If you write historical fiction, what era do you choose to place your story? Or is it the time period that chooses you?
History as a backdrop
I dropped my heroes in the throes of the French Revolution, in Paris, the day after Marie-Antoinette’s execution. France is imploding, uprisings are sweeping the provinces, the people of Paris are marching on the Royals’ castles, the guillotine is overworked.
Meanwhile, in London… nothing much is happening, except King George is sick. In fact, all the European monarchies are riveted by the French Revolution and busy maintaining order in their own country.
Historical Figures
Maximilien Robespierre is in my story but I don’t actually have a scene with him. He’s ever present though, my villain’s mentor and hero. Tomorrow stop by Romance & Beyond, I’ll have a full article on Robespierre.
I also show Monsieur Sanson, the Executioner, whose charge is given by royal decree. His father and grand-father were also the Kingdom’s executioner. Except the job changed when the guillotine was adopted as the only death penalty. Before, death for the low classes came in the form of the breaking wheel, beheading by sword for the aristocracy, which usually took at least two blows. With the concepts of equality, liberty and fraternity, death came in one format for all.
Do you include real historical people in your stories? How do you weave them in?
Picture: From Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the time turner with Harry and Hermione.
I was a Civil War civilian reenactor for about ten years, so it was just natural for me to want to set my romances either during or around that time period in American history.
How fun to reenact an era! I love dressing up. I bet it made you know the time period inside out. Great research opportunities.
I chose the early 1800s in North Carolina — the canal era. I used some historic characters (Theodosia Burr Alston, Archibald Murphey) and also some local characters who weren’t famous but are still remembered here. They are all people the heroine meets or has heard about who affect her life in some way.
Hi Sandy,
Thanks for stopping by. I’m not familiar with the canal era; do you mean the Suez canal? The Panama canal? Or is there a canal in NC that I’ve no knowledge of?
I write Regencies and there are so many colorful people of that time. I usually weave them into conversation or make comparisions, such as my hero cravat with Brummels. Recently I mentioned the ecentric Berry sisters to a scene.
Love the Brummel connection. I think it also helps up situate the story in the reader’s mind when we have a known historical figure in the story.
I’ve been fascinated with Russia since I started studying the language in eighth grade. I went on a class trip to the Soviet Union in 1987, but instead of being wrapped up in the Cold War, Soviets, Lenin’s Tomb, etc., I kept thinking about attending balls at the gorgeous palaces we visited in St. Petersburg.
Ooh, I’m with you. When I visited Versailles, I imagined the Sun King, Louis XIV, walking the grounds, or hunting the deer. It felt like going back in time.
I’ve not weaved in a historical figure, but I think it’s a cool idea. It’s amazing how many historical figures Outlander’s Clare Fraser encounters, but it adds flavour.
My story is set in England in 1558, in the last few months of Mary Tudor’s life. The story came to me almost fully-formed and refused to budge from that time period – only thing is, while I’m a fan of Tudor history in general, I’m more of a Henry VIII/Elizabeth kind of girl and knew next to nothing about Mary’s short reign, except the big things that everyone knew (burning of Protestants, Wyatt’s Rebellion, etc.). So it’s taken me a much longer time to write it than I initially planned, because so much research is involved. But it’s coming along! However, my next book is going to be a fantasy that takes place in a world that I’m making up. That way, I might actually finish a draft in less than 5 years.
LOL, I too would like my next book not to take 5 years to write… Thanks for stopping by, Courtney.