It seem as though there are two types of historical fiction books. One tells a story that takes place in the past. The characters skim along the plot, doing what they do, rarely ever making contact with real historical events or people. That’s not my kind of historical fiction.
I want to both entertain and teach. I want you to see the past and think about the future. I want you to compare what happened back then to what is happening now. I like my historical fiction heavy on historical facts.
That, dear readers, takes time. Usually, for every one day I spent writing Brothers of the Great Crusade, I spent one or two days doing nothing but research. For bigger events or battles, I might spend a whole workweek getting my facts straight. It took an entire month just for me to feel prepared enough to take a stab at D-Day! It’s a good thing I enjoy a challenge, because writing this kind of historical fiction is hard work.
I find it fascinating. But it’s hard. If I’d stuck to murder mysteries, I’d have a full manuscript by now!
Truthfully, Brothers of the Great Crusade carries such an important message. It’s a story America needs right now. Knowing this, I have stayed committed to the grind. I’ve worked hard to fill its pages with as many important facts as I could find. I’ve tried my best to do the Greatest Generation justice by telling the essence of their grand story in the essence of their own words and times.