A Goodreads user
asked
Sharon Kay Penman:
How often do you take artistic license and write events that you know not to be historically accurate for a more interesting story line , or do you strive to be historically accurate as possible?
Sharon Kay Penman
Dear Gary.
I would never change history for a more interesting story line. My conscience wouldn't let me! As I answered a similar question below, sometimes I have to fill in the blanks, but any changes I make with known facts are always relatively minor and I then mention the change in my Author's Notes. For example, in The Sunne in Splendour, Edward had his confrontation with his cousin and captor, Warwick, at Pontefract, having been moved from Middleham, but I chose to keep him at Middleham and then made sure to let my readers know that. One reason my family and friends won't go with me anymore to see historical films is that Hollywood's casual attitude toward history gives me fits. They said they got tired of listening to me muttering into my popcorn that "This is not true!" or "That never happened!"
I would never change history for a more interesting story line. My conscience wouldn't let me! As I answered a similar question below, sometimes I have to fill in the blanks, but any changes I make with known facts are always relatively minor and I then mention the change in my Author's Notes. For example, in The Sunne in Splendour, Edward had his confrontation with his cousin and captor, Warwick, at Pontefract, having been moved from Middleham, but I chose to keep him at Middleham and then made sure to let my readers know that. One reason my family and friends won't go with me anymore to see historical films is that Hollywood's casual attitude toward history gives me fits. They said they got tired of listening to me muttering into my popcorn that "This is not true!" or "That never happened!"
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