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Saturday 8 October 2022

Book Spotlight - Anna Belfrage Her Castilian Heart

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Anna Belfrage

Breathing life into the past—or the importance of research when writing historical fiction

I write historical fiction. Well, not exclusively, but mostly my characters (and I) end up stuck in the past. My first book was set in the 17th century, my latest in the 13th. One of my WIPs is set in the same time frame as Helen’s fabulous Jesamiah [Sea Witch Voyages] books, i.e. the first few decades of the 18th century. Not a century I ever intended to write about, but there you go, sometimes things happen.

Another of my WIPs is set in the 14th century, I have one set in the 15th century and, of course, I have to write the final book (one hopes) about Robert and Noor and their adventures in the late 13th century.

My latest release, Her Castilian Heart, features Robert and Noor. They’re fictional characters who inhabit the same world as Edward I and his queen, Eleanor of Castile. I like having fictional characters as my protagonists as that allows me to go a tad wild and crazy plot wise. But it is the real characters, the real events, that create the structure and the world in which my imaginary people live and breathe.

This, of course, is why any serious writer of historical fiction takes their research seriously. And it’s not only about the kings and the queens, the significant battles or other important events. Is about digginginto the past, researching what curfew meant, and how people lit their homes in the dark, and what they ate during Lent—or the long Advent fast. It is about attempting to understand the constant presence of the church (and God) in the lives of medieval people, to step away from our relatively democratic here and now to a time when most people did not have a voice.

Writers, particularly of historical fiction do a lot of digging!

Digging for the facts- Hunterian Psalter c. 1170
[Helen: you can tell he's a writer, look at that expression
- he's so obviously thinking about that next chapter!]

Serious research requires understanding just how much hard work went into, for example, doing laundry. All those linen shirts, all those braies and shifts, all those sheets were first soaked—in some cases in urine to add a certain bleaching effect—then they were boiled with lye after which they had to be rinsed and rinsed and rinsed. Handling lye was not without risks: this is a highly corrosive substance that can leave you with bad burns if you spill it on your skin.

Jean-Baptiste_Greuze - The_Laundress
La Blanchisseuse) Google Art Project

Most of that research will never make it into the finalised book. But it underpins the story, helps anchor the writer to the chosen era and somehow bleeds into the text, adding atmosphere to the narrative.

I recently read a post on social media where a writer asked for help. They’d just finished this fabulous story and as it was meant to be a historical romance, now they needed help with finding an adequate period. “I am thinking a medieval setting would be nice”, the writer said, going on to wonder if anyone could recommend such a setting—preferably naming a country and a castle or two in which to have her characters come alive.

I shuddered.

This, IMO, is not historical fiction. Historical fiction is usually born out of a passion for history, and it follows that choosing the era is one of the first things you do, generally because you’ve been inspired by an event or a person. The person above posting for advice is not writing a historical novel. Rather, that person is potentially writing a historical fantasy (although, in my experience, the best historical fantasy also requires a solid grounding in history) and would benefit from inventing the setting, complete with whatever castles are required to spin the story.

Please note that I am in no way questioning the quality of the story our advice-seeker has written. I am merely stating that if the history isn’t a fundamental part of the narrative from the start, it doesn’t qualify as historical fiction.

Recently, I was at a lecture given by a writer who has written a book about Philippa, daughter of Henry IV of England and queen of Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Fascinating lady, this! I was really looking forward to listening to the author, but was more or less immediately disappointed when I realised that she had not done any research—she’d hired someone to do it for her. Que???? My desire to read said book more or less went up in smoke immediately. Why, you may ask. Well, because it is my experience it is the writer’s passion—and knowledge—of their period that makes for a good read. There is very little passion if you’ve outsourced the research.

