Why I Write Historical Fiction

With another book that just released, now seems like the perfect time to talk about why I choose to write historical fiction.

There could be a couple answers for that. 

The History, of Course.

I love diving into the past and exploring the way things used to be. History was always my favorite subject in school. No matter what time period or civilization I was learning about, the pages of the history book always flew.

But more than the big events of history–the wars, the government overthrows, the national conflicts–I loved learning little facts about everyday life. My favorite book series was Little House on the Prairie (no surprise), and I read that series until my set was faded, stained, and held together by tape.  

The Comfort of the Era

The other part of why I write historical fiction is because an older era feels natural to me. 

My family lives on a little farm in the heart of Nebraska. We have animals of all kinds from chickens to goats to pigs to horses to cows. We have a giant garden (actually a few of them) where we grow tomatoes to can for the winter, herbs to dry for tea, and apples to turn into applesauce.

Three of our cows provide milk for us at the moment, and my dad and brothers milk them by hand morning and night.

See why I loved Little House on the Prairie so much? It was almost like reading about my own life (minus some nice, time-saving equipment).

I can’t always say whether my own life influenced certain scenes in my books or not–but sometimes it’s obvious. In A Choice of Love, Matt’s issues with the milk cow can definitely be traced to one of our own stubborn cows. No one likes the name Linette to this day. 🙂

The Peace of a Non-Tech World

As I read about the past, I’m always struck by the sense of community neighbors had with one another. Family relationships tended to be stronger. The whole pace of life seemed slower.

Fiction specializes in tense circumstances, of course, but I love attempting to add these elements to my stories as I’m able.

I’ve been blessed by many opportunities to experience the past in my own life, in every way from listening to stories handed down from my grandparents to reenacting an 1880’s school day for my local museum.

It’s a joy for me as an author to be able to take things that are normal in my life, give them a historical spin, and create a story for you.

Do any of those reasons resonate with why you read historical fiction? I’d love to hear why you find yourself reaching for a story that will sweep you back into the past! Feel free to drop a note in the comments.