tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111268153034999272.post7623103900181892256..comments2024-01-15T19:42:35.437-08:00Comments on The Secret Archives of the Alliterati: GUEST POST: Why Write Historical Fiction?Matthew Delmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11452378192874048547noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111268153034999272.post-12390080169053573332010-04-16T22:30:22.143-07:002010-04-16T22:30:22.143-07:00I don't know about any more difficult than any...I don't know about any more difficult than any other writing-- but it was certainly fun. It's definitely a first novel, haha, but I'm still fond of it.L. T. Hosthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12448176940211118898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111268153034999272.post-4148731978012422482010-04-16T18:45:25.040-07:002010-04-16T18:45:25.040-07:00That's an interesting point, my Lady. I'...That's an interesting point, my Lady. I'm glad you raised it.<br /><br />It seems to me fairly easy to write a mediocre mystery - merely follow some basic rules to churn out something average at best - but very hard indeed to write a quality mystery. And I suggest that's true of all genres.Gary Corbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14759372069119740227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111268153034999272.post-4213422372087286422010-04-16T18:24:53.920-07:002010-04-16T18:24:53.920-07:00Great post! I have a great respect for mystery wri...Great post! I have a great respect for mystery writers. I think a good mystery is one of the most difficult things to write!Michelle D. Argylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09696465137285587646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111268153034999272.post-1025152505991382692010-04-16T17:33:20.103-07:002010-04-16T17:33:20.103-07:00Writing Gods and Goddesses must surely be hard to ...Writing Gods and Goddesses must surely be hard to do.Gary Corbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14759372069119740227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111268153034999272.post-74361137339139971272010-04-16T16:26:10.387-07:002010-04-16T16:26:10.387-07:00Glad you asked-- it was a story about what happene...Glad you asked-- it was a story about what happened to the classical gods (Greek/ Roman) when the new Christian god started gaining popularity. My MC was the North Wind (though I made her, uh, a her) and I couched it in Europe with the Germanic tribes warring with the Roman territories, who were trying to convert the barbarians. There were wizards, and of course the classical gods, so I quantify it as a historical fantasy. :)L. T. Hosthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12448176940211118898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111268153034999272.post-76632770310210219312010-04-16T16:20:30.804-07:002010-04-16T16:20:30.804-07:00Hi Amalia.
Byzantine mysteries seem to be few a...Hi Amalia. <br /><br />Byzantine mysteries seem to be few and far between, but there is one series I know of that's pretty good: The John the Eunuch Mysteries, by Mary Reed & Eric Mayer.Gary Corbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14759372069119740227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111268153034999272.post-23591962101306867362010-04-16T16:12:45.490-07:002010-04-16T16:12:45.490-07:00Hi L.T.
I'm curious. What fantasy did you ...Hi L.T. <br /><br />I'm curious. What fantasy did you put into that book?Gary Corbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14759372069119740227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111268153034999272.post-48182791709457560312010-04-16T16:10:54.663-07:002010-04-16T16:10:54.663-07:00Thanks Bane. The Neanderthal would be a toughie, ...Thanks Bane. The Neanderthal would be a toughie, of course, but it should be good for at least one book! <br /><br />You'd have to give them speech, or dialogue would be tricky. But there's evidence for speech. I imagine a situation where there's rivalry with the camp of homo sapiens next door, and someone's died in between the camps.<br /><br />Charlemagne would be much easier!Gary Corbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14759372069119740227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111268153034999272.post-61650389060946478742010-04-16T11:26:17.383-07:002010-04-16T11:26:17.383-07:00Actually Early Byzantine/Early Christian Rome is a...Actually Early Byzantine/Early Christian Rome is a pretty understudied time in history even in Academia. I was fortunate to have a history professor at my school who specialized in that field, so I was able to take a class on Byzantine Civ which was quite honestly fascinating, and I was pointed in the direction of quite a few primary sources I otherwise might never have seen. It's so strange that we overlook that period a lot-- maybe because it was so tumultuous and so different from what we consider the Christian world to be today. But there are a LOT of interesting elements that would make a great book. I mean, Eunuchs alone add a great deal of culture that we no longer have in the modern world. Let me tell you, reading about the Eunuch and the role they played in society is fascinating and bizarre, both. <br /><br />I'd love to see something written around Charlemagne's time. It's very reminiscent of King Arthur, I think. My husband is just starting to study it and get it into now-- that was the one history class he didn't take with me in college. Charlemagne himself is a very interesting character.