Literary Escapism Guest Blog

Jackie Morgan over at the wonderful Literary Escapism site was kind enough invited me to guest blog.  My post, in which I discuss my thoughts and experiences about dealing with history in novels  is up today.  To get you started, here’s the first two graphs: 

Ambrose Bierce said, “God knows the future, but only an historian can alter the past.”  History’s tough.  It’s written by the winners.  It’s a rebuke to the present.  He who does not remember it is condemned to repeat it.  And the historical novel?  Twice the angst at half the price.  By definition, the author wasn’t even there.

Sure, there are all sorts of heady reasons to engage the conceit – it’s a reflection of ourselves, a way of understanding how we got to be who we are, blah-blah-blah.  But, but really, does it offer a genuine advantage or is it just another decoration for something that, at heart, works the same as any other fiction?  Is it merely a matter of taste – a la some like chocolate others strawberry?

For the rest, click here.