Cindy Vallar Author, Columnist, & Editor

Read about the latest historical novels! Editors' Choice Reviews - Historical Novels Review Feb. 2008 Historical Novels Review Online - Feb. 2008 Rest in Peace   Julian Rathbone 1935 - 2008 The Historical Novel Society North American Conference Date: 12-14 June 2009 Site: Hyatt Regency Woodfield, Schaumburg, Illinois

History and historical fiction are necessarily not the same thing. The purpose of history is to narrate events as accurately as one can. The purpose of historical fiction is to enable a reader through the perspective of characters in the story to feel that she or he is present at the events. Such a goal obviously requires some modification of the events. - Andrew M. Greeley

The place where the novel differs from the straight history is in the extent to which the "web of imaginative construction" is indeed imagined, or made up, if you will. The historian will tell you that Caesar traveled to Gaul. The novelist will tell you what he (most likely) ate, drank, thought, and felt along the way.... On the pages of A General History [of the Pyrates] the reader will see the bare bones of the story, the "certain fixed points" which I have used as a skeleton for this book. With this outline I have done what the novelist can do and the historian cannot, fictionalized the historical events and, I hope, come somewhat close to the truth of these three remarkable people. - James L. Nelson

I read a manuscript recently in which a seduction scene was brought to a frustrating halt as the author carefully enumerated the articles of clothing the hero was removing from his mistress, the fabrics they were made of and how they were worn. The promise of illicit sex on a beach sadly translated into a V & A catalogue entry. Historical novelists must remember they are novelists first and foremost, for whom history serves merely as a prop, a source of plots and characters and intriguing curiosities. If the past is another country, historical novelists are not so much the tour guides as the PR people who create the alluring adverts which beckon us in. We need to do the research in order to thoroughly immerse ourselves in the lives and times of our characters, in order to avoid merely writing modern novels in period dress, or -- and there should be a special circle of hell for this -- novels which patronise people from societies we perceive as more primitive than our own. But we must never become slaves to it, we must be prepared to jettison, disorder, conflate, to play as fast and loose with the facts as we need to to create good fiction. - Sarah Bower, Co-ordinating Editor (UK), Historical Novels Review

Father Greeley's clarification between these two terms appears in the Author's Note of Irish Love, one of his Nuala Anne McGrail stories. James L. Nelson defines the difference in the Historical Note for The Only Life That Mattered. Sarah Bower, in her farewell Letter from the Editor column, shows how history can interefer with the story. History and fiction often conflict with each other, even while they complement each other. I believe historical fiction is a stepping stone to history, for the historical events recounted in a novel can, and do, lead readers to discover the truth behind the fiction. I also believe reading historical fiction provides us with a deeper understanding of our past.

I attended many history lectures in high school and college, but rarely did the instructor present the course material in a way that fascinated me and begged me to learn more about the time period. On the other hand, historical novels did just that! As a child, my mom recommended I read one of her favorite children's stories, Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan. It tells the story of how Norwegian children smuggled gold bullion past the Nazis to a freighter bound for Baltimore. Snow Treasure introduced me to World War II, and in high school I read several of Leon Uris' novels. Mila 18 and QB VII  led me to learn more about the Uprising of the Warsaw Ghetto and the Holocaust.

Over the years many historical novels spurred me to study the history behind the novels. Those listed below evoked a strong desire in me to learn more about the historical events around which the author crafted his/her story.

