write under GK Parker. I currently have a novel with my agent. That one is set in New York in the late 1880s featuring Irish immigrants and the killer blizzard of 1888.

I also have a novel set in 1929 in Los Angeles at an editor. The time periods I like are the mid 1800s to Prohibition in America.

Hi! I am C.Allyn Pierson and I am a physician and novelist. I have written two sequels to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and am particularly interested in the Regency period, although much of the information about titles, precedence, etc. is the same for the last several hundred years. I have a blog called Semi-true Stories (for what is historical fiction but semi-true stories!) at http://callynpierons.wordpress.com I am also a member of Austen Authors at http://austenauthors.net I am interested in history from Ancient Egypt to modern times, with a special interest in history of medicine (hmmm, I wonder why?)

Hi all, nice to meet you.

I write historical novels from a native American sorcerer's point of view, which makes them historical fantasy to most readers. I hope I can still be accepted here as a member :) - I'm a history nerd like any other.

I've seen some very interesting discussions here, looking forward to learn more about what people here like to read and write!

Austin.

Hi Austin, I was just reading your book:-) but I am really sad:-( How can Talon have won! I just got totally choked up when you described Dew's smile as she saw her (stranger father). This is heartbreaking! lol, but I can't stop reading! x I know absolutely nothing about old Mexico and loved all the info you have at the start of the book. Really interesting.

Austin wrote: "Hi all, nice to meet you.

I write historical novels from a native American sorcerer's point of view, which makes them historical fantasy to most readers. I hope I can still be accepted here as a ..."

Hi Austin, no problem. The articles here will be real history, but your novels are set in a real historical setting.

Glad to have all of you here!

Hi Elizabeth, thanks so much for your kind words! :) I'm really happy you enjoyed that opening, it truly means a lot to me. I'll look forward to opening your book very soon :)

I'll try to post some interesting bits about Mexico of that time... hope folks will find it useful.

Debra wrote: "The articles here will be real history, but your novels are set in a real historical setting."

100% true.

Hi All,

My name is Sam Thomas, I teach history at University of Alabama-Huntsville, and am the author of The Midwife's Tale: A Mystery, which is set in seventeenth century England. It will be released by St. Martin's Press sometime next year. I've also written a few academic articles about midwives, but I thought I'd try my hand at fiction, and it's worked out (so far!).

I love the idea of this group!

Sam

Website: http://www.samuelthomasbooks.com
Group Blog: http://bloodygoodread.blogspot.com

Samuel Thomas wrote: "Hi All,

My name is Sam Thomas, I teach history at University of Alabama-Huntsville, and am the author of The Midwife's Tale: A Mystery, which is set in seventeenth century England. It will be rele..."

Hi Sam,

What more could we ask for than a historian/author? Glad to have you here!

And... everyone, please feel free to promote this group on Twitter, Facebook, wherever you do promotion of your blogs and books. Thanks!

I'm beginning to see my own area of interest appearing: Medieval through to seventeeth century. This is so thrilling!
Am tied up releasing and promoting latest book but hope to participate in more detail in about 10 days. Cheers everyone.

I mean seventeenth, actually... maybe I have a fixation that teeth were under great threat in my timeframes!

Lol, well, we don't have official editors here, so we do have to catch our own or each others errors. :D

Shomeret wrote: "I'm a reader rather than a writer. I'm a huge fan of historical fiction. ..."

Shomeret, since you mentioned that you're intrigued by the hist-fic trope of women disguised as men (you and Shakespeare!) you might enjoy Linda Collison's historical novels featuring women on the high seas. Check out her STAR CROSSED.

Hi all. I'm a former elementary teacher, now a mom and YA author. My first three books are all YA American historical fiction. One is set in the Revolution, and I have a trilogy (almost, not done with three) during the Civil War. But, I confess, I took a break to write a fantasy.

I don't feel like an expert at any period of history, but I'm an enthusiastic dabbler who loves research. I've been told I have a knack for bringing the past to life for teens and tweens, but adult readers ask me all the time, "Why is this just for kids?"

Answer, "It's not!"

I don't know how to post those handy book covers, but you can see mine at these sites:

http://www.michelleisenhoff.wordpress...
http://www.michelleisenhoff.com

Wow, this group IS growing!
Welcome to all the newcomers :)

Austin wrote: "Hi all, nice to meet you.

I write historical novels from a native American sorcerer's point of view, which makes them historical fantasy to most readers. I hope I can still be accepted here as a ..."

An understatement!
Your novel is so bursting with history, you can turn it into a textbook :)

Hello everyone. I am an Art Lecturer,Librarian,and artist. I am a reader rather than a writer,and my favourite historical periods are Pre-History,Egyptian,Greek,Roman and Medieval but am willing to read about any era. I read fiction and non-fiction. It's all escapism I suppose....

Linda Collison, here (thanks to best-selling author Barbara Kyle!)

I was an author of guidebooks, magazine articles and short literary fiction when a three-week stint as an 18th century sailor aboard the Endeavour Replica convinced me I wanted to write a historical novel about a woman on a ship pretending to be a man. After that life-changing experience I delved into the past -- specifically 18th century England and Colonial America.

