What Surprised Me: Unreliable Sources

By Zoe Archer

One of the reasons I love writing unusual historical romance is the opportunity to do research. Most sane people don't relish the prospect of lurking through university libraries, searching for the perfect primary source--but I never said I was sane, just a writer. So it's not uncommon for me to pick a subject matter or location that I'm not familiar with, knowing that I'll have to do my research prowling.

When I started outlining WARRIOR, right away I understood that I'd have to hie myself off to the library stacks and start reading up on the history and culture of Mongolia. I found a goodly amount of secondary sources, and even some first-hand travelers' accounts of contemporary Mongolia, but I wasn't just writing about Mongolia, I was writing about Mongolia in 1874. The country was a vastly different place over a hundred and twenty five years ago.

One day, in my hunt, I thought I struck research gold. It was a reprint of Mongolia, the Tangut Country, by Colonel Nikolai Przewalski (also spelled Przhevalsky). I danced the little researcher's dance of joy. Przewalkski's book was originally published in 1875--only a year later than the year in which WARRIOR was set. I wasn't too concerned about that year's difference. After all, the Mongol way of life did not and does not change very rapidly. I thought I was all set, with the mother of all primary sources.

You're probably wondering, who the heck was Przewalski? The bare bones of his life are this: he was born in 1839, a Russian nobleman of Polish descent. He gained fame as a geographer and explorer of Central and East Asia, and contributed greatly to Europe's understanding of those regions. He was also the first known European to see and describe the only existing species of wild horse. Today the species is known as the Przewalski Horse. Typhus cut his life, and explorations, short in 1888.

Imagine my glee to come across an edition of this esteemed traveler's book. Here was the writings of the premier European explorer of the exact region I was writing about, and his observations doubtless dated from the exact time period, too. Since I strive to be as accurate as I can (within reason), I settled in with my notebook and pen, ready to take copious notes.

At first, that's exactly what I did. I wrote down everything Przewalski said about the capital city, Urga (now known as Ulan Bator), including the geographical layout of the city, noting where the Russians and Chinese had established permanent buildings in a city comprised almost entirely of tents. I noted his remarks about the custom of sharing tobacco, and how Mongols treated their animals. It was all so rich! So perfect for my needs!

But then, my pen slowed. Reading further, I began to be disturbed by what I thought had been an unbiased account of one European man's journey through Mongolia. Przewalski asserted that Mongols were...physically dirty. That they were shiftless liars. That the women of Mongolia were, to put it kindly, unchaste.

Nothing, and I mean nothing of what I had read about Mongols and Mongolia confirmed this. Much of what Przewalski wrote seemed downright untrue, if not slanderous. It smacked of Eurocentrism and an Imperialist mentality.

I was surprised. Shocked, even. Here was a man who was so important to Western understanding of Central Asia that a very rare species of wild horse found only in the area was named for him. Yet he was writing things that, if they weren't outright lies, were certainly not unbiased and impartial.

This called into question everything that he had written. I felt that, in good conscience, I couldn't trust or rely upon a word in Przewalski's book. How could I, when his untruths and distortions littered the text?

With a heavy heart, I returned the book to the library, and started over with my research. It had been a difficult lesson, but an important one. No source is entirely reliable, especially now, when the internet makes it so easy to fabricate something we assume is "truth." From that point on, I made sure to double and triple check my sources, even books, those bulwarks of reliability.

Now, you'll have to excuse me. I hear the siren song of the library stacks calling my name. And I'll heed that song, but as a wiser and more cautious researcher.

Research: Men's Underpants

By Erastes

When you write romance, particularly historical romance, you need to know a lot about the clothes. For me, part of the sensuous and pleasurable aspects of writing in eras other than our own is to picture exactly what my characters are wearing, what those clothes are made of, how they are created, dyed, woven, etc. A historical writer has to be partly geek, and would fit right in with any society of living history buffs.

When you write books which are going to have the protagonists stripping off, then you need to know what's under those clothes, and when--like me--you write about homosexual men, you need a good grounding in what men wear under those breeches, those kilts (if anything) and those dandified trousers. And how they go on. And how they come off!

So I'd like to share a little with you about things I have learned about men's undergarments whilst researching for my books. Here I cover up to the Elizabethan age, I'll share later eras perhaps in another month.

Loincloths might still be around (roll on global warming!!), but they have been found in burial sites on the bodies of men living over 7,000 years ago. Who knows what sparked man to start covering his bits--it would hardly be warmth, after all. It would offer some level of protection from thistles I suppose, but not if a sabre toothed-tiger was coming at you at groin level.

Tutankhamun was buried with 145 loincloths. This seems either a lot, or not enough, depending on your point of view of how long the afterlife is going to be. Of course by this time, the loincloth was worn under a skirt. Still--roll on global warming!

The Ancient Greeks obviously didn't have to worry about sabre-toothed tigers, and consequently didn't wear any underwear at all. Good for them! Φοβάμαι τους Έλληνες όταν είναι πηγαίνοντας καταδρομέας!*

The Romans did, though00big sissies. Possibly because their empire stretched into chillier areas. They'd wear something called a subligaculum, which in modern terms means a pair of shorts or a loincloth and was worn under a toga or tunic.

Pull-on undergarments were invented around the 13th century, large baggy drawers called "braies" made from linen were worn by men under their clothes. This style of undergarment did not really change in design for 500 years--Plus ca change...I know some men who change them about as frequently--other than to be fashioned from better, finer fabrics and to have ornamentation.

These knickers shrank considerable during the Renaissance as the familiar image of cod-piece and hose emerged. The hose themselves were an open garment--not like our tights or hose of today. Tight on the legs and open at the front and back which could not be worn openly as the privities hung lose. As the doublet became shorter clearly something else was needed! The braies shrank to show off the hose, and the codpiece was developed to protect the wearer's modesty.

Or at least at first.

Gradually the codpiece evolved, became padded, shaped to fit and as some clearly showed were frankly showing off--and obviously exaggerating. Some of the most "impressive" are those belonging to Henry 8th and shown at the Tower of London.

What is interesting about fashion today is that of showing off one's designer underwear is not a new thing at all. The rich would commission the most exquisite undershirts, and underwear, fabulously expensive fabrics and meticulously embroidered. Why, they reasoned, am I paying for such incredible work that will never be seen? Well, partly because Sumptuary Laws came into force in many European countries, restricting the sumptuousness of dress in order to curb extravagance, protect fortunes, and make clear the necessary and appropriate distinctions between levels of society.

This led to the "slashing" fashions that we see in the Elizabethan period, where the overclothes had slits, the better to show off the gorgeous clothes being worn beneath, and thus bypassing the laws.

After these excesses calmed down, and waistcoat shirt and breeches took the place of doublet and hose, men returned to wearing braies or "strossers." During the English Civil War the only difference between undergarments and overgarments were the weight of the wool they were made from.

*I fear the Greeks when they go commando.

