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AMERICAN
WEST & INDIANS
By Linda Morelli
Historical Editor
I grew up playing cowboys and Indians with my little brother, and now my
children have taken over the feat. Why not? It's an American tradition, like
apple pie and the Fourth of July, and the fascination with the American West
continues on and on. Whether you're writing about wagon trains, the Gold
Rush, or Indians, I hope you'll find the following links useful.
All About Horses [http://www.jeanrossewing.com/horse.html
] From Jean Ross Ewing's 1998 RWA "The Horse in Romance" Handout,
you'll find lots of good info here.
American Indian Heritage Foundation [http://www.indians.org/index.html
] This site has a tribal directory and Native medicine chart. I checked the
tribal directory and found listings, with phone numbers, for various tribes.
Might be of interest if you want to visit a tribe to get some first-hand
information.
The American West [http://www.americanwest.com/
] Extensive site, with information pertaining to Cowboys, Emigration,
Expansion, Indians, Mining, Outlaws, Pioneers, etc.
The American West [http://www.victorianlinks.com/links/American_West/
] From Miss Mary's Victorian Links, this site has a link to the American
West, an Interactive Sante Fe Trail, Old West Legends, etc. (Note: the link
for Lady Belle's Outlaw Hideout did not work for me.)
American Western Magazine [http://www.readthewest.com/
] Online magazine of the American West, with featured articles dealing with
"Western History" and an "Equine Column." If you click
on "Links to the West," then "Old West," you'll find
such topics as Boot Hill, Tombstone, and other western sites.
America's West - Development & History [http://www.americanwest.com/
] A fun site to visit, with informative links on archaeology, cowboys,
critters, emigration, expansion, "Indians," outlaws, research,
etc.
Cherokee Nation [http://members.aol.com/lredtail/oldsettlers.html
] Online document which deals with the Cherokee Nation and the Trail of
Tears. Interesting, but of limited appeal.
Chronicle of the Old West [http://www.chronicleoftheoldwest.com/cowboy_links.htm
] This site is a stepping stone into several links to the Old West.
Colorado's Old West [http://www.coloradohistory.com/
] Lists Colorado History information, including ghost towns, mines, mining
camps, and information about each county.
Cowboy's.com [http://www.cowboys.com/
] Has some interesting links, including a horse-riding video, but I found
the "historical" link to be of most interest.
Frontier House - Frontier Life [http://www.pbs.org/wnet/frontierhouse/frontierlife/index.html
] An interesting site, from PBS. As their header indicates, they used
"diaries, letters, newspaper articles, and official documents to
provide an insight into the day-to-day lives of settlers who actually lived
on the American frontier. Their stories of adventure, endurance, humor, and
determination are the basis of this ever-changing series of essays. "
Ghost Towns [http://www.ghosttowns.com/
] An interactive site. If you can get beyond the player piano and banjo
music while searching by State, region, then town/site, you'll find some
good information and photographs, plus detailed info on the various ghost
towns throughout the U.S.
Gold Rush [http://www.pbs.org/goldrush/allabout.html
] From PBS, this site covers such topics as The Gold Rush and the American
Dream, Discovery, Fever, The Journey, etc. If you scroll down, you'll find
links to more "Gold Rush" information.
Indian Cures [http://hera.romance-central.com/creativecorner9.htm
] A straightforward listing of Native American cures from Lisa Snyder.
Literature, Culture, Art, Photos of The Old West [http://www.over-land.com/westlit.html
] Interesting site, with lots of information.
National Museum of the American Indian Links [http://www.nmai.si.edu/links/index.html
] This is a comprehensive listing of links regarding culture, history,
tribal home sites, and other links useful for anyone doing research on
Native Americans.
Native American clothes, beadwork, food, and more. [http://www.nativetech.org/
] This is a really cool site. While the news is mostly modern, pertaining to
arts, tribal news, etc., you'll find information on special articles, food
& recipes, and special articles that include instructions on tanning
clothes, making pottery, etc.
