Posting to a timeline for historical fiction
Posting to a timeline is one of my most useful tools in writing historical fiction. Have a peek at my five-foot-long timeline of the Anthony-Osborn family, beginning in the 1700s and ending in 1930. On it, I have recorded not only events that were significant to the Anthonys but to the United States in general. […]
Using historical newspapers to write fiction
I discovered the value of historical newspapers on my second visit to Kansas to research Daniel Read Anthony and his family. An eloquent packet While at the Spencer Library, University of Kansas, I found a packet of news clippings neatly folded and tied with a black grosgrain ribbon. My breath caught in my throat as […]
Historical fiction: when the research trail goes cold
Last time we discussed two kinds of historical fiction: historical-era fiction that uses a few props from a previous timeframe as a general backdrop for fictional characters, and fact-based historical fiction that contains authentic details from books, newspapers, and artifacts that reference real people who lived and breathed. This type of writing also brings in popular social […]
Historical fiction lovers: what’s your preference?
Readers of The Truth About Daniel have been asking me what it takes to write historical fiction. To answer,