Sources:
A history of Men's Underwear
Revival Clothing
Vintage Skivvies

Research: Life in Ancient Egypt

By Jean Adams

Daily life in ancient Egypt was harsh. Despite being the most advanced nation of the then world, most people didn't live beyond 40 years of age. Because of this, they usually married at a young age.

Egyptian culture expected women to marry at around age twelve. Marriage was a secular activity regulated by custom rather than law. Instead of a marriage contract, men and women drew up property contracts at the time of marriage in the event of death or divorce. The woman then travelled to the home of her new husband.

In the home, women were responsible for the day-to-day running and decisions. Women had the same legal rights and status as men under the law. The men were usually gone from the home much of the time because of seasonal work or warfare. Tomb builders had their own towns and villages near their current work, enabling their families to live with them.

The division of labor within a household evolved from environmental conditions. The men did heavy physical labor in the hot sun, while women labored inside or in the shade. Women attended to the household's gardens and orchards. Kitchens were situated outside the home because of the intense heat and meals were eaten outside or on the flat rooftops.

Twice a day, women fetched water and filled huge clay vessels that stood in the courtyard or by the doorway of every house. Women did most of the weaving, spinning linen thread from flax fibers. As farmers, women never handled tools with blades. They winnowed the grain, separating the stalks and seeds, and then they ground the grain for baking. Women helped to make wine and beer, and they pressed oil from nuts and plants.

How about this, ladies. Women did not wash dirty laundry! It was the men who handled the laundry because it was washed in the Nile and there was a constant threat from crocodiles along the river banks.

If they had the means, bathrooms were built right in their homes. There is evidence that in the New Kingdom the gentry had small bathrooms in their homes. In the larger homes next to the master bedroom there was a bathroom that consisted of a shallow stone tub that the person stood in and had water poured over him. There is no evidence that the common people had bathrooms in their homes.

It was the responsibility of each household to dispose of their garbage at the communal dump - the irrigation canals. As a result, these dumps were breeding grounds for vermin and disease. Some homes in the cities may have had trays of earth for drainage and disposal of waste. For the most part, however, ancient Egyptians simply dumped their waste in canals or open fields.

There were no formal schools for girls, so mothers educated their daughters in the home. Women attended professional schools, such as the school of medicine at Heliopolis and the woman's school at Sais, to learn to become doctors.

Women in Egypt were free to seek employment outside the home. Many women worked as musicians or dancers in the temples and during festivals. Wealthier households employed women as maids or nannies, and sometimes as professional mourners for funerals.

Some women would operate a small business out of their home, such as linen or perfume manufacturing. These activities increased the household income because these items were much in demand for funeral rites.

Professional opportunities for women included physician or midwife, director of dance or singing troupes, and overseer. The women who became doctors mostly attended to other women as gynecologists. Their skills were such that they performed Cesarean sections and surgically removed cancerous breasts.

Legal rights, responsibilities, and status were divided along class lines rather than gender lines. Within a given class, men and women had the same rights. Women were free to buy and sell property, enter and execute contracts, and file lawsuits. A woman could acquire possessions, property, and debt separate from her husband through labor or inheritance. A woman was entitled to inherit one third of their joint property on the death of her husband, the remaining estate was divided between the surviving children and siblings of the dead man.

Women were also equally accountable under the law. A woman who was convicted of a capital crime in a court of law would be executed, but only after the court determined that the woman was not pregnant. If one was found to be pregnant, her execution was stayed until she could give birth to the child.

Research: My Research Library

By Zoe Archer

If you've been reading the Unusual Historicals website this month, you have probably noticed a commonality between all the authors who post here. Sure, some of us write about Celtic Britain, some favor Medieval Spain, and others, like me, set their books all over the map. But one shared attribute is that we all, in our strange way, love to do research. If we didn't, you can bet we wouldn't spend our vacations dragging our significant others through dusty archives and to obscure historical sites in order to take pictures of grass-covered ditches.

Some of the best research is the kind we perform ourselves: physically going to the location that we write about and absorbing, first hand, the experience and sensations of place. A few years ago, in preparation for a historical novel which I am currently writing, I traveled to several National Trust homes in England that offered access to the servants' quarters and kitchens.

Unfortunately, travel can get pretty expensive and it takes a lot of time. That means that the majority of the research has to be done through the internet or, even better, via books. Lots and lots of books. Some books can be found at libraries (especially university libraries), but eventually, the avid researcher is going to create her own research library.

Ask my husband: whenever we travel, I invariably find my way to a used bookstore and pour through the shelves, searching out the perfect, obscure out-of-print tome about 18th century fencing academies. He patiently carries armfuls of books as I ransack the shop. But once the books are paid for and hauled home comes the next, crucial step: storing and organizing them.

I'm a firm believer in the principle of organization. If I have to search all over the house for the book about Roman prostitutes, I waste time and could lose valuable threads of inspiration. If I have a place for everything, and everything in its place, then I can zip right to the book I need and move on. Great theory--but theory isn't practice.

For many years, my research books were scattered all over the house. I had some culinary history books here, some there. Books stacked up on the floor next to my desk. Books in boxes stored in closets. Books everywhere but where I needed them. When I finally was able to write full time, my husband looked at this "system" and vowed to do something about it.

Reader, never let it be said that romance novelists lack romance in their own lives. Sure, my husband isn't a spying duke or aristocratic pirate, but he's hero material all the way.

He built me a custom bookcase to hold my research library.

Could anyone ask for a more swoon-worthy guy? I don't think so.

I direct your attention to these photos of my research library. Now my piles of books have somewhere to go. Each shelf has been organized and labeled. Shelves for Victorian books. A shelf for Folklore & Mythology. Social History. Science & Technology. It's a research dork's dream. I also have boxes holding loose papers and photocopies.

I turned to my research library many times whilst writing my upcoming novella, "The Undying Heart," to learn more about the Crimean War, as well as information about military uniforms of the 1850s and the telegraph. What a relief to know that the knowledge I needed was right beside me the whole time, so I could focus not on hunting down the books but on writing about undead soldiers and the women who love them!

Granted, the bookcase doesn't hold all of my research materials. There just isn't enough room in my office to hold them all. The Food History section extends to the bookcases my husband put in the dining room. There are books about the History of Jazz and Los Angeles in the hallway. And my theory texts, left over from grad school, linger in the living room. It's a fair assessment to say I have books in every room of my home.

But my pride and joy stands right beside my desk, shelves laden with information. It has room to grow, yet somehow I know, given my insatiable appetite for books and research, that the shelves will soon fill and my wonderful, handy husband will build me yet another bookcase. Because I'm that kind of research glutton and because he's that kind of hero.

Research: Primary Sources and the Vikings

By Michelle Styles

Iris Murdoch in her novel The Nice and The Good stated about early Greek history, 'It sets a special challenge to the disciplined mind. It is a game with very few pieces, where the skill of the players lies in complicating the rules.' The same could be said for the Viking era.

