Historical Romance - Blending Fact with Emotion by Victoria Gray

Welcome back to History Undressed my good friend and author, Victoria Gray!  She's here with us today, not only celebrating another release (can't wait to read it!), but chatting about a hot topic amongst readers and writers alike--blending fact with fiction. Don't forget to enter the contest for a chance to win an ebook of Victoria's novel, Surrender to Your Touch.

Historical Romance – Blending Fact with Emotion

by Victoria Gray

Whydo I love reading and writing historical romance?  The answer is actually quite simple.  Historical romances transport me to anothertime and place and immerse me in a love story. Before I started writing historical romance, I never considered the skillfulbalance between facts and emotion in these stories, the delicate weave of detailswithin a love story that creates a sense of time and place and brings the plotand the characters to life.  Now, as awriter of historical romance, I know firsthand the challenge of blending factsinto a story without creating information overload.

Whilethe developing emotional relationship between the heroine and her hero is thecentral focus of historical romance, historical details serve to sweep thereader away to another time and place.  Infusingfacts throughout the story without sounding like a travel guide is a writer’schallenge.  Research, layering details throughmultiple revisions, and a willingness to cut facts that don’t enhance the storyare my keys to achieving balance between historical detail, story flow, andemotional intensity.  

Ofcourse, thorough research is a given.  Historicalinaccuracies pull a reader out of a story, while details about historicalevents, clothing, food, transportation, communication, occupations, and socialstructure—the list could go on and on— provide scaffolding for a believablestory.

AfterI become familiar with the essential characteristics of an era, I map out theplot and research specific aspects of the time period that may factor into thestory.  What weapons were available?  What historical events, landmarks, and peoplemight have impacted the characters’ lives? What literary and artistic workswere prominent during that era?  In mynew release, Surrender to Your Touch, theUnion occupation of Norfolk, Virginia during the Civil War creates additionaldanger for the hero, outcast Rebel officer Will Reed, while the Union’s use ofhis family’s historical home, a James River plantation, adds to Will’s profoundsense of loss.  Angel in My Arms features Union spy Amanda Emerson’s visit to Confederatefirst lady Varina Davis and her mission to Richmond’s Libby Prison to rescue adouble agent,  while Destiny factors the heroine’s love of tragic romances into thecharacter’s development.  Research to identifypopular authors of the heroine’s time provided details that fleshed out EmmaDavenport’s actions and dialogue.  Thesehistorical details add to the tapestry of the story.

Howmuch historical detail brings a story to life without bogging it down?  That depends on the story.  Are historical events plot elements, or doesthe historical setting provide a context for the story?  Surrenderto Your Touch, Angel in My Arms and Destinyare set against the background of the Civil War, but the key plot events areentirely fictional.  Historical detailswoven throughout the story create a sense of time and place, and references tohistorical figures can add to a character’s development, but historical name-droppingcan result in detail overload.  Yourcharacters shouldn’t sound like Joan Rivers on a time travel adventure.

Everyauthor develops a method that works best for him or her.  To me, research, layering details, andrevision are the keys to crafting a love story that transports the reader toanother time and place.   

Here’s alittle about Surrender to Your Touch:

Will Reed is out to settle a brutal score. Thedisgraced Rebel officer's own men want him hanged, and an enemy has ordered himkilled. Intent on clearing his name and evening the score with thosewho betrayed him, he begins with the woman he once loved—Union spy KateSinclair.

For years, Kate used seduction as a lure. She knew betterthan to let her heart get involved--until she fell in love with Will. Grievinghis death, Kate's joy at discovering him alive shatters when she is confrontedby a bitter, vengeful man—a man who'll stop at nothing to learn the truth ofher betrayal. As danger pursues them, Kate fights to tear down the barriersWill has erected around his heart, but her most powerful weapon may ultimatelydestroy her—surrender.

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I hope readers will stop by my websiteand my blog, www.victoriagrayromance.com; www.victoriagrayromance.blogspot.com.

I’dlove for you to friend me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter.

CONTEST:   Based on the story blurb, who would you liketo see portray Kate and Will if this were a movie? One lucky commenter will wina pdf of Surrender to Your Touch. Winnerwill be announced on Monday, October 10.

Surrender to Your Touch is available from The Wild Rose Press in print and e-book.