|
I have a secret. Okay, well, not
much of a secret, because you can Google my pen name and easily
discover this fact. You see, I used to write cozy mysteries. Totally
different genre from historical fiction. Cozy mysteries are fun, less
about the crime and more about the people who set out to solve the
mystery. On the other hand, historical fiction is serious, a lesson
waiting to be taught about a place readers most likely have never been,
or an event they find interesting. But while mysteries were fun to
write, history is my passion, evidenced by the fact that I’ve been
blessed to have written seven historical romances! But why historical
romance? Why slave away over details and facts that are long past?
Each story I have written has
been sparked by a place or an intriguing bit of information I
discovered while researching. A Heartbeat Away, my
current release, blossomed out of my curiosity over Confederate General
Robert E. Lee’s “lost” Special Order 191. The misplacement of such a
vital document, and the discovery of the document by Union soldiers,
with its final destination being the palm of Union General McClellan’s
hands, was a major part of McClellan’s victory at Antietam. As I dug
deeper into the story of this lost order, I read several conspiracy
theories about the legitimacy of such an important order being lost,
and I wondered what would happen if . . . From that moment, the story
took on a life of its own.
Elizabeth is a woman trying to
understand her place in the world since her one act of heroism left her
with a shattered heart and spirit. Joe is her enemy; a wounded
Confederate soldier who needs her help if he is to regain his life and
memory. And then the quilt and its silent message makes Elizabeth whole
and Joe an integral part of her life. That’s a story within itself,
right? So why the need for history to be added at all?
History is important to me and
has been since I was a teen gobbling historical romance by Bodie Thoene
and B.J. Hoff. To bolster my opinion of this, I just read a short
article by a homeschool mother that reiterates exactly what I felt as a
kid reading these stories. Historical fiction sweeps the reader away to
investigate another time period.
Another culture. Sometimes
another country. It allows you to enjoy getting to know the customs of
other cultures, the rules that dictate the classes, the thoughts and
actions of those in authority and those who are not, and, of course, a
glimpse of the countryside. While the study of history portrays
commonalities that bridge that gap of time, it also places in sharp
contrast the differences that time and technology have brought our way.
I write historical fiction
because the genre speaks to me, has always spoken to me, on a level
that I find immensely satisfying. Yes, I am a detail-oriented person.
Yes, I enjoy hours of reading about places and events that occurred
decades and centuries ago. But foremost I am a writer, an author, who
loves to take truth and weave amongst those threads an element of
romance and wonder.
And in the midst of the
characters growing and changing, history surrounds them, molds them,
and tweaks their perspective on life. It should do the same for us. By
examining times past, we can see far more clearly what lies ahead. By
walking in the shoes of those who have suffered and triumphed during
tough times, we can pluck hope that we, too, can overcome obstacles. By
understanding what the people of Sharpsburg suffered before, during,
and after the bloodiest day of battle in history, we can also
understand the great resilience of the human spirit when tapped into
the strength of God.
|
