I just completed our own Marilyn Donahue’s book, The Valley In Between. It is a prime example of our topic this month.
I read the story of Emmie and her family as they carved out a life for themselves in early San Bernardino County. While my intent was not to learn history, I did just that. It was woven into the fiber of the book.
I learned about a major earthquake that rocked the area during that period, the Mormons returning to Utah, various Indian attacks, a stagecoach that ran between San Bernardino and Los Angeles, a flood that changed the landscape, the first bees brought into the area and a toll road being established over the Cajon Pass. And, that’s only some of the things I learned IN ONE HISTORICAL NOVEL!
Never underestimate the value of well researched material that is threaded into an historical novel. You will have been entertained. More importantly, you will have been educated!
Appreciative of historical fiction, Gloria
3 responses so far ↓
mcdonahue // May 5, 2009 at 4:04 pm |
Thanks, Gloria, for such a nice post. It’s true that we weave history into the fabric of the story, and it’s always a challenge to make the history a natural part of the sestting and action, not to mention the characters.
Shirley Shibley // May 5, 2009 at 4:59 pm |
And that’s one reason I love reading and writing historical fiction!
Shirley
Gloria McQueen Stockstill // May 6, 2009 at 2:59 am |
You do a great job of writing it, Shirley. We’re all waiting to hear more of Tabitha!
Gloria