Research for Historical Writing
Nailing the
Details
Many people
who read historical and historical romance novels are those who love history. I
know that’s true for me. As a life-long history geek, one thing that pulls me
out of a story is incorrect details. Let me give a few examples of details that
are easy to fact-check.
James haltered the horse, grabbed the reins,
vaulted into the saddle and galloped away without a backward glance.
One doesn’t
ride a horse with a halter. One rides a horse with a bridle, to which the reins
are attached with either a bit or a hackamore. A quick Google search of horse
tack (the correct term for gear used with
horses) will save any non-horseperson the embarrassment of writing such a
sentence.
The rifle knocked against his shoulder once,
twice, and a third time as he watched the redcoats fall.
There were
no repeating rifles during the Revolutionary War. The first repeaters were
patented just before the Civil War, but they were not widely manufactured and
distributed to foot soldiers until the end of that war. If you’re going to use
a specific type of tool or weapon, always check to see when it became readily
available in the geographic region of your story.
With a crack of the whip, the horses plunged
into a full gallop, their Conestoga wagon rocking through the deep mud of the
prairie.
Conestoga
wagons were large and heavy. They sank in the mud, became mired more often than
not, had to be dug free, and wagon trains often stayed in camp until the ground
hardened enough for traveling. The wagons were almost always pulled with oxen,
not horses. If you’re going to write about life on a wagon train, read some of
the many journals written by those pioneers.
While
writing Embattled Hearts, my new
release in The Pony Express Romance
Collection, I spent time researching the equipment a Pony Express rider
would have, including the type of pistol he would carry and what his saddle
bags would look like. The Pony Express had a specific type of saddle bag called
a Mochila that fit over the entire saddle so that the weight of the rider held
it in place. It contained four locked pockets, three of which could only be
opened at military posts. The other pocket could be unlocked by any
stationmaster. It contained the rider’s time-card which recorded their arrival
and departure times from each station.
Knowing the little details adds a level of authenticity to your story that your history-loving readers will enjoy.
Author Bio:
Pegg Thomas lives on
a hobby farm in Northern Michigan with Michael, her husband of
*mumble* years. A life-long history geek, she writes “History with a Touch of
Humor.” Pegg’s debut story will be published by Barbour in April of 2017. When
not working on her latest novel, Pegg can be found in her garden, in her
kitchen, or on her trusty old horse, Trooper.
https://www.amazon.com/Pony-Express-Romance-Collection-Inspiring/dp/1683221176
Contacts:
Thanks for hosting me today, Peggy!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure, Pegg! And thanks for being my guest
ReplyDelete