<br /><br />Great post, Gary! You've got my wheels turning for future novels now.Amalia Dillinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13005039978668326144noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111268153034999272.post-76973025025623845112010-04-16T09:13:21.721-07:002010-04-16T09:13:21.721-07:00My first book was actually a historical FANTASY se...My first book was actually a historical FANTASY set in the transition period of Rome, about 300-400 AD, towards the end of Constantine. I loved that story because even though it was a fantasy, the history made it seem almost plausible. <br /><br />Someday I'll play around with this again. I love historical fiction. Great post, and I have to say thank you too for guest-ing for us!L. T. Hosthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12448176940211118898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111268153034999272.post-9166836673011277482010-04-16T09:03:34.831-07:002010-04-16T09:03:34.831-07:00Gary, this was fantastic, per your usual. One of m...Gary, this was fantastic, per your usual. One of my first stories was set in 83 B.C. Rome (and China) lots of fun, and learned a lot, but I'd love to see more Charlemagne-era books... and a Neanderthal mystery could be amazingly wicked, IMO.Joshua McCunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17367262185912463258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111268153034999272.post-41064564131181866602010-04-16T07:52:52.590-07:002010-04-16T07:52:52.590-07:00Thanks for the opportunity to be here, Stephanie e...Thanks for the opportunity to be here, Stephanie et al.!Gary Corbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14759372069119740227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111268153034999272.post-18172885818099464572010-04-16T07:43:36.632-07:002010-04-16T07:43:36.632-07:00Easter Island is totally cool. I enjoyed Collapse...Easter Island is totally cool. I enjoyed Collapse by Jared Diamond. It's non-fiction, but provides an intriguing theory as to why Easter Island went kaput. <br /><br />I can't think of a single novel set their either. Hmmmm...<br /><br />Thanks for the guest post, Gary!Stephanie Thorntonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17437077559099315853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111268153034999272.post-82736738940752055472010-04-16T07:15:16.878-07:002010-04-16T07:15:16.878-07:00Stephanie asked me about the showdown between da V...Stephanie asked me about the showdown between da Vinci and Michaelangelo.<br /><br />It happened in 1504 when <i>both of them</i> were commissioned to decorate the council room of Florence. Talk about overkill.Gary Corbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14759372069119740227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111268153034999272.post-76950145173224021952010-04-16T07:14:23.696-07:002010-04-16T07:14:23.696-07:00Thanks Elisabeth, glad you like the ideas. There&...Thanks Elisabeth, glad you like the ideas. There's only one way you'll get to read all these stories though. You'll have to write a few yourself...Gary Corbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14759372069119740227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111268153034999272.post-49980036084773371902010-04-16T07:07:49.247-07:002010-04-16T07:07:49.247-07:00Hi Rick. Then you would love the Flashman stories...Hi Rick. Then you would love the Flashman stories of George MacDonald Fraser. Fraser set the gold standard for historical accuracy. <br /><br />Flashman blunders his way through every great military disaster of the Victorian age (he led the Charge of the Light Brigade and fought at Custer's Last Stand, to name only two), yet despite being a cad, a bully, and a bounder, he always emerges with laurels.Gary Corbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14759372069119740227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111268153034999272.post-90551514704633112122010-04-16T06:19:15.389-07:002010-04-16T06:19:15.389-07:00I might actually be salivating after reading this ...I might actually be salivating after reading this list.Elisabeth Blackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08962421339750272755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7111268153034999272.post-73049636514620034942010-04-16T06:11:41.636-07:002010-04-16T06:11:41.636-07:00Great post, thanks Gary!
I like historical fictio...Great post, thanks Gary!<br /><br />I like historical fiction that seems so spot-on you can't tell where the lines are drawn between the novel and the real story. My favorite novel is Ken Follett's THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH, which paints a very vivid picture of life in the middle ages and the climax seamlessly dovetails into a historic event - the murder of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury.Rick Daleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com