Native America Lore [http://www.ilhawaii.net/~stony/loreindx.html
] This site is geared toward lore for several Native American Indian tribes
specific to Turtle Island, but it has a wonderful listing of 150 stories. It
also was selected as a valuable Internet resource for Discovery Channel
School's Discover Magazine.
Native American Spirituality [http://religioustolerance.org/nataspir.htm
] This is a document discussing this topic…and quite informative.
Oregon Trail [http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/Oregontrail.html
] Features a complete primer on the trail, as well as full texts of Trail
diaries and books.
The Overland Trail [http://over-land.com/index.html
] A great site which discusses the Overland Trail. Includes other
fascinating links as Mountain Men and Fur Traders, the Plains Indians, Women
of the West, Old West History, etc.
The Overland Trail - Links to Trails West [http://www.over-land.com/links
] Great site, with links regarding literature, trails, people, photos,
places, transportation, Old West history, etc.
Romancing the Indian [http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/HNS/Indians/main.html
] An extensive site about how Indians were portrayed in novels of Cooper,
Twain, et al. and how they were both sentimentalized and demoralized. Lots
of good info.
Stagecoach Travel [http://www.over-land.com/stcoach.html
] Good info about the various stagecoach lines and travel.
Writer's Guide to the Old West, 1860's-1880's: Western Slang & Phrases [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~poindexterfamily/OldWestSlang.html
] Definitely the place to stop if you want the language your characters
speak to sound realistic. If you scroll down, you'll find some good
information on "Horse Sense, The Western Saddle & Bridle, Gun
Basics, Victorian Names, and links to other Western sites (including several
for cowboy songs).
Don't forget to search online using Google.com, or try the About.com site. I
searched for "American Indian Languages and Resources" and found
an extensive listing with pronunciation information for various Native
American languages on About.com and, from Google.com, the www.Virtual
Library - American Indians [http://www.hanksville.org/NAresources/indices/NAlanguage.html
].
Also, if you have any specific questions, drop me a line and I might include
it with my subsequent columns. Until then, happy huntin' …
Linda Morelli
RomRiter@aol.com
www.lindamorelli.us
April 1,2003
GEORGIAN,
REGENCY AND VICTORIAN Links
By Linda Morelli
Historical Editor
This month, I thought I'd provide you with some "period piece"
links,
specifically those centering on England. Of course, the links below
will
lead you to even more, so have fun "surfing the 'Net"!
Georgian Links:
Britain Express-Georgian Period
[http://www.britainexpress.com/History/Georgian_index.htm
] Links here include
Kings George I, II and II; Daily Life (architecture, furniture, Landscape
gardens, etc.).
Georgian Era [http://mandry.net/veryan/georgian.html
] This neat site offers
social history (including such topics as fashion, cooking, parties,
furniture, literature, city/country life, etc.) and political history
(Jacobite Rebellion, Monarchs of Great Britain, the English Military, etc.),
as well as useful texts and articles.
The Georgian Index [http://www.georgianindex.net/
] An interesting,
comprehensive site, with topics listed alphabetically. I especially
enjoyed
The Napoleonic Pages and spent over an hour just checking out all their
offerings.
Regency Links:
A Regency Repository [http://www.regencylady.com/repository/
] This site lists
art, literature, fashion, personalities, inventions, learning, domestic
arts,
history, etc.
Cupidity-The Regency Collection
[http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~awoodley/index.html
] Lots of info here.
Regency Links [http://www.belgravehouse.com/reglink.htm
] Everything about the
Regency--A Celebration of Regency Romance, the Beau Monde, costumes, etc.
Nice site.
Regency Links [http://www.regencylibrary.com/links/links.htm
] About.com's
Regency Links; includes Regency Lovers' Café, Regency Books, Text and Press
Sites, etc.
The Regency Collection [http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~awoodley/Regency.html
]
Interesting site, where you can find information on famous personalities,
life, history, illustrations, recipes, etc.
The Regency Page [http://locutus.ucr.edu/~cathy/reg.html
] Lots of information
with links to everything pertaining to the Regency era.