There are very few primary source written documents from actual Vikings and what little we do have from them is inscriptions on stones, rather than long passages which give insight into what they believed or how they live. These stones are also mainly concentrated in a few areas of Scandinavian so how representative of the Vikings as a whole is open to debate. Equally much of the wood and textiles date from the Oseburg ships and the early Viking era rather than the later period. We know about the beds, the sleighs, the bone ice skates and the buckets, but not necessarily what they symbolised to the Vikings.

The contemporary writing about the Viking tends to be from monks who had no reason to be sympathetic to the Vikings and sometimes it is hard to discern if the events actually happened or if indeed the Vikings were convenient scapegoats for other raiders or disaffected warriors. To the monks, it is clear from their tirades that the Vikings with their pagan ways were the Antichrist sent to punish. They were responsible for plundering, raping and pillaging the countryside, particularly as they had no respect for the Christian church and its teaching. Amongst other things, the monks condemn the Viking habit of bathing.

To accept the monk's view of the Vikings are face value is to ignore the very real contribution the Vikings made. For example the founding of various cities and towns including Dublin and Kiev as well as any town ending in the suffix "--by" in England. Their street names which often in "--gate," meaning street, still are used in London and York. Recent excavations in York and other places have revealed small scale industrial craft making including jewellery, combs, tools and the like. The quantity of feign items Vikings did engage in trade as well as plundering.

The other major contemporary source is various travel writing from Muslim travellers in particular The Travel book of Ibrahim ibn-Jakub. But how much was real and how much was fantasy for consumption back home is open to debate. For example, one Muslim traveller describes human sacrifice in a Viking settlement in Russia. The only problem is that nowhere else is such a thing described.

The other major source of written information about the Vikings--the Icelandic sagas--were composed after the Viking age ended. And it is possible they reflect the concerns of medieval Christian Iceland rather than the Vikings. The Prose Edda by Snorri Sturluson which purports to give all Norse mythology and thus providing our only knowledge of Viking religion and religious practices was composed in the 13th century. With its emphasis on the destruction of the world and volcanic imagery, The Prose Edda does speak to the Icelandic experience rather than necessarily the Scandinavian.

Sturluson is also responsible for the History of the Kings of Norway, also known as The Great Orb for its majestic opening lines. Again because the history was oral tradition until the mid-13th century and the Viking age ended for all intents and purposes in 1066, one must question its accuracy. How much can it actually tell about what happened and how much is coloured by Christian perception and nostalgia for a vanished world?

Adding to the complications is the Victorian rediscovery of the Icelandic texts and how they reinterpreted to suit the author. For example, do the sagas show heroic leadership or proto-socialism? Equally as Tolkien used many of the sagas as a basis for his Middle Earth, can readers believe in a king called Gandalf?

However, the problems with primary source documentation is part of what makes writing about the Vikings exciting. It means that you can go searching for nuggets and seeing how they stack up against the archaeological sources. But really the skill comes from using the meagre sources to create a vivid and believable world.

Michelle Styles has written three historical romances set in early Viking times. Her latest, THE VIKING'S CAPTIVE PRINCESS, will be published in December 2009.

Research: Inspired by True Events

By Jeannie Lin

When a movie claims to be "based on true events", it's almost a joke now. It usually means there's a loose link to actual events at best. In historical fiction, it's common to have a basis in research and then play a little game of "What if?"

Research into ancient Chinese texts presents an interesting quandary. Historical accounts are so imbued with romanticism and legendary exaggerations that history and fable become blurred. The research for the "East meets West" elements of BUTTERFLY SWORDS took an interesting twist and surprisingly, had quite a bit of documentation behind them.

The first thread of inspiration came from comparative history. As history buffs, we tend to focus on one period or one area. But out of curiosity, I tried to match up one of my favorite eras, the late Tang dynasty, with western history and found an interesting correlation: the Golden Age of China coincides with the Dark Ages of Europe. The Dark Ages were a time of flux. Rome had fallen and an array of different barbarian tribes wandered into the lands once controlled by the Roman Empire. At the same time, China was at one of its heights of culture and learning. This was the heyday of Silk Road trade. It also happened to be a time when women enjoyed more freedom and several prominent females such as Empress Wu rose to the highest ranks of power.

The second thread of inspiration came from one of the barbarian tribes that challenged the Roman empire: The Huns. The Huns originated from the steppes of Eastern Asia but by the time they migrated to Europe, they had gathered a whole mix of cultures and ethnicities. Attila the Hun became embroiled in court politics when the Emperor's sister, Honoria, appealed to Attila to try to escape marriage to a Roman senator. Hmm...what if the barbarians went from the West to the East instead and their leader somehow got mixed up with an imperial princess of the Tang Dynasty?

Now that things were starting to stew, I had to figure out how much contact there actually was between the East and the West before Marco Polo. It turns out that there are records of early contact in the Han Dynasty(AD 25-220). The explorer, Gan Ying, was sent on an expedition to Rome. It's believed that he made it to the shore of the Mediterranean Ocean before turning back. His travels are documented in the Hou Hanshou, a historical account of the later Han Dynasty.

Direct contact between the two cultures was rare, but there are accounts of Roman ambassadors visiting the Chinese imperial court, sent by various Roman Emperors from the first through the third century.

To Rome, China was known as Seres. Chinese silk was brought to Rome through the Silk Road and Roman good were traded in China. A 4th century Chinese document, the Weilue, contains a section called the People of the West where the kingdoms of the Middle East, India and Rome are described. Rome was called "Da Qin" or "Ta Chin" which means Great China. This document indicates that at the very least, China was aware of Rome and curious about gathering information about the great empire that existed on the other side of the world.

So did western Europeans ever venture into China in the 8th century? Probably not. But was it possible? Maybe. More importantly, if they did, is that a story people would want to discover? I'm hoping so. All in all, it is hard, hard work "making up" any historical world, regardless of whether you are using actual historical figures or simply inspired by true events.

Research: Research for Romance

By Lindsay Townsend

For me, research for writing is not so much a labor of love as a break in the flow of my storytelling. For FLAVIA'S SECRET, I was researching ancient Rome, ancient Romano-British food, society, class, fashion, the city of Roman Bath and the baths themselves. I did the same kind of research on ancient Egypt for my historical novel BLUE GOLD, too, beginning first with a visit to the children's library for lots of clear explanations and lovely picture-books, then more deeply into research and source material.

Pictures and personal observation are what I find most useful in all my research. There are gestures that are particular to a certain age and I need to be aware of those but in general I believe people have not changed so much in 35,000 years. When I'm researching for a book, days are taken up with observation--noting people's gestures, the sounds and rhythms of their speech, the pervading scent of a place, the number of steps to a particular church. My husband is a keen photographer and takes pictures not only for himself but also for me: not only the battlements and arrow-slits of a castle for a medieval such as A KNIGHT'S VOW, but strange shots of dustbins and public telephones and kiosks and then, teasingly, candid pictures of myself, sunhat jammed over my eyes, head down as I take copious notes.