The Snow Mountain by Catherine Gavin
Romanov Dynasty & Russian Revolution

A Woman Called Moses by Marcy Heidish
Harriet Tubman & Underground Railroad

Angel in the Rigging by Erika Nau
U.S.S. Constitution & War of 1812

Woman with a Sword by Hollister Noble
Anna Ella Carroll & American Civil War

Captain Blood by Rafael Sabtini
Jacobite Uprisings & Piracy

Ride the Wind by Lucia St. Clair Robson
Cynthia Ann Parker & Comanches

Trinity by Leon Uris
Ireland's Great Potato Famine & the Easter Rebellion of 1916

Over the years I also read many historical romances, but my favorite novels are always those that emphasize the history over the romance. It is why I describe The Scottish Thistle and my works-in-progress as historical novels intertwined with love stories. Both are key elements of my stories, but the reader encounters far more history than is commonly found in historical romances. While nurturing the love between the hero and heroine is an important theme in my books, they sometimes spend long passages of time apart or do things contrary to the normal roles of men and women in formula romance. For example, the Rising of 1745 separates Rory and Duncan for much of the time in the The Scottish Thistle. Alexine, the heroine in The Rebel and the Spy, exhibits many traits expected of a young woman living in New Orleans around 1812. Her brother, who raised her, is a sailor, privateer, and smuggler. Lucas, the hero, soon discovers that Alexine has many other traits society would frown on if they knew the truth.

When I write my stories, I strive to make history, time, and place come alive for readers so they feel as if they stand in the midst of the battle or feel the roll of a ship's deck beneath their feet. To achieve this sometimes requires modifications to history. Whenever I do alter historical details, I make note of them in the Author's Note at the end of the story.

Alan Gold, an Australian author of historical novels, echoed my feelings in the Author's Note of The Pirate Queen, recounts the exploits of Irish pirate and chieftain Grace O'Malley and her momentous meeting with another extraordinary woman of her day, Elizabeth I of England.

When creating a fictional work based on real characters, a novelist is often torn between real-life events and the needs of the narrative. In the case of Grace O'Malley, so little is known of her that liberties could be taken without too much risk of offence. Nonetheless, this is a work of fiction and so I have altered and omitted certain minor details of Grace's life for the sake of the plot, and ask any scholar with knowledge of Grace and her circumstances to please forgive me.

Some authors and readers take exception to such changes, but I make the changes so that history doesn't take precedence over the story. If I wished to do the opposite, I would write nonfiction rather than fiction.

To learn more about Historical Fiction, I invite you to read the following articles and visit the web sites that specialize in the intertwining of history and fiction. If you're interested in writing historical fiction, check out my suggestions for writers. Here's my Resource List from my Researching and Writing Historical Fiction Workshop.

Keepers from my Collection of Historical Fiction

The Iron Rose by Marsha Canham	The Guardship, The Pirate Round, & The Only Life That Mattered by James L. Nelson
Dragonfly in Amber, Outlander, & Voyager by Diana Gabaldon	Lady of the Glen by Jennifer Roberson
The Pirate Queen  by Alan Gold	Scaramouche & Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini
The Hammer of God by James Hunter	The Deadly Lady of Madagascar  by Frank G. Slaughter
The Stricklands by Edwin Lanham	Years by LaVyrle Spencer
Bowdrie & Bowdrie's Law by Louis L'Amour	Children of the Mist, The Clansman,  Gold for Prince Charlie, Macgregor's Gathering,  & The Wallace by Nigel Tranter
There Is a Wideness by Mark McAllister	Voyage of Plunder by Michele Torrey
Angel in the Rigging  by Erika Nau	Island Harp  by Jeanne Williams

 

