It was bound to happen at some point
I've hit a brick wall with "The White Doe." Said wall will only be bulldozed with one thing: research. I've set this book in Roanoke colony, which means I need lots of research. Lots. With "Tapestry Threads," medieval studies had always been a pet history topic of mine, so I mainly did some more reading and brushing up. Also, I wasn't dealing with a specific place or time, so I could be loose with geography and people (it wasn't like I set in the court of Henry V or something like that).
Roanoke colony, now, there's some more homework. I've been researching things like how many people were there, types of boats, the native culture. I found a WONDERFUL book of John White's drawings of the New World. I've been getting reacquainted with the local library and have found quit a good bit of information. This might seem a bit "DUH!" but I actually have not set food in a public library in maybe 10 years. I am somehow amazed at the access to all these books, for free. Just as well, my library is full to bursting, especially with review books that I really need to sort and donate or put on Bookmooch.
Back to Roanoke. I'm at a point in White Doe where I could go a couple ways. I could research until my little brain bleeds and make it as accurate a picture of the colony as possible (accurate with a unicorn prancing about the lands, that is). I could create a fictitious colony that is obviously Roanoke to anyone who knows the least bit about it. I could set the time a bit later, maybe a century, when there were multiple colonies in the area, so would just have to research life and not specific people. Ahh, the questions that bombard historical fantasy. But I love it. Methinks this could end up being my genre focus.
Roanoke colony, now, there's some more homework. I've been researching things like how many people were there, types of boats, the native culture. I found a WONDERFUL book of John White's drawings of the New World. I've been getting reacquainted with the local library and have found quit a good bit of information. This might seem a bit "DUH!" but I actually have not set food in a public library in maybe 10 years. I am somehow amazed at the access to all these books, for free. Just as well, my library is full to bursting, especially with review books that I really need to sort and donate or put on Bookmooch.
Back to Roanoke. I'm at a point in White Doe where I could go a couple ways. I could research until my little brain bleeds and make it as accurate a picture of the colony as possible (accurate with a unicorn prancing about the lands, that is). I could create a fictitious colony that is obviously Roanoke to anyone who knows the least bit about it. I could set the time a bit later, maybe a century, when there were multiple colonies in the area, so would just have to research life and not specific people. Ahh, the questions that bombard historical fantasy. But I love it. Methinks this could end up being my genre focus.