We repeated this in Rhodes as I researched the Dodecanese islands for my early romantic suspense book, NIGHT OF THE STORM, and my novella, "A SECRET TREASURE." The heroine of "A SECRET TREASURE" is an intelligent, sensitive young woman and keen cook in a high-pressure situation so I approached my research through Eve's eyes, noting how stark the contrast between shade and sun at midday, between the bustle and crowds of Rhodes Old Town and the pine-fretted quiet of Ancient Kamiros, where fragile orchids grow along the edges of the paths, learning how delicious grilled meat can taste, liberally sprinkled with fresh lemon juice and rigani, or how thorny and close-packed Greek heathland is.

With historical fiction there are also other issues of research. How much research to do, to start with? What to put into my romances and what to leave out? For my novel A KNIGHT'S CAPTIVE, I needed to know about the battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066. I researched in primary sources such as The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and in secondary sources. As my account is a romance, I did not feature the battle itself but its aftermath, particularly as it concerned my heroine and hero--the human cost. When I set my novels is important--I need to know what happens around that date. Sometimes I may put my characters directly into a historical event--again, as I did in A KNIGHT'S CAPTIVE, when I place Sunniva and Marc at the coronation of William of Normandy. Again, I drew on primary sources for this but told it from my characters' POV and how it impacted on them. That is what I ask as I write a scene. "How does this affect so and so?" That determines what research I use.

As research tools I use books, pictures (for my medieval novels especially pictures from contemporary manuscripts such as Books of Hours), and the internet. The web has some wonderful source material on it, such as Netserf and the Internet Medieval Sourcebook.

With research, the temptation is to use every scrap of my notes and then my writer's day is one of choice, because to put everything in would be fatal. My fiction is suspenseful, romantic, active: to stem the flow with a stodge of travelogue or straight historical source material would be a huge mistake! Usually then I spend a significant proportion of the next day taking out what I put in--a task which often inspires me to try even harder as I aim to get the most out of what I really love doing: writing.

(All pictures from Wikimedia Commons.)

Research: A Moveable Feast

By Jennifer Mueller

Your characters are dressed in the latest fashions. They're moving in a world of politics and intrigue, walking through the halls of grand architecture or escaping stifling hovels. They dance with abandon. But when they sit down to eat a sumptuous feast or a meager breakfast and you don't know what the king ate or the jester drooled over.

My husband asks periodically why I have so many cookbooks when I don't cook that much. My first stop at a used bookstore is either the travel section or the cookbooks. Some I pick them up in the countries I've visited. Historical sites often have reproductions and my husband rolls his eyes. I could look it up on the Internet, sure, but when the Horizon Cookbook and Illustrated History of Eating and Drinking Through the Ages is on the shelf, why would you? I still have to resort to it when the country or era is more obscure, but for menus, recipes, and the history behind all the times it does cover, its answered most of the questions I've had. As long as it's covered.

Then again I can always fall back on Chocolate Cooking with the World's Best Ingredient--an entire book on, you guessed it, the history or chocolate. Or Columbus Menu: Italian Cuisine After the First Voyage of Christopher Columbus is another great one. Recipes from the Kenyan Coast offers a bit more off-the-beaten-track cuisine.

My shelves have a bit of everything, to tell the truth. Pioneer cooking? I can do that with my The Little House Cookbook, Eating up the Santa Fe Trail, and Wagon Wheel Kitchens: Food on the Oregon Trail. I can even Feast and Fast with Louis and Clark, a weighty tome that not only tells you what they ate, but how and why it was packed. There are more little pamphlets from museums, more than I care to count. And an old cookbook from 1879, Housekeeping in Old Virginia is sure to make an appearance too.

If I need older books, there are several from the Colonial and Revolutionary period: The Virginia Housewife, The First American Cookbook, and Colonial Virginia Cookery. Overseas, there's The Around the World Cookbook, which is a good doorstop as well as an all around great book to look at. I even have a 1960s version of Favorite Recipes from the United Nations.

Historical in those are a bit harder to find when you get out of the ever popular, Italian, French, and such. The Medieval Cookbook covers England and France mainly. The Good Housewife's Jewel goes back even a little further. That's where I fall back on the Internet. As much Cooking Maltese Cuisine can help me in the modern day, it just doesn't do anything for 500 years ago.

Old or new, it doesn't matter. I love cookbooks. And yes I'm sure my husband will continue to roll his eyes for years to come. Hmm, maybe I should give him my wish list for Christmas. My kitchen bookshelves are full, but I'll figure something out.

Research: Russia

By Isabel Roman

1855 Russia. Nuff said.

Seriously, though, researching anything in nineteenth century Russia is near impossible because everything is in Russian! To overcome that hurdle, I had to rely heavily on Wikipedia, encyclopedias and tourist books. I even called the Foy line. Twice!

Now I understand why most historicals take place in England or some English speaking area. However, writing in an unusual locale can be very exciting. Most readers want to be transported to somewhere exotic, mysterious, and new. Most places that fit that bill are non-English speaking so finding out historical detail can be extremely challenging.

Pulling the curtain back just enough to look out the window, Katria watched the city pass by. Several people braved the icy sidewalks to shop along Nevsky Prospekt. Even with the shortages caused by the Turkish ships blockading the city, the shop owners always had wares to sell. They passed Trinity Square, rounding Kamennoostrovsky Prospekt.

Fashion presented its own problems. Anything worn in England or France was readily available, but in Russia? Well, if I squinted hard enough, through a microscope at the one or two paintings of balls, I could tell the clothing sorta looked like standard French fashion. Luckily, I was right, and found a couple sources to verify that they followed the French in fashion at least.

Alexander Palace is a great resource, even though they concentrate mostly on Nicholas II, not Nicholas I, the tsar during the Crimean War, which is when KISS OF SCANDAL is set. I got lucky in that I centered my story around a major historical figure and major event. A lot of what I needed, I found out through reading about Tsar Nicholas I. If there was no major historical figure/event? Find one and research that, then extrapolate as much as possible.

It wasn't difficult to find Nicholas. The state rooms were half empty, so Nikolai followed the long line of people to where the tsar held court. He wasn't surprised the masses parted for him, but he was surprised when Nicholas wordlessly gestured to a private salon.

Researching an unusual time frame in history is a challenge and invigorating, but for most of us sane writer's (I do not necessarily fall into this category) it's tedious, time consuming, and frustrating. Everyday life is probably the most frustrating aspect. It's pretty easy to find information on battles, battle tactics and all things military, but everyday life in a particular city can get rather iffy. When writing a historical there are times when I was forced to make an educated guess. So I took what you know of the rest of the world, of the city I wrote in, St. Petersburg, and see what the differences were.

