One of the biggest challenges I face as a writer is an unerring attention to detail that ensures I get my facts straight!
I was the Chief of Police for many years, and one of the biggest lessons I learned was that accuracy REALLY matters.
Police officers work hard to assess situations accurately, and they rely on meticulous facts to solve tough cases. When I retired from the police force and decided to try my hand at writing, I brought my constant quest for truth and authenticity with me!
Historical fiction requires you to have a solid base of specific facts. Sure, there’s plenty of artistic license, but if you don’t start with a fairly accurate portrayal of events and characters, you’ll have readers lined up to tell you what you got wrong!
History buffs are notorious sticklers for accuracy, so I never begin a new book without doing LOTS of research first. It takes many, many hours, and a substantial stack of notecards to truly research a historical event, but I see it as a personal challenge!
I like knowing that if a reader has questions, I could provide a reference showing them that events unfolded just as I wrote them. I use my imagination to reconstruct conversations, feelings, and I even take some liberties with appearances, but I never mess with cold, hard facts!
I’m always proud of my ability to blend fact with fiction to create a fun and exciting story that brings history to life. The research may be challenging, but it’s worth it to be able to share real events and compelling characters.