Jessamyn's Regency Costume Companion
[http://www.songsmyth.com/costumerscompanion.html
] Great site with some
interesting info on Regency costumes.
Victorian Links:
Exquisite Victorian Sites [http://www.gfy.ku.dk/~ams/sh/victorian.html
] This
site has lots of links covering various categories, including "City,
Social
and Daily Life," and also some "Fun" stuff.
The Library: Virtual Victoria
[http://world.std.com/~swrs/library/virtual_victoria.html ] This is a great
site, which claims to be "Your guide to Victorianism, the Edwardian
era, and
the Belle Epoque on the Web." From the load of links listed, I'd say
their
claim is well deserved.
Miss Mary's Victorian Links [http://www.victorianlinks.com/index.shtml
] This
site offers 500 links to various Victorian topics of interest from Absinthe
(see Food & Drink) to Victorian Female Detectives (see Gender &
Victorian
Popular Culture).
Victorian Links [http://www.lamp.ac.uk/victoria/vctrnlnk.htm
] Useful site, if
limited, compiled by the University of Wales
Victorian Literature, Art, History and Religion on the Internet
[http://www.sylviamilne.btinternet.co.uk/plucked/vic.htm
] Great site,
compiled by Silvia Milne, a retired librarian.
Victorian related links http://killeenroos.com/link/victoria.htm
This is a
great site, with links to everything Victorian, including dance &
dancing,
Christmas customs, historical events, the Victorian gentleman, Jack the
Ripper, Orders of Precedence (how to address titled individuals), info on
Queen Victoria, etc.
William Morris Society: General Victorian Links
[http://www.morrissociety.org/victorian.html
] This is a highly selective list
with an emphasis on people and movements with a on to William Morris
and his circle
Miscellany:
If you are conducting serious research on the Regency or Victorian era,
consider subscribing to the following, available only through email:
The Regency Library [http://www.regencylibrary.com/
] offers period documents,
color fashion plates, weather and climate information, information on daily
life, etiquette, and much more. Delivered by private mailing list weekly.
The Research Library [http://www.researchlibrary.net/
] offers period
documents from the Victorian era in addition to documents on a variety of
topics and time periods. (Ancient Greece to the American West). Email
mailto:suchen@moonstonerp.com
for information or to subscribe.
If you don't find what you need in the above list of links, do a Google.com
search and type in your search topic. Include quotes around the topic for
which you are searching (i.e, "Napoleon, Alba") to narrow down the
results.
Next month: Medieval and Renaissance Links
Linda Morelli
Historical Editor
RomRiter@aol.com
www.lindamorelli.us
February 1, 2003
MEDIEVAL/RENAISSANCE
LINKS
By Linda Morelli
Historical Editor
I spent an interesting couple of days researching the Medieval and
Renaissance periods on the 'Net and found so many Medieval links that I'll
devote a future column to those not listed below. As usual, these links will
lead you to more and, if you're like I am, your time researching these
periods will pass quickly. Enjoy.
A Boke of Gode Cookery [http://www.godecookery.com/godeboke/godeboke.htm ] A
site about Medieval cookery and recipes, along with a lot of info and links
for plants and other Medieval things.
Annenberg/CPB Exhibits: Middle Ages
[http://www.learner.org/exhibits/middleages/feudal.html ] This is a lovely
site, geared primarily for teaching but wonderful for doing research. It
includes an interactive exhibit (not many drawings or pictures), which
focuses on life in the Middle Ages, including homes, clothing, health, arts
&
entertainment, religion and town life. The exhibit includes activities on
cathedrals, clothing, art and medical practices.
Internet Medieval Sourcebook [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook.html ] If
you're looking for the "printed word", or transcriptions from
Europe, the
Islamic Empire and Byzantine Empire and from the classical world to the late
Middle Ages, this is the place to start. This is an extensive online
library.
Knighthood, chivalry & tournaments
[http://www.chronique.com/Library/refrence.htm ] Lists related sites for
those
interested in these topics.
