Skip to main content

September - The Blogging Month

 Welcome, Readers! During the next few weeks, you can expect to find a blog post popping up every Monday to Friday. This is because September is full of brilliant bookish adventures, be that as a reader or as a writer, and we are so excited to be sharing them with you. We're dedicating September to new stories, old classics, timeless adventures, and promising tales. Here are the things you can look forward to: 16th September - the launch of All the Time in the World  by Elizabeth McKay. This is the story of Jake and Abi, a brother and sister who stumble into a realm where time is not measured in the usual way, but where there are those who seek to control it for their own ends. 30th September - our tenth Crowvus Ghost Story Competition . Have you got a spooky story to share? Can you write a haunting tale in 4,000 words or less? This year is a big one so, in addition to publication, we're including a small monetary prize for all the shortlisted stories. For all the Ts&Cs, h...
Post a Comment

#HistFicThursdays - Finding the cracks and filling them in

 Did you ever play that game where you have to avoid the cracks on the pavement? The original version of it seems to be:

Tread on a crack, break your back

although we used the slightly milder version of:

Step on a crack, marry a rat

With hindsight, its more a cautionary piece of advice than a game, but it certainly was a fun game to play as a child, trying to gauge how many times to put your feet down on each flagstone. But the warning remains in place. Don't fall into or over the cracks...

...unless you're a historical fiction writer!

At the moment, I'm writing a book for Sapere Books' Writing Competition. I have to admit, I originally recoiled from the idea of writing to someone else's brief, but I am putting together a submission for Brief 5 as a way of encouraging my sister to put in her entry for Brief 4! And I'm thoroughly enjoying the challenge. [It remains to be seen as to whether or not we submit our entries but, either way, I intend to take my characters on their complete journey!]

One of the things I'm enjoying so much is the mystery surrounding the underhand events in Renaissance Italy. Here, there are so many cracks to delve into. These are gems to historical fiction writers. One of the skills in creating stories set in the past is not to change the past but to add to it. We fill in the cracks with adventures of those who you can never be entirely sure did not exist.

Research is crucial - of course - but you don't have to rub your readers' noses in how much you've done. One of my favourite reviews of The Year We Lived mentioned the importance and imparting of research like this:

Not being an expert in 11th Century Saxon or Norman culture, I can't tell you if the historical research is accurate, but it felt right. You get to recognise a well-researched and written setting, don't you? The Year We Lived feels right. It doesn't throw facts at you, letting you instead discover them in the conversations, character's actions, and events of the story.

The old "show don't tell" comes into play here and, I have to mention here, how significant editing is! But that's a blog post for another Thursday. For now, go back to a favourite event in history and find the cracks which are around the edge. Fill them in with your own take on the event, change nothing, but add in the mortar.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Book Review - Mrs Murray's Home

I'm thrilled to be taking part in the book tour for this really enjoyable book "Mrs Murray's Home" by Emily-Jane Hills Orford! Mrs Murray's Home Blurb Home is where the heart is, or so they say. It’s also been said that a home is a person’s castle. But home is also with family and friends. Mrs. Murray longs for home, the family home, a castle an ocean away. The Brownies also crave for home, the same castle Mrs. Murray considers home. And Granny? Mary’s Granny hasn’t been home since she was Mary’s age. It’s time to visit the homeland, Scotland. Mary’s excited to tag along with Granny, Mrs. Murray and the Brownies. And then there’s the witch. The one they thought they’d killed. And the treasure. The one they had found. And it all ties together, for better or for worse. Join the adventure in book 3 of the popular “Piccadilly Street Series”. Review I loved most of the characters, in particular Brunny. He seemed human (although, of course,...
16 comments
Read more

Book Review: A Paraphrase of "Paradise Lost" For Youngsters

  Blurb: This retelling of books V and VI of the epic poem Paradise Lost, written by John Milton, follows  the story of Satan's rebellion and fall from grace. The Father announces his heir, Satan rebels,  Abdiel tries to reason with the fallen angels, followed by a war scarring Heaven's landscape.  Brother against brother, the rebellious few against their Father, a family torn apart by war,  concluded by the victor, the Father's chosen Son, casting the disobedient out of paradise. Excerpt: At God’s declaration of war, dark clouds covered all of Heaven and smoke began to roll down  the sacred hill. Then the countless hosts of Heaven marched on the enemy, fully armed from  head to toe with helmets, spears, and shields. Satan gathered together his army as well. He stood on his chariot, bright as the Sun,  surrounded by his fiery angels with their golden shields, and marched toward the throne of God. He hoped that if he moved swiftly enough, he could ...
4 comments
Read more

Book Tour - Total Blueprint for World Domination by Jolene Stockman

Front Cover It's great to part of this book's journey! When my parents bought me my sewing machine many years ago, the gift tag read "believe in your ability and this will become your best friend" or something to that ilk. This book reminded me a little of that - it gives you the matter-of-fact motivational speech needed by some many youngsters. 4 Stars! "Total Blueprint for World Domination" is an inspirational book for young people. Young people need to think big, and believe in themselves, and this book certainly helps with that! There are motivational speeches and activities gallore. Some of the activities have been seen before, but others are new to me. Occasionally, books heap activities onto the reader like nobody's business, but this book gets it just right. Not too many, and not too few. The reader is left feeling like they can take part without worrying about the time! And did I mention the graphics? The design of the book i...
15 comments
Read more