Please welcome Vijaya Schartz to The Roses of Prose today!
HISTORICAL FICTION is a well defined
genre. The stories often involve fictitious characters, living in a specific
historical time, in a specific place, where specific things happened. The
history of the place and time serves as a frame or backdrop for the drama, the
romance, the adventure, defining the fate of these fictional characters. That
is the covenant of writing historical fiction.
It
came to my attention recently that some historical authors think it’s all right
to take liberties with history, saying writers should have artistic license.
While I do agree with artistic license, it makes me cringe to think that
authors would falsify well known historical facts to fit their fictional story.
I say, if your novel is not historically accurate, it’s okay, but don’t call it
historical fiction, call it fantasy, alternative history, Steampunk, or
speculative fiction.
My
medieval series is based on authentic legends. Like King Arthur’s stories,
these novels involve ancient rulers and nobles throughout the middle ages. But
their true story is a handful of recorded deeds, and they are better known
through the legends than from historical records. I also call my Curse of the
Lost Isle series MEDIEVAL FANTASY ROMANCE, not historical fiction, although I
did intensive historical research.
The
latest Steampunk version of Alexandre Dumas’s Three Musketeers shocked me at
first. Not only they take liberties with the original work, but the battles
portrayed include flying ships made of wood looking like galleons with large
sails. Louis XIII is portrayed as a popinjay, and they did strange things with
the cardinal and the queen... But at least, they didn’t call it historical
fiction, just pure entertainment. I call it STEAMPUNK or HISTORICAL FANTASY.
ALTERNATIVE HISTORY is another genre that
was popular a few decades ago, featuring alternate universes where, for
instance, the South won the Civil War, the Nazis won WWII, or Napoleon defeated
the English and conquered the British Empire. This also comes under SPECULATIVE FICTION, or ALTERNATIVE
HISTORY, and is not considered historical.
I
can have fun with pure fantasy stories portraying Lincoln as a vampire, or Game
of Thrones, but that is in no way historical fiction.
When
I watch THE TUDORS, or THE BORGIAS or REIGN, however, or when I read a book
involving famous historical characters, whether true history or historical
fiction, I expect the authors to do their research and feed me accurate dates,
information, and historical facts.
Sometimes,
during research, you may stumble upon a little know fact, or a small slice of
forgotten history that was suppressed by the victors of the time, or an aspect
of some historical feat too long ignored. The purely academic historians may
not agree, but if you have the research to back up your claim, I’d say more
power to you. Bringing this obscure part of history to light in a historical
fiction novel is a great way to have it more easily accepted by the public at
large.
Best
examples of HISTORICAL FICTION are the works of British author Bernard
Cornwell, whose historical research is intensive... as it should be. Other
famous examples: LES MISERABLES by Victor Hugo.
Before
starting to write the CURSE OF THE LOST
ISLE series, I spent a decade researching the history, the legends, the
local records throughout Europe, and it feels wonderful when readers and
reviewers make comments about how accurately I portray the life of each
particular time and place in my novels. I take pride in my intensive historical
research, and I believe all true historical authors do.
So,
please, when writing historical fiction, make sure your research is accurate
and you have your facts right. More readers than you think are educated,
especially in this genre, and you might lose your credibility as an author if
you take liberties with historical facts... even when you are writing fiction.
2014
release from Vijaya Schartz:
Chatelaine of Forez
Curse
of the Lost Isle Book 5
Medieval
Fantasy Romance
from
Books We Love Limited
in
kindle:
1028
AD - Afflicted by the ondine curse, Melusine seeks the soul of her lost beloved
in the young Artaud of Forez, who reigns over the verdant hills south of
Burgundy, on the road of pilgrims, troubadours and merchants. But this dark and
brooding Pagan lord is not at all what she expected or even hoped. He knows
nothing of their past love, her Fae nature, or her secret curse. Must Melusine
seduce and betroth this cold stranger to satisfy the Goddess and redeem her
curse?
The
gold in the rivers instills greed in the powerful, and many envy the rich Lord
of Forez, including his most trusted vassals... even the Bishop of Lyon. When
Artaud’s attraction to Melusine makes them the target of a holy hunt, will she
find redemption from the curse, or will they burn at the stake?
Each
book in the series can be read individually, but if you are like me, you'll
want to read them in the right order. Here it is:
Book
1 - Princess of Bretagne http://amzn.com/B007K1EGAM
Book
5 - Chatelaine of Forez http://amzn.com/B00I3T9VYG
Special
edition box set of the first three novels (Curse of the Lost Isle) also
available for a bargain price. http://amzn.com/B0091HX7EE
"Well written and factual, the book weaves history with
fantasy and magic into a story that I could not put down." 5-stars on
Amazon
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Born
in France, award-winning author Vijaya Schartz never conformed to anything and
could never refuse a challenge. She likes action and exotic settings, in life
and on the page. She traveled the world and claims to also travel through time,
as she writes without boundaries about the future and the far away past. Her
love of cats transpires in most of her books. Her stories collected many five
star reviews and literary awards. She makes you believe you actually lived
these extraordinary adventures among her characters. Reviewers compared her
fast-paced, action-packed stories to Indiana Jones with sizzling romance, and
she takes that as a compliment anytime.
Vijaya Schartz
Blasters, Swords, Romance with a Kick
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