The Labyrinth [http://www.georgetown.edu/labyrinth/ ] Quite an extensive
site
with many major topic areas; i.e., under "Special Topics," you'll
find such
listings as: Arthurian Studies, Crusades, Heraldry, Arms, and Chivalry,
Medieval Women, Vikings, Runes, and Norse Culture, etc. These resources are
primarily for Medieval Studies, and are scholarly resources compiled and
organized from around the world. Even so, you'll no doubt find the research
you need here.
Lancelot's Castle [http://www.geocities.com/Area51/1567/index.html ]
Everything you want to know about Romance, Chivalry, Honor, Valor, Knights
and Arthurian legend
Laura's Medieval & Renaissance Culture Page
[http://www.celticmist.net/renaissa.html ] This is a really neat site, with
some great links, beautiful pictures, links to screensavers and even
downloadable Midi, MP3 and song lyric files. You'll also enjoy the wonderful
medieval music you hear when you first arrive.
Life in the Middle Ages [http://www.beaconlearningcenter.com/ ] Go to
student
resources, then click on Learning Links, then click Discovering Medieval
Times, and you'll find the effort quite worthwhile.
Medieval & Renaissance Cultural Links [http://ic.net/~erasmus/RAZ33.htm
] An
extensive site, covering the topics of Art and Architecture (Up to c.1700);
Cathedrals, Churches, and Abbeys; Chivalry, Romance, and Marriage; Councils,
Ecumenical; General / Links / Miscellaneous; History, General; Knights and
Heraldry; Literature and Documents; Manuscripts; Monasticism and Orders;
Music; Painters and Sculptors (Up to c.1700); Philosophy / Scholasticism:
Concepts; Philosophers and Systems; The Renaissance.
Medieval Life [http://www.medieval-life.co.uk/ ] This site boasts as being
"The Magazine of the Middle Ages," and I have to admit, it offers
some
interesting online articles (by magazine issue) -- truly for in-depth
research fanatics.
Medieval Names Archive [http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/ ] This site
offers
information and guidelines on choosing Medieval names, and names in specific
cultures.
Medieval Sourcebook [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook.html ] The
Internet
Medieval Sourcebook is organized as three main index pages, with a number of
supplementary documents.
Medieval Times [http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/8918/links.html ] An
interesting site with links to Medieval topics, including "A Boke of
Gode
Cookery," mentioned above.
NetSERF [http://www.netserf.org/ ] An Internet connection for medieval
resources, this site covers everything. For instance, in their
"People"
listing, you'll find artists, authors, religious figures, nobility, etc. Got
dizzy just looking through a few of these links.
Odin's Castle of Dreams & Legends http://www.odinscastle.org/odin5.html
This
site has a wealth of information on the Renaissance and Medieval periods. A
must-see site.
Online Reference Book for Medieval Studies [http://orb.Rhodes.edu/index.html
]
An excellent source of information and articles.
Pre-17th-century European history [http://www.florilegium.org/ ] Site of
Stefan's florilegium is a "gathering of flowers" (i.e., tidbits)
of
information. Despite the lead-in, this site has extensive links that cover
just about anything you need to know about pre-17th century European
history.
Highly recommended.
The Renaissance Faire [http://www.renfaire.com/ ] Interesting site, which
features, among other things, An Introduction to Renaissance Faires,
Costuming and Costume Accessories, Language and Pronunciation, and
Historical
Perspectives of the 1500s.
Renascence Editions [http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~rbear/ren.htm ] An
"Online
Repository of Works Printed in English Between the Years 1477 and
1799";
includes a large selection of Shakespeare and Spenser.
The Society for Creative Anachronism [http://www.sca.org/ ] "The
Society for
Creative Anachronism (SCA) is an international organization dedicated to
researching and re-creating pre-17th-century European history." Thus
says the
site's masthead, but it's a really neat site. It offers a wealth of
information (some in PDF format). A sampling of topics covered includes:
Kingdoms and groups, people and customs, heraldry, combat & chivalry.
Don't forget to do a Google.com search is you don't find what you need
above.
Be sure to include quotes around the specific topic for which you are
searching (i.e., "Medieval drinks).
