WRITING HISTORICAL FICTION

WRITING HISTORICAL FICTION
Friday, August 18, 2023 by LINDA HOOVER

Categories: Friday's Fiction / GUEST AUTHORS

PLEASE WELCOME

LINDA HOOVER

FICTION FRIDAY

THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY

Writing historical fiction requires research. Lucky for me, I love digging into different time periods to find out how people lived.

Before I start writing a book, I need to know everything from what kind of house my characters will live in, to what do they do for fun. There’s a lot of interesting information to be found. The downside is I have a tendency to follow rabbit trails. The first book of my Heart’s Desire series is set in 1880 Boston. I was thrilled to visit the city and see many of the places in the story.

My heroine was from the upper-class, so much of the story is told from the perspective of Boston’s elite. My characters enjoyed ice skating, sleigh rides, balls, concerts, and more, which led to finding out how they would have dressed and what kind of music they listened to while they danced. How the ballroom was decorated and what they would eat at their big dinners. Things aren’t always happy, so I also needed to find out what was possible for the villain to accomplish.

In the second book, Heart’s Journey, my hero, Jacob, and heroine, Julia, journey to Iowa, because he wants to have a farm. I had to find out what it was like to ride a train in that time period. Would the seats be comfortable? How long would it take to get from Boston to Iowa?

Once my characters were there, what would it be like to live on a farm? Julia had never been in a kitchen or had to do any of the things a farmwife does. I had fun taking her through the process of learning how to cook, make laundry detergent, and scrub clothes in a washtub. There was nothing easy about keeping a house in the 1880s, and she’d also have a big garden to weed, and food to harvest and preserve. I am grateful to live in this century with central heat and grocery stores.

As the stories progress, so do the years. I’m working on book three, Heart’s Promise, which is set in the 1890s. I decided Julia will have every convenience available at that time. Some of the things I’ve researched for this book are how farming is advancing, who were the famous outlaws, and can I use Wild Bill Cody’s Wild West Show and other events from that era in the storyline?

The family is going to take the train to see the sights in San Francisco, California, so I’ve been researching what tourists would see at the turn of the century. It turns out there was a lot. Golden Gate Park, Ocean Beach, and riding a cable car were all high on the list. There was actually a roller coaster at one of the tourist stops, and Ghirardelli chocolate was already established. Just like now, there was no end of ways to spend money.

I’ve always enjoyed history … reading about it, visiting historic sites, and now exploring how I can set characters in a time period and make it believable. I also have a young adult book set in 1918 in the Appalachians and one set in 1900s Brighton, England.

HER BOOKS

Heart’s Desire Blurb

Julia wants to marry for love… But her father’s secret condemns her to a love-less marriage.

In 1880 Boston, Julia Phillips’s father betroths her to wealthy Lucien Harris to cover up a tragic secret. She has no interest in Lucien, but Jacob Anderson, a kind jewelry store clerk has captured her attention. Can she put off Lucien long enough to convince her parents to accept a man who isn’t in the upper class?

Jacob works with his uncle in Boston, but when he has enough money, he plans to buy land for a farm in Iowa. When Julia walks into their store his priorities change. Their mutual attraction grows into love, and he wants to be the man she marries. But how can he with so little money?

Julia feels increasing pressure from Lucien to pretend she’s happy about the upcoming wedding. Then, she discovers that the arranged marriage is based on blackmail. Her family will be ruined if she doesn’t comply.

Will God make way for Jacob and Julia to have their heart’s desire?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R26D2JD

Heart’s Journey Blurb

This journey isn’t about the distance they travel but the trust they discover . . .

After narrowly escaping an arranged marriage, Boston socialite Julia Phillips joyfully marries the man she loves. But shopkeeper Jacob Anderson has farming in his blood. After their wedding in June of 1880, he takes Julia to Iowa where their best-laid plans soon fall apart. As they learn to rely on each other and God’s provision, He leads them to a promising opportunity.

Julia bravely steps into her new role as a farmwife; with help from a few friends—and a sense of humor—she learns the skills necessary to care for her family. Just as Jacob and Julia become established within their close-knit community, a shocking loss threatens to divide them and destroy their dreams for the future. Is God still leading their journey, or have they lost their pathway home?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BB4XDJ74

ABOUT LINDA HOOVER

Linda lives in west central Ohio with her husband and grandson. She earned a degree in psychology from Anderson University where she learned the voices in her head were actually characters from stories waiting to be told.

Linda has been writing since childhood but started her publishing career by writing columns and a middle-grade serial for the South Charleston Spectator. A retired librarian, she now enjoys being a full-time author in her home office.

You are invited to visit her website, Linda Hoover Books, to learn more about her and her books. You can stay in touch when you subscribe to her newsletter, and as a thank you, you’ll receive a novella when you sign up.

https://www.lindahooverbooks.com

This link will take you to all the places you can find me on the web: linktr.ee/lindahooverbooks

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