Articles on Historical Fiction vs. History

300: Separating Fact from Fiction by Dr. Kaveh Farrokh
Animating History: the Challenges of Writing an Historical Novel about Josephineby Sandra Gulland, author of the Josephine B. Trilogy
Blending Fiction and History: What Works? What Doesn't? by Paula L. Fleming, author
Build a Bridge to the Past to Bring Your Historical Novel Alive by John Smolens, professor of English at Northern Michigan University and novelist, The Writer, (120:8) August 2007, 28-31.
Dipping Into History by Terry Whalin, The Writing Life
Do It Yourself Historical Fiction by Steven Leibo, Director of the International Studies Program at Russell Sage College
He Disagreed with the History, but He Liked the Story by William Rainbolt, author
Historical Fiction or Fictionalized History? Problems for Writers of Historical Novels for Young Adults by Joanne Brown, ALAN Review, Fall 1998 (vol. 26, #1)
Historical Fiction: Who Rules, Researcher or Story-teller? by Caro Clarke, columnist
Historical Hysteria by Mary Altman, Redlines and Deadlines, 3 December 2007
The Historical Novel compiled by Boris Raymond
Historical Novelist's Burden of Truth by Thomas Mallon, author of Henry and Clara, a novel about the couple who accompanied President and Mrs. Lincoln to Ford's Theatre on April 14, 1865
History is but a Fable Agreed Upon: the Problem of Truth in History and Fiction by Richard Lee, speech given to the Romantic Novelists' Association at their annual conference in 2000
My Annoyance with Historical Fiction by Carrie Lofty, 26 March 2007
The Purpose of the Historical Novel by Lion Feuchtwanger (translated by John Ahouse), "Vom Sinn des historischen Romans," Das Neue Tage-Buch, 1935
A Research Primer for Historical Fiction Writers by Erika Dreifus, Writing-World.com, 2004
Reading and Writing Historical Fiction by Sue Peabody, The Iowa Journal of Literary Studies, 1989
Seminar: What Is Historical Fiction? at Oregon State University, 2003
Seven Rules for Writing Historical Fiction by Elizabeth Crook, novelist
Some People Don’t Like Historicals by J. M. Hochstetler, Favorite PASTimes Blog, 28 November 2006
What are the Rules for Historical Fiction by Sarah Nesbeitt, Assistant Professor, Eastern Illinois University, part of a panel discussion on historical fiction at the Associated Writing Programs annual conference, March 2002
Why & How I Teach with Historical Fiction by Tarry Lindquist, National Elementary Social Studies Teacher of the Year
Writing Backward: Modern Models in Historical Fiction by Anne Scott Macleod, Horn Book Magazine, January/February 1998
Writing Historical Fiction transcript of a chat with Jane Buchanan, author of historical novels for children, on 19 September 2002
Writing Historical Fiction by John Gorman

 

Sites devoted to Historical Fiction

Bygone Days
The Copperfield Review
Ghostletters.net
Hearts Through History
HistFiction.net
Historical Fiction
Historical Fiction Critique Group
Historical Fiction Books
Historical Fiction Forums
Historical Fiction Review
Historical Fiction Review
Historical Fiction Reviews
Historical Fiction Writers E-mail Group

Historical Novels Review Online
Historical Romance UK

Historically Speaking
Living the History: Elizabeth Chadwick
Of Ages Past
Paradox: The Magazine of Historical and Speculative Fiction
Favorite Pastimes or Favorite Pastimes
Scottish Romance and Historical Fiction
Tales of the Blue and the Gray
Unusual Historicals Blog
Writing History/Writing Fiction: a virtual conference session
Writing the Renaissance
Yesterday Revisited

 
 

Suggestions for Writers

Language is one of the most important tools writers use. Its importance in historical fiction is paramount. Avoid using modern terms, especially when a character speaks or thinks. Choose words your characters would be familiar with rather than relying on a comparison or descriptor you would use. Whatever words the character uses should exist in the time period in which he/ she lived.

History doesn't just mean the events that occurred in any given age. It also involves culture, clothing, food, and every other aspect of life during that time period.

Don't rely on the "facts" you uncover while reading a historical novel. Rather use what you learn about the historical period or event as a stepping stone to discover the truth behind the fiction. The facts within a story may not be accurate. Use original resources or trustworthy secondary resources to gather information.

Today, we often tend toward using words that don't offend others. When writing historical fiction it's okay to use politically incorrect words common to the times in which your story unfolds. Don't overload characters' dialogues and thoughts with them. Rather pepper the story where they are most appropriate to provide the flavor a reader needs to be in that time period.

© 2003-2007 Cindy Vallar

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