N. Gemini Sasson's Blog, page 21
July 20, 2010
Author Greta van der Rol discusses bringing historical figures to life
In the previous post, guest blogger Greta van der Rol talked about her research of the events before and after the wreck of the Dutch ship Batavia. In this one, she'll give us some insight into how she developed her characters from that information:
"Okay, so I had a pretty good idea of the recorded facts and the historical and visual context. But that's not a novel, is it? Characters make novels.
Always, always I went back to the journal to try to see into these people's minds. Most historians...
July 18, 2010
Author Greta van der Rol discusses researching the historical novel
I'm always curious how other writers of historical fiction research not just events, but the people they're writing about. Greta van der Rol, author of Die a Dry Death, was gracious enough to write two guest posts for me. The first one here will examine how she uncovered the detailed events that provided the framework for her fascinating book. The next post will discuss how she got into the minds of the historical figures who took part, to weave those events into a plot driven by said...
July 12, 2010
Formatting the interior of your book
One comment that I've received frequently is that the interior layout of my historical novel, The Crown in the Heather, is on par with any traditionally published book. Of all the things an indie author can do when putting a book together themselves, formatting the interior is perhaps the easiest thing to do well – and without added cost, since you can do it yourself. In a previous post, I skimmed over some of the elements I used to give my interior a little more pizzazz. Here, I'll expan...
July 7, 2010
Best Non-Fiction about Robert the Bruce
One wonderful aspect about historical fiction is that it entertains while educating and often inspires readers to learn more about a certain era or historical figure. Remember when the miniseries based on Alex Haley's Roots was on TV and people suddenly started researching their geneology? Okay, maybe some of you aren't as ancient as me, being somewhere past my 39th year, but fictionalized history, whether books or film, can get people excited about HISTORY.
In the many years I spent...
June 30, 2010
Die a Dry Death by Greta van der Rol
Based on a true story, Die a Dry Death is a fascinating historical adventure that ratchets up the tension with every turn of the page. Greta van der Rol's accomplished debut novel is a gripping exploration into both the endurance of the human spirit and its darker side. Steeped in authenticity, Die a Dry Death is sure to impress even the most demanding of historical fiction readers.
In 1629, the Dutch ship Batavia is on its maiden voyage from Amsterdam to the East Indies when an uncharted reef...
June 26, 2010
D-I-Y with Kindle, by Lisa Yarde
My fellow blogger over at The Historical Novels Review blog , Lisa Yarde, has just published her first book, On Falcon's Wings, on Amazon's Kindle. The lovely cover was done by the amazing Lance Ganey, graphic artist extraordinaire.If you love medieval fiction and discovering promising new authors, check out On Falcon's Wing's on Amazon. Meanwhile, here's a teaser to pique your interest:
Love united them. Destiny drove them apart.
When Avicia, a Norman noblewoman, makes a careless but...