Slipping them into the folio, he drew back the curtain and watched the Winter Palace. The columns passed by and he tried to guess what rooms hid behind the multi-layered façade. The night was clear and the moon reflected off the snow, illuminating the gilt. Courtiers came and went, none sending his carriage more than a passing glance.

They rounded the Palace to where the Third Section offices lay. A pair of guards stood beside the one door in the Palace with little obvious activity. Barely waiting for the horses to stop, Constantine leapt from the carriage and headed for the door.

Research: Just Because I Know It...

By Delia DeLeest

The problem with writing a well-researched historical book is that our perspectives get a bit skewed. Because it's such common knowledge to us, we assume that others are familiar with it also.

This was brought home to me a couple weeks ago when I had mentioned to a writer friend that I had the desire to have one of my characters go to Rudolph Valentino's funeral. She asked me what Rudolph had done in the 1920s to make him famous. I'd just assumed that everyone knew of Rudolph Valentino, one of Hollywood's very first movie sex symbols. His death at the early age of 31 threw tens of thousands into mourning and caused at least one reported suicide. He was like Zac Efron or Brad Pitt, only more so. Valentino was HUGE.

Many people have heard of him, even now, but fewer know of his work--fewer still have even seen a Rudolph Valentino movie. (If you get the chance to, jump on it. The Sheik and Son of the Sheik are incredible). But because I have immersed myself into all things Twenties, I forget that most people have no recollection of pop culture beyond the Reagan years. (Reagan? Who's Reagan?)

What I discovered is that I have to give the reader a mini history lesson, hopefully without them realizing that they're learning something. Teachers throughout history have discovered that students learn when they're having fun, and I think of myself as a teacher whose responsibility is to help others discover the same fun and excitement of the 1920s that I have found.

In IT TAKES MOXIE, my 1920s romance from The Wild Rose Press, I had Moxie referring to Aimee Semple McPherson. If you're a regular reader at Unusual Historicals, you'll be familiar with the name because of what I've written about her in past posts. But I have to assume that most of my readers aren't UH readers and had to fill them in on information that anyone alive in 1927 would already know. This is how I did it:

"So you sell houses and don't have time to dance. Sounds like a pretty boring life to me. We’ll have to do something about that."

"I think you already have."

"No, I don't mean the gun stuff." She shook her head vigorously. "I mean I should teach you how to Charleston or something. Dancing is good for your body and good for your soul."

"Who are you now, Aimee Semple McPherson?"

"Hey, I'm not some loony missionary. The only thing Aimee and I have in common is that I kidnapped you and she kidnapped herself. Oh, and she got caught, I'm not planning on that happening to me."

"I'm pretty certain it wasn't in her plans either."

Moxie gave a dismissive wave of her hand and continued her lecture on the benefits of dance. "I'm serious, Ben. Dancing is a lot of fun and a great way to get rid of stress in your life."

"You are the stress in my life. If I could get rid of you, I'd be just fine."

"Bah. Don't be such a wet blanket. Now, the best way to learn how to dance is--" Moxie sniffed the air suspiciously. "Do you smell smoke?" She turned and looked in the back seat. "Ben, the car's on fire!"

What did we learn here? Besides the fact that Ben has some serious car troubles, we've learned that Aimee Semple McPherson was a missionary and that there was a mysterious kidnapping where she kidnapped herself. For the average reader, that's enough information to keep the story going.

The curious reader will have some questions. What kind of missionary was she? And how on earth can a person kidnap themselves? They'll pull up trusty Google and look Aimee up. They'll read her fascinating story on Wikipedia or some other online resource. Maybe they'll discover that Faye Dunaway played Sister Aimee in the 1976 movie The Disappearance of Aimee and decide they want to watch it. They get pulled into the whole crazy drama of the thing and the next thing you know, we've got another Roaring Twenties convert.

When that happens, I can go to sleep happy, knowing I've enlightened another person to the crazy fun that is the 1920s.

Research: Life Magazine

By Carrie Lofty

Earlier this summer, my dad mentioned a site where a merchant was selling issues of Life magazine. Each sales entry included detailed notes as to the contents of that issue. He thought this might be a good research tool for me, in that I could look up an issue from any given week during the war and discover what people would've been buzzing about. Excellent idea!

However, Google decided to do one better. And my husband, Keven, being the internet perusal dude that he is, sent me this link. Yes, it's every issue of Life magazine from 1935 through the 1970s, including all of the advertisement pages. It's...it's...mind-blowing. If I miss out on valuable TV time because of this, I'll know who to blame/credit. Keven's computer addiction. And the Almighty Google.

(Speaking of which, now I'm all paranoid. What if they take them all down? Gasp! I might have to download a few...or a lot...)

So I looked up the dates around Pearl Harbor. The December 8, 1941 issue apparently ran as planned with no mention of the attack. The Dec 15 issue has a story with many pictures, and the Dec 22 issue is chock full of war news, complete with an American flag on the cover. This is an invaluable resource, not only for the news, photos, advertisements, glimpses at popular culture, and even the writing style--they used a lot more words, descriptions, and colorful adjectives than magazines do today--but also as a window into the pace of life.

Here's a photo that caught my eye. Adorable pose. So sweet! And she looks like she could've been a movie star. Then again, any pretty girl dolled up in 40s gear makes me think that, if only because the dressy garb looks so elegant--clothes we would reserve for Hollywood now. The caption made me tear up. See? That's a very different writing style than a popular news publication would use now.

Damn, this is cool.

Research: 19th & 20th Century Web Resources

By Eliza Tucker

Being a stay-at-home mom who lives in present-day Ohio but writes fiction primarily set in New York Century at the turn of the 20th century, I rely heavily on Web-based history resources. Here's a list of my most-used sites, and insight on how I employ them.

Google Books: While the Google Books project has been the source of contention for many in the publishing industry lately, their publications which fall in the realm of public domain can be a big help for researchers. Using the 'Advanced Search' feature, you can look up search terms within specific dates. You can search full texts of public domain books and even download most in PDF or EPUB formats.

New York Times Archive: Using the 'Advanced Search' function, you can search any day's release of The New York Times from 1851-1980, with specific dates and search terms. When I first started doing historical research, I lost eyesight on microfilm archives of this paper at our local library! Each article is viewable as a PDF download.

Library of Congress American Memory Project: This is a massive resource with collections ranging from Advertising to Women's History, African-American History to War and Military History. It takes a bit of time to navigate, but chances are if you're looking for very specific information, it's in here. The most fascinating of these fully viewable online collections is the Thomas Edison films of New York City.

Cornell University Making of America Archive: A digital library of primary sources in American social history from the antebellum period through reconstruction. The collection is particularly strong in the subject areas of education, psychology, American history, sociology, religion, and science and technology. This site provides access to 267 monograph volumes and over 100,000 journal articles with 19th century imprints.

Museums' Virtual Exhibitions, such as The Museum of the City of New York: The great thing about singular museums' exhibitions is that they change on a somewhat regular basis.