Next month: The American West: Cowboys & Indians
Linda Morelli
Historical Editor
RomRiter@aol.com
March 1, 2003
www.lindamorelli.us
HISTORICAL
RESEARCH: CELTIC, ENGLISH,
IRISH & SCOTTISH LINKS, WITH A FEW CASTLES TOSSED IN
By Linda Morelli
Historical Editor
I don't know about you, but for me, the New Year brings with it an
"I'll do it later" attitude, no doubt because I feel a bit let
down after the holidays. I have to admit, I enjoyed the brief break
from the steady pace of writing. But being an author, I have deadlines
to meet and must eventually face my computer.
So, I thought I'd start the New Year off with a column of historical links
to give you an incentive to do that research you've put off while friends
and relatives visited. My only problem was deciding whether to
concentrate on a specific area of history, or provide you with multiple
links featuring different historical periods. I mean, not every
historical author writes about one particular time in history, right?
In the end, I decided to provide specific periods of history, and the
appropriate links, since it might be easier for you to find the specific
sites you need when you visit GWN's site.
So, my first column of 2003 focuses on Celtic, English, Irish and Scottish
links; and they wouldn't be complete unless I included a few castles.
Enjoy!
Castles of Wales [http://www.castlewales.com/home.html ] The Castles
of Wales web site provides visitors with a lot more than simply a few
photographs of<A HREF=" the most famous Welsh castles. Their pages
cover a wide range of topics related to Welsh castles and Welsh medieval
history, and many of their essays are written by today's leading experts in
their respective fields of study.
Castles on the Web [http://www.castlesontheweb.com/ ] A listing, with
photos and history, of various castles.
Clans & Tartans of Scotland [http://www.scotclans.com/ ] This
site has a searchable database.
Celtic Life - Historical and Educational Links of Interest [http://www.celtic-life.co.uk/historical.htm
] Includes Irish, Welsh, Scottish, Cornish, Breton and links for other
things Celtic.
Celtic Links [http://www.accesscom.com/~wangbick/celtlinks.html ]
Lots of information on everything Celtic.
Celtic Studies Resources [http://www.digitalmedievalist.com/urls/index.html
] Has some great links regarding Celtic Language, culture, art and
archaeology.
Dark Isle - Castles and other historic sites in Scotland [http://www.darkisle.com/
] You'll find a large selection of great photos of Scottish Castles, Manors,
Abbeys; Stone Circles, Cairns; Grave slabs, Pictish Symbols.
Electric Scotland-Scottish History [http://www.electricscotland.com/history/
] A great site with an extensive listing covering Scottish history,
Gaelic literature and music, castles, famous Scots (like Sir William
Wallace), battles, and even audio/video clips, to name a few.
English Historical and Celtic Links [http://members.tripod.com/~Caryl_Williams/UK.html
] This is a marvelous site, with tons of links, including: Old English
Pages, Manuscript Sources for British History, William The Conqueror's
Knights in 1066, Bayeux Tapestry, Kings and Queens of England, BRITISH
HISTORY C.1500-C.1650, Glossary of Terms, Archbishops of Canterbury, British
Cathedrals, British Police History, Mining History Network, and British
Maritime Sites. Celtic Links include Celtic History Links, Every
Celtic thing on the Web (language site with links to Welsh, Gaelic, Cornish,
Breton, Scots Gaelic, Irish Gaelic language learning sites, on-line
dictionaries).
History of Scotland [http://www.netmedia.co.uk/history/future.html ]
Lists various events in Scottish history, with "more to come."
Irish History on the Web [http://wwwvms.utexas.edu/~jdana/irehist.html
] This site includes photos and images in Irish History, general history and
history from 1500-1900, etc.
Scotland's Kings and Queens [http://www.nwlink.com/~scotlass/ ]
Browse through the many listings of Scot royalty. Their listing of
'battles' is in progress.
Scottish Clans/Legends/Folklore & Religions [ http://www.tartans.com/
] Features information for those writing about Scottish history.
Scottish History Online [ http://www.north-scotland.co.uk/ ] Learn
about Scottish clans and check out the wonderful photos.
