My fifth historical romance releases next summer. I’ve written nine others that are “pre-published,” most requiring months of research. All that digging into history to add authenticity to my novels brought three surprises.
The first surprise is that events probably didn’t really happen just the way history teachers taught them.
This isn’t necessarily because grade school teachers don’t want us to know the truth. They taught from textbooks that only hit the highlights. Teachers have a certain number of hours to prepare students for a test—they simply cannot cover everything.
This means that important details explaining why folks in history made choices that today seems incomprehensible aren’t included in the curriculum. Including those reasons does not condone behavior. Rather it sheds light on that period in history.
Textbook writers or teachers may also choose to omit facts that may upset children.
Whatever the reason, historical events probably didn’t happen exactly the way we learned them as a child. Begin researching for that next novel with this in mind. Try not to have preconceived notions about the time period. Study the information as if reading it for the first time. A fresh outlook also keeps an author from judging people who lived during that time period.
The second surprise I learned is to expect the unexpected when exploring history.
When researching for a novel, I try to discover history’s answers before I know how the entire story will go. I begin with a kernel of an idea but if actual events contradict that idea, I start over. For me, history dictates the story. I research to discover events, prevailing attitudes, and reactions of folks who lived through it. My story builds in me as I research.
There are always little-known facts associated with an event or historical period—what a joy to discover them. You may have to read books written during your novel’s era to find these obscure wonders.
For instance, I’ve written several Civil War romances. To understand the differing reactions and attitudes, I’ve read books by Union soldiers, Confederate soldiers, officers in both armies, nurses, Southern women, slaves who escaped, folks who had never been slaves, Southern wives left to run the farm, Northern women who raised money to support their soldiers, and more. These books, written during or shortly after the Civil War, were packed with unexpected treasures. Some of them fit into my story in a natural way. Others I put aside for a future novel or article.
The third thing I learned—this one from readers—is that adding surprises from history enrich the story.
For instance, there may have been holiday traditions lost in time. Including these in our novels enhance readers’ enjoyment. It brings a sense of nostalgia.
Did you find a period map of your setting? What a treasure! Add locations and descriptions—if you find them—of train depots, post offices, farmers’ markets, stores, schools, and street names. Such details add depth for readers, evoking emotional responses … especially if they have a family connection to the book’s setting.
People are still people in all walks of life, in every time period. Their reactions to circumstances vary with their personality, not history.
Understanding that events may not have occurred as we remember learning it in school, expecting the unexpected as we research, and including historical surprises in our novels will take readers on a journey.
And don’t we all love an adventure from the comfort of our home?
Award-winning and Amazon bestselling author Sandra Merville Hart loves to uncover little-known yet fascinating facts about our American history to include in her stories. Her debut Civil War Romance, A Stranger On My Land, was IRCA Finalist 2015. A Rebel in My House, set during the historic Battle of Gettysburg, won the 2018 Silver Illumination Award and was the 2018 Faith Hope and Love Reader’s Choice Award second place finalist. A Musket in My Hands, where two sisters join the Confederate army with the men they love, releases November of 2018. Watch for her novellas, Surprised by Love in “From the Lake to the River” releasing in September of 2018, and Trail’s End, in “Smitten Novella Collection: The Cowboys” releasing in August of 2019.
Find her on her blog, sandramervillehart.wordpress.com.
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