The Dictionary of Victorian London: Historical thriller author Lee Jackson has collected and organized articles and info regarding life in Queen Victoria's Britain. Includes unique maps! Even if you don't write in this period or time, it's definitely worth a look.

The Inflation Calculator: Need to know how much $5 meant to a person in 1816? A simple "form adjusts any given amount of money for inflation, according to the Consumer Price Index, from 1800-2007."

Small sites: One of my most-referenced sites right now is No. 9 Duane Street, which is chock full of info about the newsboys' lodging houses of the 1800-1900s.

Greatest Hits: So You Wanna Re-Create a Revolution?

By Anna C. Bowling

Long ago, in a not so faraway (for me) land called New York state, I gloried in the splendor of an autumn afternoon, my long skirt swishing about my ankles as I traversed the dirt road adjacent to the home of John Jay, the United States' first Chief Justice. To my left, behind a stone wall, an endless sea of identical white tents covered the green lawn. I felt a rumble behind me, and a deep male voice called out, "Make way for the king's men." I stepped quickly to the side, and a long column of scarlet-coated soldiers streamed by, posture ramrod-perfect, marching in step behind a Union Jack toted high.

The actual calendar year was of somewhat more recent vintage, 2003, but for that one particular day, I found myself swept back in time to when a native New Yorker could well have been a loyal British subject...and also to my own childhood, when the Bicentennial meant fife and drum corps everywhere, beginning a fascination with those gents in the red coats that continues to this day. Cue music. Leonard Bernstein British Grenadiers

The procession was only the start of the day's events, followed by a muster, where the historical interpreters demonstrated how their unit might attract new recruits. Hint; free liquor was involved for any able bodied male of adult years willing to sign or make his mark. This, apparently, was a valid recruiting technique. Speeches of the glory of king and country, of the sterling reputation of soldiers (which one may snort at without qualms once one mucks about the tents for a while, as I did) and thus swelled the ranks.

Being the nosy historical author I am, I took the first opportunity to venture into the tents and hunt down the interpreter playing the commanding officer. What was life really like after the free liquor wore off or commissions were purchased? What sort of men would have inhabited these tents two hundred plus years ago, and furthermore, what sorts of men recreate British Army life in the country where the redcoats were the antagonists during our revolution?

The answers to the above may surprise some readers. Reenactment units such as His Majesty's Tenth Regiment of Foot can give a different perspective on what we think we know about life in the eighteenth century British Army. Though the unit I saw that day was re-creating 1740s life, the gentlemen (and that they were, to a man) were more than happy to discuss Redcoat life up to and beyond the Revolution. Whatever the period, a soldier's life was seldom one of comfort. Even the officers' tents I inspected were of necessity small, to be easily packed up and moved to the next site at a moment's notice. A cot, a trunk for personal items, perhaps a few comforts of home such as a deck of cards or musical instrument, perhaps a book for those so inclined, but with space at a premium, functionality ruled over pleasure.

The soldier's life might not always be a lonely one; those who could afford it could sometimes bring along wives, and where wives (and other women) go, babies could follow. Even bringing one's dog was not entirely unheard of, and visitors to reenactments can often see all of the above as important parts of the units as a whole. Add in camp followers, noting that "laundress" did not always mean laundress, wink wink, and my mind started to fill in those rows of tents with people who might have inhabited each one. Some aspects of the military life are universal, no matter what era or affiliation.

The soldiers themselves, on these colonial shores, could come from any walk of life. A younger son from a noble English family might have bought his commission, to find himself shoulder to shoulder with a young recruit born to laborers in the colonies, or during the Revolution, even a German Hussar or a former slave. Male slaves who enlisted in the British army would be considered immediately freed from slavery, certainly an extremely appealing incentive. After the Revolution, when British and Hussar forces returned home, several former slaves stayed with their units, making new lives for themselves in England or Germany. Great story potential right there, methinks.

Story potential as well in the Grenadiers, those gentlemen memorialized in the music above. Dealing with explosives at such close range takes a special sort of man; calm under pressure, willing to do what it takes to get the job done, knowing, as all soldiers do, that any engagement may be their last, but hoping to come through to the end of the day.

Why would a modern American choose to devote his (or her) free time to interpreting the other side of our country's first war? Perhaps the most succinct answer is that somebody has to. The British Army is part of our history, and those who comprised it were individuals who also deserve to be remembered. While some British (civilians and military alike) did oppose colonial independence, others were actually for it, but believed that a different time or method for that independence would be better for all involved. Some interpreters do also interpret patriot units, and I spoke to one, an actor by trade, who has appeared on the History Channel, in different productions, as both Benedict Arnold and George Washington. Talk about seeing things from both sides.

Which is, really, one of the best parts about historical reenactments. We can muck about in as close as we can get to the real thing, interact with those who study hard to get the feel of the era and convey it to those who may not be as familiar with the big picture. If the reenactment includes a battle, consider traipsing over to those re-creating the other side, whatever that might be, for a different perspective. Who knows, you might meet a new character along the way.

Weapons and Armies: So You Want To Re-Create A Revolution

By Anna C. Bowling

Long ago, in a not so faraway (for me) land called New York state, I gloried in the splendor of an autumn afternoon, my long skirt swishing about my ankles as I traversed the dirt road adjacent to the home of John Jay, the United States' first Chief Justice. To my left, behind a stone wall, an endless sea of identical white tents covered the green lawn. I felt a rumble behind me, and a deep male voice called out, "Make way for the king's men." I stepped quickly to the side, and a long column of scarlet-coated soldiers streamed by, posture ramrod-perfect, marching in step behind a Union Jack toted high.

The actual calendar year was of somewhat more recent vintage, 2003, but for that one particular day, I found myself swept back in time to when a native New Yorker could well have been a loyal British subject...and also to my own childhood, when the Bicentennial meant fife and drum corps everywhere, beginning a fascination with those gents in the red coats that continues to this day. Cue music. Leonard Bernstein British Grenadiers

The procession was only the start of the day's events, followed by a muster, where the historical interpreters demonstrated how their unit might attract new recruits. Hint; free liquor was involved for any able bodied male of adult years willing to sign or make his mark. This, apparently, was a valid recruiting technique. Speeches of the glory of king and country, of the sterling reputation of soldiers (which one may snort at without qualms once one mucks about the tents for a while, as I did) and thus swelled the ranks.

Being the nosy historical author I am, I took the first opportunity to venture into the tents and hunt down the interpreter playing the commanding officer. What was life really like after the free liquor wore off or commissions were purchased? What sort of men would have inhabited these tents two hundred plus years ago, and furthermore, what sorts of men recreate British Army life in the country where the redcoats were the antagonists during our revolution?