Six years later Star-Crossed (Knopf;2006) was published. I returned to college to get a second degree in history and began writing the sequel.
Now Star-Crossed has become a series with Surgeon's Mate; book two of the Patricia MacPherson Nautical Adventure Series (Fireship Press; 2011) http://www.lindacollison.com
http://www.lindacollison.com/blog

Shomeret wrote: "I'm a reader rather than a writer. I'm a huge fan of historical fiction. In fact, if you check my profile page, you'll find that historical fiction is the largest of my non-exclusive shelves. I ha..."

Women disguised as men, doing men's work fascinates me too. Hannah Snell and Mary Lacy were two 18th century women who worked as men aboard warships. There are many other examples.

Linda wrote: "... I am a reader rather than a writer,and my favourite historical periods are Pre-History,Egyptian,Greek,Roman and Medieval but am willing t..."

I'm with you. I find pre-historical times so fascinating. Maybe because of the time that makes them no more than a few broken statues to us, until we stumble across a good historical and surprised to discover real-life persons and occurrings :)

Linda and Zoe-the story of Grainia O'Malley (I believe she became known as Grace), an female Irish pirate, is fascinating. There is a legend that she met Queen Elizabeth. Her story was one of my favorites as a child.

Thank you Debra & great idea for a group.

Am the author of historical fiction set in the Bronze Age of the north Atlantic -- the Isles, northern France, and down the Bay of Biscay to northern Spain.

Hope to familiarize more readers with the current line of thought ( in academia) that "Celtic" culture is from the north Atlantic per the eminent Barry Cunliffe at Oxford, and other scholars in archaeology, linguistics, and genetics. It's difficult for readers to grasp at first since the druids-and-fairies model for the early, native people of the Isles and especially Ireland and Wales, is what we were all fed as children.

The megaliths culture and the early goldsmiths are more fascinating than tales of "little green men"
though green bones have been found in the ancient copper mines (the bones turn color in reacting with copper oxides). Perhaps those were the little green men...

Good day to you all.

I am a life-long reader of historical fiction, starting with a still active love-affair with the Regency novels of Georgette Heyer, but as a professional historian, whose dissertation was on the working women who lived in the late 19th century Far West, my favorite time period and place became the late Victorian U. S. In retirement I have also fulfilled a life-long dream of writing historical fiction, set in 1879 San Francisco. I am finishing up editing Uneasy Spirits this month, the sequel to my first book, Maids of Misfortune: A Victorian San Francisco Mystery.

I have noticed that there are already some members who have mentioned fiction set in different parts of the U. S. in the 19th century, so unless someone has an objection, I thought I would start a topic that was Victorian U.S. to complement the Victorian England topic. I know there will be a lot of overlap, but felt that the differences would be worth highlighting.

I love being able to picture the clothing, imagine the sights and sounds, and smells, of the periods I am reading about, and I think this group will be a lot of fun.

M. Louisa Locke
http://mlouisalocke.com/
Maids of Misfortune

Welcome to all the new members! I am glad that someone invited you, Barbara for one. Please, all of you feel free to tweet about the group and invite your friends. New historical posts are also more than appreciated.

Hi, I'm Leila Feldman, a History MA student. My main interest is 18th century Europe, a much ignored period IMHO, but I'm pretty good with the entire modern era. I do like historical fiction, but I tend to be persnickety about the facts so beware ;)

Hi all. I am Tim Queeney. I am a magazine editor and writer. I love all historical periods. Hope to learn from this excellent group.

I just released my book George in London for Kindle. Tells the story of 19-year-old George Washington's picaresque adventure in London in 1751 seeking his fortune.

George in London

Hi Leilla,

I agree; I would hate to "learn" history from some novel and be misinformed for the rest of my life.

Thanks for joining us, and I look forward to your input!

Welcome, Tim. Your post slid in there when I was writing to Leilla. Your book sounds very interesting- thanks for bringing it to our attention! And welcome to the group.

Leilla wrote: "Hi, I'm Leila Feldman, a History MA student. My main interest is 18th century Europe, a much ignored period IMHO, but I'm pretty good with the entire modern era. I do like historical fiction, but I..."

Chime! I read the first "Mistress of the Art of Death" and could not get past how modern the protagonist is.

Debra wrote: "Welcome, Tim. Your post slid in there when I was writing to Leilla. Your book sounds very interesting- thanks for bringing it to our attention! And welcome to the group."

Thanks, Debra. Have had some cool interaction already. It's not everywhere you can discuss the bastard count of Stuart monarchs!

Hi all,
Thanks so much to Debra Brown for creating this group! I write in many genres, but Historical Fiction is my favorite, with some Romance and suspense thrown in! The Salem Moon series is set in Salem, Massachusetts, both during the Witch Trials and in the present day. I chose this area, because I grew up one town over from there. As a part time legal asst. I was very interested in creating a realistic view of the justice system at the time of the trials. I learnt alot! Like Debra, I didn't want to turn the novels into history lessons, so placed fact with fictional characters and some litte "tidbits" I got from my membership in Ye Olde York Historical Society, in York Maine, where I also lived. It is so nice to be in a group that loves history as much as I do!
Thanks a bunch!
-Scarlet Black