George WB Scott was born in Stuart, Florida
where he lived until he went to college in North Carolina. After graduation from
Appalachian State University, he went into television news in Tennessee and is now an independent video producer and writer, living in Knoxville with his
wife Mary Leidig. He has written a childhood memoir,
"Growing Up In Eden," and two historical novels, "I Jonathan, a
Charleston Tale of the Rebellion," and "The Good King, A Medieval
Thriller." He is currently working
on a novel set in Ohio, Texas, France and Florida during the first half of the
20th century. Today he shares his insights on including historical figures into historical fiction.
NOT TRUE, BUT DEFINITELY NOT FAKE
"I pledge myself not to fake anything."
This is a 1971 quote from renowned author James Michener in an interview by the Academy of Achievement. Michener is an inspiration to me, and to many writers. Historical fiction writers try to get it right, while building characters and situations to tell the author's stories.
When I wrote "I Jonathan," my first historical novel, I spent more than a decade reading, studying, working to get it right, not to "fake" anything.
The challenge as a writer is to put a character into a believable world based on facts, as best we can know them from our vantage point. And we all come from "another where and when," as we craft the story in another time. So we must do the best we can to faithfully recreate the world inhabited by our characters.
My book's main character is fictional. He comes from a different culture (New England and France) to the American South during the American Civil War. Jonathan very briefly encounters Robert E. Lee in Charleston, in 1861. He was commander of the Southern forces around Charleston early in the war, and helped save some buildings during the great fire. This is documented.
Vice President John C. Breckinridge appears on his presidential campaign, and other prominent people are at some point on the scene. They are often peripheral characters whose presence would be hard to ignore in those times. They did not drive the story, and are used more for authentic atmosphere of the times than active elements.
Jonathan, foreign to this culture, is a witness from Boston to an ostensibly Christian society based on kindness and charity, learning how it justifies holding thousands of fellow humans in permanent and hereditary bondage. For profit. This is one of his conflicts, and I must build a credible world for him to interact with.
My research includes subjects that are not usually part of the popular mystique of the Old South—particularly the Low Country. The book explores occupations of the hundreds of free Blacks in the town, the Jewish population in Charleston, and the lives, work and entertainments of the common people. I include some individuals representing types or categories, such as a root doctor, a military observer in the bell tower of St. Michael's Church, Irish merchants, workers and policemen, and a blockade-running sea captain who was patterned after an actual personality. These characters are often composites, with traits of multiple historical characters.
As Jonathan meets historical figures like U.S. Army Major Robert Anderson at Fort Sumter, the photographer George Cook, and Abner Doubleday who many readers will know as the "inventor of baseball (false)," he learns about Charleston and environs. These and the historic figures are the texture, the touchstones for the tale of a young man coming to terms with his own beliefs, doubts and feelings.
Robert Smalls is also documented. He later became a South Carolina legislator and is best known for his theft of the steam transport "Planter." His actions give another fictional character on board ship the platform to justify rebellion from his own family and enslaved situation.
Clara Barton, who later founded the American Red Cross, makes a fleeting appearance across a beach after a terrible battle where she actually tended U.S. troops. She and a fictional nurse from the opposing side share a distant, silent wave and lend Jonathan a moment to reflect on a feminine view of the folly of men.
Some scenes are drawn from history, especially from Mary Chesnut's invaluable "A Diary from Dixie," and from historical records, such as the bombardment of Fort Sumter by the Union Navy, and battles of Secessionville and Battery Wagner. One social party is my re-creation of an event that was attended by Mrs. Chesnut. Maimed officers in attendance are commented on by young women watching their men diminished by the then-current "unpleasantness" of war. "Oh, he has his eye out for you," and of a one-armed soldier, "He is going to ask for your hand."
Building a story around the dramatic events of a well-documented series of events such as Civil War Charleston can be an advantage. The writer can "hang the story on the bones of history," as the expression puts it. Indeed, much of my inspiration came from a microfiche film of The Charleston Courier newspaper held in the library of the University of Tennessee.
My second historical novel is very different, as the history in 10-century Bohemia is decidedly less detailed. In a way this is very liberating, as I can use the few historical elements to create an almost wholly fictional story employing the very few facts we know of that time and place.
"Good King Wenceslas" is a favorite Christmas song about a little-known saint and leader of ancient Prague. His basic story is one of grace, with a tragic end. The historical characters offer a mostly blank slate. I based the novel on chronicles and legends of a beatific figure who performed acts of kindness and even miracles. His younger brother is almost wholly unknown except for the castles and churches he built, and that he cold-bloodily murdered his older sibling. They both were children of a totally evil pagan princess, whose grasping claim to power drove her to do any vile thing to regain it. The brothers are also the grandchildren of the very real Saint Ludmila, a pivotal figure who brought advanced agriculture and Christianity to their country.
With these historic people and a few disembodied names associated with the legends, I discovered a basic story and stock of characters I could mold into a plausible drama. I researched Slavic pagan religions, academic archeology and anthropology, folk tales, and elements of more modern traditional Czech life. I built these into a stew of palace intrigue and internal conflict. Finally it developed into a coherent story with a resolution, or at least the striving toward one. Such was my goal.
Much of my research involves histories—books and articles, and there is a great range of readability. I've always loved history, and know that even some famous writers may put lots of information into exciting narratives. And many simply provide lots of information. Writers like Eric Larson can take mundane events around a dramatic happening and craft riveting accounts. Barbara Tuchman gave us medieval Europe through a flashing prospect. Others may do exhaustive research on a president or other important person and compose a manuscript, a trough of molasses that the reader must slog through, held between the covers of a book.
My own great-uncle Lawrence Schoonover wrote historical fiction that mostly upheld the goals of Michener, "not to fake," but built new stories, novels, based on the real, on kings and pashas, queens and heroes. Historical facts are served as side items on a gleaming platter of a savory main course.
C.S. Forester wrote the thrilling Horatio Hornblower series and took us into the world of sailing ships of the Napoleonic era. Admiral Nelson, as I recall, made only a brief appearance. His are new stories, solidly based on the naval publications of the period—real events.
Even writers of fantasy must have some identifiable framework to build on. J.R.R. Tolkien's wonderful world of Middle Earth is solidly based on European legends and epics, as well as those of the Middle East. His works even have elements of Biblical, Native American, Far Eastern and African traditions. Frank Herbert's "Dune" series has the vibes of palace intrigue from medieval European royal courts.
I love Michener because he was unafraid to tackle the big issues, the big stories. And he wrote so many by telling the little stories, the ones of the people peripheral to the main event. His characters surround the larger historical figure of the king, or the general, the chief, the emperor. We learn much by listening in the head of the serving boy, the concubine, or the soldier, where we see the trials of the time through his more personal experiences. I first read "Hawaii" when I was about fourteen, and I was hooked. Historical fiction! And hundreds, thousands write in that genre. Worlds to discover!
Novels are, by their very name, "new stories," so the reader expects that all aspects are not "true." But in the words of Michener, good historical novels are "not fake."
I use old newspapers for background when I can. I particularly like "Chronicling America" Library of Congress website. The "LOC" has historical maps for geographical references. Interlibrary loan is also valuable. Go online and discover what you can find through your local library.
So, to writers of historical fiction, the obvious advice from the masters is: do your research, verify your facts, and create your own (new) story.
Your historical novel—your new story—can be, if not quite true, definitely not fake!
Blog Host, Helena P. Schrader, is the author of
the Bridge to Tomorrow Trilogy.
The first two volumes are available now, the third Volume will be released later this year.
The first battle of the Cold War is about to begin....
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USAF Captain J.B. Baronowsky and RAF Flight
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