The answers to the above may surprise some readers. Reenactment units such as His Majesty's Tenth Regiment of Foot can give a different perspective on what we think we know about life in the eighteenth century British Army. Though the unit I saw that day was re-creating 1740s life, the gentlemen (and that they were, to a man) were more than happy to discuss Redcoat life up to and beyond the Revolution. Whatever the period, a soldier's life was seldom one of comfort. Even the officers' tents I inspected were of necessity small, to be easily packed up and moved to the next site at a moment's notice. A cot, a trunk for personal items, perhaps a few comforts of home such as a deck of cards or musical instrument, perhaps a book for those so inclined, but with space at a premium, functionality ruled over pleasure.

The soldier's life might not always be a lonely one; those who could afford it could sometimes bring along wives, and where wives (and other women) go, babies could follow. Even bringing one's dog was not entirely unheard of, and visitors to reenactments can often see all of the above as important parts of the units as a whole. Add in camp followers, noting that "laundress" did not always mean laundress, wink wink, and my mind started to fill in those rows of tents with people who might have inhabited each one. Some aspects of the military life are universal, no matter what era or affiliation.

The soldiers themselves, on these colonial shores, could come from any walk of life. A younger son from a noble English family might have bought his commission, to find himself shoulder to shoulder with a young recruit born to laborers in the colonies, or during the Revolution, even a German Hussar or a former slave. Male slaves who enlisted in the British army would be considered immediately freed from slavery, certainly an extremely appealing incentive. After the Revolution, when British and Hussar forces returned home, several former slaves stayed with their units, making new lives for themselves in England or Germany. Great story potential right there, methinks.

Story potential as well in the Grenadiers, those gentlemen memorialized in the music above. Dealing with explosives at such close range takes a special sort of man; calm under pressure, willing to do what it takes to get the job done, knowing, as all soldiers do, that any engagement may be their last, but hoping to come through to the end of the day.

Why would a modern American choose to devote his (or her) free time to interpreting the other side of our country's first war? Perhaps the most succinct answer is that somebody has to. The British Army is part of our history, and those who comprised it were individuals who also deserve to be remembered. While some British (civilians and military alike) did oppose colonial independence, others were actually for it, but believed that a different time or method for that independence would be better for all involved. Some interpreters do also interpret patriot units, and I spoke to one, an actor by trade, who has appeared on the History Channel, in different productions, as both Benedict Arnold and George Washington. Talk about seeing things from both sides.

Which is, really, one of the best parts about historical reenactments. We can muck about in as close as we can get to the real thing, interact with those who study hard to get the feel of the era and convey it to those who may not be as familiar with the big picture. If the reenactment includes a battle, consider traipsing over to those re-creating the other side, whatever that might be, for a different perspective. Who knows, you might meet a new character along the way.

Maladies & Treatments: Writing with Folk Cures

By Anna C. Bowling

Growing up as the child of older (both were over forty when they adopted me; the photo is of me, at three, on the blacktop where I skinned pretty much everything) first generation American parents must have hardwired me for unusual historicals right from the start. Many of the treatments for the minor childhood illnesses or injuries I had in the 1960s/70s were as likely to come from the traditions my mothers and aunts, one of whom who worked as a nurse, learned from their mother, who learned them from her mother back in Italy in the early 20th century.

As a child, I'd often wondered what my mother grew that patch of mint for (aside from the delightful smell) but when puberty hit, I found out it was a natural remedy for menstrual cramps. By then we had moved away from the house with the fresh mint in the garden, so it had to come from a store, but it still worked, and the mint tea also worked to help with nausea.

Sore throats were as likely to be treated with licorice as commercial medications, which may be why I still like licorice today, and I will long remember the discussion my parents had when my father wanted to give me a hot toddy (mostly rum) to help ease the discomfort of a bad case of chicken pox when I was ten. They left it up to me, and I declined.

One of my strongest memories of my mother's Aunt Anna, who I only knew as an elderly woman who spoke a fast stream of Italian was the time when I'd talked a neighbor child into splitting a bar of Ex-Lax (to be fair, I was five and the grownups had described it to me as chocolate.) Being sorely lacking in my Italian, I can't vouch for anything said that day, but Aunt Anna refused to let my mother take me to the doctor, instead pounding an endless supply of ice with a hammer and pouring it down my throat before depositing me in the bathroom with even more tall glasses of ice. When I asked my mother to translate, she said this was Aunt Anna’s treatment for loose bowels, something she learned back in Italy.

Since I survived and turned out okay, my foremothers must have been on to something, so when characters in my historicals now have the need for doctoring, I turn to the state of the art medical care of their time. Often, such as in colonial settlements, the most advanced medical treatments meant calling in whoever had dealt with the illness or injury before. If the need was something the person hadn't encountered before, common sense was often the best guess.

In my colonial historical romance, MY OUTCAST HEART, the hero, Dalby, suffers third degree burns to one hand. Today, witnesses would call 911 and paramedics would rush him to the burn unit, where trained professionals would examine him and use a variety of treatments and procedures to find out how bad the damage was, how much mobility he might be able to retain and even address cosmetic repair. In 1720, Dalby was lucky this occurred in winter, so heroine Tabetha can drag him outside and stick his hand in a snowbank. The cold would help, but the "everybody knows" medicine of the time--likely coating the burn in butter or bear grease--we now know would have the exact opposite effect.

Looking at the folk medicine of the times I write about, and consulting with several friends who work in the medical field of today as well as visiting living history museums lets my characters have the best--or worst--of both worlds, depending on what the story needs. Good thing a great read is excellent medicine in any time.

Thursday Thirteen: Great Research Books

By Sandra Schwab

1. Sharon H. Laudermilk and Teresa L. Hamlin, THE REGENCY COMPANION
A truly great introduction to the everyday life of the upper classes in the Regency era. Unfortunately, the book is not only out of print, but also hard to find, thus sellers of used books can demand exorbitant prices. (Duh.)

2. Ben Weinreb and Christopher Hibbert, editors, THE LONDON ENCYCLOPAEDIA
Very few illustrations, but lots and lots of great information. All you've ever wanted to know about London, past and present.

3. Hugh Montgomery-Massingbred and Christopher Simon Sykes, GREAT HOUSES OF ENGLAND AND WALES
Need to build a country estate for your characters? Here you find descriptions and a vast number of gorgeous photographs of 32 stately homes, from Alnwick Castle to Waddesdon Manor.

4. Michel Saudan and Sylvia Saudan-Skira, FROM FOLLY TO FOLLIES: DISCOVERING THE WORLD OF GARDENS
Well, if you've pieced together a country estate for your characters, you'll also need a garden. Here you find descriptions and pictures of different kinds of European gardens and garden architecture.

5. Steve Parissien, REGENCY STYLE
A true treasure trove for everybody who writes novels set in the Regency. Parissien covers everything from architecture, windows, and plasterwork to colours, fabrics, furniture, and gardens. Contains many illustrations and photographs.

6. Akiko Fukai, FASHION: A HISTORY FROM THE 18TH TO 20TH CENTURY: THE COLLECTION OF THE KYOTO COSTUME INSTITUTE
What can I say? Your characters need clothes, too! And in this book you'll find pictures and descriptions of the most beautiful clothes (dresses, mostly) imaginable. This is an awesome book!