Scottish Links from Torquil Productions [ http://www.torquil.net/links.html
] These links include culture and history, clans, genealogy, and much more.
As always, if you don't find what you need in the above list of links, try
doing a Google search [ http://www.google.com/ ] and type in your search
topic. Be sure to include quotes (i.e, "Irish Castles") to narrow
down the results.
Next month: Regency and Victorian Links
Linda Morelli
Historical Editor
RomRiter@aol.com
www.lindamorelli.us
January 1, 2003
HISTORICAL
RESEARCH: COSTUMES APLENTY
By Linda Morelli
Historical Editor
This month, my column centers on making sure your writing is true to fact,
at least in your characters' apparel. For instance, you wouldn't have
your heroine wear a whalebone corset, unless she found one stored in an
attic trunk. She certainly wouldn't wear a bra in the 18th Century
unless, of course, your modern heroine travels back in time.
I've listed some of the best basic links I've found online, simply because
there are so many historical costume sites. These should lead you to more
links that will help you find the specific information you need.
Antique
and Vintage Dress Gallery
[ http://www.antiquedress.com/ ] This is one of my favorite sites.
Here you can see actual photographs of dresses, as well as buy them.
(Quick, hide my credit card!)
Barb
Lynx - Clothing & Costumes
[ http://www.oldenfeld.org/garb.html ] A good site for costume research
& samples.
Baroque
Clothing
[ http://www.kipar.org/costumes.html ] A wonderful site featuring
information on men's and women's clothing, surviving clothing, footwear,
accessories, jewelry, and even fabrics, lacework and embroidery.
Clothing
and Costume Links [
http://moas.atlantia.sca.org/topics/clot.htm ] Quite an extensive and
interesting site, one that provides a listing for virtually every type of
costume. I didn't have time to check out all the links (there must be
well over 100), but I found discussions of the various costumes through
history, links on how to make them (with appropriate diagrams), and several
links to images and/or photos.
The
Costume Gallery
[ http://www.costumegallery.com/research.htm ] Great site, with links
regarding "fashion articles to research," "Portfolio of
Costumes," and "Research by Time and Topic."
Costume
Links
[ http://www.mordor.ch/galadriel/Links.html#Anker72805 ] This site has
some fun links--everything from Mediaeval and Victorian costumes to vampire
& other "freaky" stuff.
The
Costume Page [
http://users.aol.com/nebula5/costume.html ] Has over 2,000 links
relating to costume history, ethnic and folk costume, etc. FOR AOL USERS
The
Costume Site: Online Costuming Sources for Historical, Science Fiction, and
Fantasy Costumers
[ http://milieux.com/costume/costume1.html/ ] Links to sites covering
costumes of every conceivable type (including armor) and images.
The
Costumer's Manifesto
[ http://www.costumes.org/ ] A one-stop site for costume information and
images." A truly interesting site that even lists costumes for
sale…in case you want to wear one to a booksigning.
Harper's
Bazar Online Magazine [
hhttp://www.victoriana.com/library/harpers/harpers.html
] An online collection of 19th Century articles, illustrations, and
Victorian fashions taken directly from the 19th Century magazine, Harper's
Bazar. (C.1867-1900). Most have not been published since their original
printing over 100 years ago.
Historical
Clothing
[ http://www.beaglebay.com/historical_clothing.htm ] Features links to
everything from the ancient world to the present, including undergarments,
piratical wear, the Old West (American), etc.
Historical
Costume Sites
[ http://www.elizabethanlady.com/histcost.html ] Features costumes from the
12th through 16th Centuries, with lots of links to other costume sites.
The
History of Costume
[ http://www.siue.edu/COSTUMES/COSTUME1_INDEX.HTML ] From Braun &
Schneider, c. 1861-1880. An interesting site which has color plates of
costumes dating back to ancient times, and historical costume research.
Covers ancient times through the late 19th century.
Jessamyn's
Regency Costume Companion
[ http://www.songsmyth.com/costumerscompanion.html ] Images, patterns &
tips, links, and even information on making your own Victorian costume.