I don’t only write “straight” historical fiction. I also write time travel historicals, plunging my unprepared modern-day protagonists into situations they have little experience in handling. My first series had Alex Lind land rather painfully at the feet of 17th century Matthew Graham. He was a Scottish Presbyterian, she a modern woman who was accustomed to managing her own life as she saw fit. Life would never be the same—for either of them. One of my WIPs features a male time traveller, and let’s just say the transition from high-flying partner in a Private Equity firm to an utterly confused—and very frightened—nobody in the 15th century is hard. Very hard.  To illustrate those difficulties, once again, I need to know just what kind of a world I’ve plunged poor Simon into. (He just keeps on yelling at me to get him out of there—which I have no intention of doing. Yet) So I am now doing a lot of research into the complicated politics of the 1460s and 1470s in England while also reading up on clothes (“Me wear hose and one of those ridiculously short doublets? Never!” says Simon) and food, and trade and. . . Long, long list.

For me, like most of my fellow writers of historical fiction, the research adds colour and smells and noise. It gives context and slowly, slowly you begin building the world your characters have to survive. A hard task? Yes. But also one of the most rewarding aspects of writing historical fiction!

Anna’s latest release  Her Castilian Heart

About the Book

Blood is not always thicker than water…

At times a common bloodline is something of a curse—or so Robert FitzStephan discovers when he realises his half-brother, Eustace de Lamont, wants to kill him.  

A murderous and greedy brother isn’t Robert’s only challenge.  He and his wife, Noor, also have to handle their infected relationship with a mightily displeased Queen Eleanor—all because of their mysterious little foundling whom they refuse to abandon or allow the queen to lock away.

Eustace is persistent. When Robert’s life hangs in the balance, it falls to Noor to do whatever it takes to rip them free from the toothy jaws of fate. Noor may be a woman, but weak she is not, and in her chest beats a heart as brave and ferocious as that of a lioness. But will her courage be enough to see them safe?


Buy Links:

Universal Link: http://myBook.to/HEART

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3cj9TIq

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3dVZuCE

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3KfqvgF

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3AIBfks

REVIEW

“I have been fortunate enough to have read the first two books in this series, so I was waiting for its continuation with excitement. Her Castilian Heart surpassed all my expectations for this series. Anna Belfrage has become a master at the historical romance genre and I can recommend all she has written.

When reviewing a continuing series I always ask if this book can still be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel. The answer is an emphatic yes! The author does an exceptional job of dropping in the salient points from previous episodes so the reader is never left wondering about what went before. Her mix of fascinating real events and characters from history combines perfectly with the fictional experiences of her main protagonists in the story. The romance is real and you can feel the love and passion between Robert and Noor pouring from every page. The love scenes are sweet, romantic, and intensely passionate. What I particularly love about Noor is her strength of character and her unwavering courage to speak against those in power who make decisions, when she vehemently disagrees with them, despite the possible consequences. She was a woman not afraid to speak her mind at a time when women were very much decorative collectibles or tools for men to form alliances.

For those who love medieval battles and fighting, they will slake their thirst well in this story but for me, it was the tender, beautiful, sweet moments between Robert, Noor, and their expanded circle that I will remember the most. I am so looking forward to the next iteration in this journey that is promised with the next book. This is a fantastic read and one I can highly recommend.” Five star review, READER’S FAVORITE by Grant Leishman

Had Anna been allowed to choose, she’d have become a time-traveller. As this was impossible, she became a financial professional with three absorbing interests: history, romance and writing. Anna always writes about love and has authored the acclaimed time travelling series The Graham Saga, set in 17th century Scotland and Maryland, as well as the equally acclaimed medieval series The King’s Greatest Enemy which is set in 14th century England.  More recently, she has published Her Castilian Heart, the third in her medieval Castilian series set against the conquest of Wales. She has also written a new time travel romance, The Whirlpools of Time.

Find out more about Anna, her books and enjoy her eclectic historical blog on her website, www.annabelfrage.com 

Social Media links

Website: www.annabelfrage.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/abelfrageauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annabelfrageauthor

Instagram: https://instagram.com/annabelfrageauthor

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/anna-belfrage

Amazon Author Page: http://Author.to/ABG

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6449528.Anna_Belfrage




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Website: https://helenhollick.net/

Amazon Author Page: https://viewauthor.at/HelenHollick 

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The SEA WITCH VOYAGES
nautical adventures set during the Golden Age of Piracy

If you liked Pirates Of The Caribbean?
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Amazon:
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2 comments:

  1. Thank you for both the spotlight and the lovely review says Anonymous Anna 😀

    ReplyDelete

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