7. Shelley Tobin et al., MARRIAGE À LA MODE: THREE CENTURIES OF WEDDING DRESS
In a romance novel, there's bound to be a wedding. This publication of the National Trust describes dresses and wedding customs from the mid-18th to the 20th century, and contains many contemporary illustrations and photos as well as pictures of wedding dresses from the collections of the National Trust.

8. John Seymour, FORGOTTEN HOUSEHOLD CRAFTS
Have you ever wondered how people in the 19th and early 20th century made butter or cheese? How they dealt with the dirty laundry? What their lamps looked like? How they kept their homes clean? John Seymour answers all of these questions and many more. He provides a fascinating glimpse at household chores of ages past.

9. THE REMINISCENCES OF CAPTAIN GRONOW
Tee-hee! Full of anecdotes from the years 1810-60.

10. MRS BEETON'S BOOK OF HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT
A great resource! Mrs. Beeton doesn't just give the reader a list of recipes, but also includes advice about how to run a household, about the duties of the different types of servants, and about caring for the ill. Even though it was first published in the Victorian era, it can be a valuable source for earlier time periods as well. The full text of the book is available online at mrsbeeton.com.

11. A. E. Richardson, THE OLD INNS OF ENGLAND
A survey of historic inns across England. If your characters ever need to travel and you want them to stay the night somewhere on the road, this is the book for you!

12. Lesley Blanch, editor, HARRIETTE WILSON'S MEMOIRS
More reminiscences about the Regency era, yet this time we get a glimpse at society from a female point of view. What's more Harriette Wilson was one of the most famous courtesans of the early 19th century -- she knew all the important men of London. And in her memoirs, she named names.

13. Patrick Hanks and Flavia Hodges, A CONCISE DICTIONARY OF FIRST NAMES
Well, your characters don't just need country estates, gardens and clothes, but also names! In this book you won't just find a list of names, but also a few lines about the meaning, history, and use of each name.

Interests

I'm currently on my way to Myrtle Beach for my annual week-long family vacation. We've done this for about 15 years now, and somehow it never tires. Maybe because it's so relaxing and I'm not required to see things or do things.

We talk a lot about the different histories we love and adore. We discuss what we've written about--New Orleans pre-1803, the Ancient World, India, China. It's funny how romances set in WWII are considered unusual--have you seen a war movie lately? Flipped on the History Channel? WWII is all over the place.

Pirates are big now, (Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy). But anyone growing up with Errol Flynn or on the 80s pirate romances will have already known that. (Come on ladies, raise those hands!)

Ancient Greece is big, too. (The 300. If you watch it for no other reason, check out those 300 Spartans' abs--wow.)

The late 1800s is becoming popular at least as related to the occult. (The Illusionist and The Prestige).

If you could read one book set anywhere, any time, and with any conflict what would it be? That one book you're dying to write because you adore the period but there're others to write about first because they fascinate you. If you've already written that book, what's next? More in the same era/place, or is there another that tempts you?

I've thought about this for a while, and have finally settled on one only because I forced myself to. World War I. I love that era, and not nearly enough attention is given to something whose effects we're still feeling almost 100 years later. It can be on either front, Western or Eastern, or The Gallipoli Campaign at the Dardanelles. I'd even love a political thriller set before then. Of course that's covering a good 40 years previous, but it's all fascinating stuff.

Further reading:
Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman (1962 Pulitzer Prize winner in general non-fiction since Pulitzer's will stated the history category had to be American history). Possibly the best book on the convoluted alliances that led up to the war. There's also a 1964 documentary based on it by the same name.

The Proud Tower: A Portrait of the World Before the War, 1890-1914 by Barbara Tuchman. Not as clear as her previous, but if you want to understand what led to WWI, a must read.

A World Undone: The Story of the Great War, 1914 to 1918 by G.J. Meyer. A popular history book that's much shorter and readable than the 3 volume scholarly The First World War by Hew Strachan, also a great book, if you can get through it. (I couldn't.)

The Fall of Eagles by Cyrus Leo Sulzberger. More on what led up to WWI and its aftermath; the collapse of three great European dynasties -- the Romanovs, the Habsburgs and the Hohenzollerns. Also a mini-series with Patrick Stewart. Yes, that Patrick Stewart.

First World War. A great site with everything from battlefield tours to how it all began.

The World War I Document Archive. This archive of primary documents from World War I has been assembled by volunteers of the World War I Military History List (WWI-L).

PBS's The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century. It's PBS, I think that says it all.

BBC -- History -- World War One. From beginnings to the new air war, this site has it all.

Dutch Treat

Growing up in New York state, only miles from Sleepy Hollow (yes, that Sleepy Hollow) I had early exposure to Dutch history and folklore. Maybe numerous retellings of Washington Irving's "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" (though I can't bring myself to see the Johnny Depp version; I know he's brilliant, but I can't bear anyone tampering with Ichabod Crane.)planted the seed and later the Valerie Sherwood novels I gobbled in college watered it. However it started, I'm noticing Dutch references in my own stories more often than not.

An urban legend about the ghost of a Dutch settler spooks the heroine of my first historical, My Outcast Heart. The hero of "Never Too Late" has a Dutch name, the heroine of my time travel WIP is proud of her Dutch heritage and one of the core families in the saga I'm co-writing with a partner is Dutch. In a novel I'm shopping around now, Jonnet and Simon fall in love while in the Dutch exile of the English Civil War. So, what's the appeal? Beyond the wooden shoes, cheese and tulips?

The Netherlands, or The Low Countries, depending on the period, enjoys a golden age during my favorite periods to set my romances. Duking it out with England and Spain for mastery of the seas, and the booming trade of the Renaissance, Dutch merchants and explorers traveled across the oceans to the Caribbean, and the New World. Tons of story potential both on the respectable side, and during the golden age of piracy that followed.

When a college friend tracked me down across campus to physically put a Valerie Sherwood novel in my hand and tell me I had to read it, the history and legends I'd absorbed in childhood took on a new dimension as I read her tales of love and adventure, in the bustling city of Amsterdam and the wilds of New Amsterdam colony with the wealth of the patroons contrasted with the new land. I knew I had to know more and more. In fact, I gleaned so much that I was able to ace a colonial history exam with an essay question about Dutch contributions to colonial society. Trust me, we can thank Dutch ingenuity in ice travel for keeping colonial trade going during the colonial winters.

Dutch women, historically, often had more rights and freedoms than their English sisters. They had an easier time if they wanted or needed to fend for themselves economically, even instigate divorce. Now wouldn't that be an interesting twist?

Ingenuity flourishes throughout Dutch history, with farmers, artists, artisans, scholars and nobles abounding. With the current market expanding to include a wider variety of settings, and the Fox network about to debut their New Amsterdam drama series, maybe readers will be interested in discovering a few Dutch treats of their own.