March 1306 Below the hill, every sort and color of flag and banner and pennant flew over a city of tents. From it streamed smiling and laughing men and women, gaily dressed, up the hill and into the Abbey. James found a place at the back where the warm March Read more…
Now I come to the contradictory part and my final rule for writing historical fiction. You have to know the details; you should know them so well that you could walk down a street in your time-period and fit right in. You have to show the customs, which means you Read more…
Your historical fiction depends upon your ability to use historical detail. This is a different world for your reader. You have to supply the images and they have to be the right ones for this world. What is the street like? Does it smell of horse shit? Of smog from Read more…
We live in a different age than most of our characters. Judging or condemning someone because of their gender, their sexual orientation, their religion, or their color is wrong in our time. Our characters lived in a different time. Don’t judge them for that and do not force them to Read more…
To be honest, I doubt that it’s anything personal. I doubt that Amazon has ever even noticed me, but, frankly, that’s no comfort. To make a long story long, a week ago I uploaded my novel, Freedom’s Sword, to KDP to be published for Kindle on Amazon. For of you Read more…
How much does it matter to you as a reader? How much as a writer? I have to admit it matters immensely to me, but I’m never quite sure where to bend when writing my own historical works. Examples of what annoyed me: a spinning wheel in 14th century England. Read more…