Remember When . . . History Was Written?

I’m doing one final read-through of Jewel of Persia before it goes to the printer (yay, paperbacks soon!), and I’m struck anew by something I’ve undoubtedly talked about in pieces before. This book is SO reliant on recorded events!

Not unexpected for a historical, right? Usually I have a few key recorded events in my plots. In Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland for instance, those are (a) George Washington’s resignation from the army and (b) the ratification of the Treaty of Paris. Also sprinkled throughout are references to the terrible winter (worst in their records at that point) and a few smaller events surrounding those big two, like some of the parties for Washington.

But in JoP . . . my goodness, I’d bet every chapter has at least one recorded event. In some ways I look at that and think, “Well, that made my job easy.” But, um, the opposite. When you’re bound by history, it limits what you can do. For instance, when I read a scene where I made two things happen on the same day that are recorded as happening, vaguely, in the same week, I still feel a pang of guilt–even though no one knows the specifics about when either happened, and it makes no difference historically. Ah, the conscience of a historian. 😉

It’s always a fun challenge to weave my own story into history’s–in this case to take a heroine who’s 100% fictional and make all those historical events revolve around her, or at least be filtered through her lens. When The Character Therapist confessed to Googling “Xerxes” and “Kasia” together to see what came up about her, it made me grin in delight. When I make someone wonder if my version of events is real history, then I’m doing my job, LOL.

On a personal note, some of you may know that I hurt my ankle last Thursday. Yesterday it started popping every time I took a step, so I went to get it checked out. Thank the Lord, nothing’s broken. But they gave me an awesome, hard-soled support boot thingy that is SO helpful. I can almost walk normally with it. Woo hoo!

Hope everyone has a great Wednesday! I’ll be posting some winners of my 500th Post Celebration and for Vickie McDonough’s Finally a Bride later today!!