Reconstructing
History
[ http://www.reconstructinghistory.com/ ] Historical costumes,
especially Irish and Scottish dress.
Regency
Fashion Page
[ http://locutus.ucr.edu/~Ecathy/reg3.html ] A wonderful site, covering
almost everything in the Regency period. Wonderful fashion plates.
The
Renaissance Faire Junkie
[ http://www.faire.net/renfaire-junkie ] An entertaining site, with a
selection of renaissance-related links.
The
Scottish Tartans Museum
[ http://www.scottishtartans.org/museum.html ] A great site, complete
with the history of the kilt and photos/illustrations, to how to make a
kilt. Here you can learn the difference between tartan and plaid, kilt and
philabeg, pleating to sett and stripe.
Of course, no list of costumes would be complete without the following:
Accessories
of Dress [
http://www.costumes.org/pages/accesslinks.htm ] This site features hats,
shoes, etc. from the Renaissance through Modern Times.
The Fan
Museum
[ http://www.fan-museum.org/history.htm ] This site boasts as being
the World's Greatest Collection of antique and modern fans and features
historical background and wonderful photos.
Vintage
Hair Fashion
[ http://www.hairarchives.com/ ] A wonderful site, complete with an
historical study of hair fashions, plates and photos.
If you don't find what you need in the above list, try doing a Google search
[ http://www.google.com/ ] and plugging in your search topic within quotes.
For instance, I typed in "Egyptian Costume" and received
over 50 pages of links relating specifically to my search.
Until next month, have fun surfing!
Linda Morelli
Historical Editor
RomRiter@aol.com
December 1, 2002
Research:
A Vital Component in your Writing
by
Linda Morelli
Historical Editor
Hi,
I'm Linda Morelli and the new GWN "historian." I wanted to
start off my first column discussing research, but first, here's some
information about my background.
I've always been fascinated by history, even as a child. I have
probably visited every Revolutionary and Civil War battlefield on the East
Coast, as well as several in Europe. History draws me like a magnet,
perhaps because it informs us about our past. History also has its
share of romantic charm. What young girl hasn't dreamed of living in
medieval times, with knights on white horses? Or of sailing the seas and
being captured by pirates? Or even of fighting Indians alongside her very
own cowboy?
My love of history explains why my first romance, FIERY SURRENDER, was an
historical. I especially love the Revolutionary War period and our
struggle for freedom from England.
Like all beginning novelists, when I began, I did my research, had a
well-thought out plot in mind and developed my characters, and started
writing. Eight hundred pages later (all hand-typed on an ancient
typewriter, mind you), I felt a certain degree of self-satisfaction. I
had completed a manuscript. That is an achievement in itself. Of
course, I sent it out to publishers and the inevitable rejections flowed in.
Disappointed, but not discouraged, I set it aside and began writing another
romance.
Then, in 1994, I joined Romance Writers of American and their local chapter,
Washington Romance Writers. What I learned from these two groups was a
real eye-opener. First, I had used the wrong point of view in my
historical: first person versus third. I needed more active
descriptions in my narrative, and my dialogue was a bit too modern.
And I learned about that all-important facet of a good romance:
developing the sexual tension so the reader can share in the hero/heroine's
journey for love.
It also attended meetings and learned all I could, received a few more
rejections and made more rewrites, before Port Town Publishing offered me a
contract to publish FIERY SURRENDER. All first-time authors know the
thrill of finally seeing his or her work in print. Of course, being an
author doesn't stop there. We learn to promote our books and continue
writing, even while juggling a family and/or full-time job.
As a published author, my best advice to you is: Never give up! If you
want to become an author, treat writing as you would any job. Learn as much
as you can about the craft, read in the genre that you love, do your
research, join writing groups, and last but not least, write for at least 15
minutes per day. You'd be surprised how quickly those 15 minutes can turn
into 15 pages.
Now to research. Every author has to do it. Why? It's
simple: one flaw in our facts can cause us to lose credibility with our
readers. While we can't always visit the locale of our novel's
setting, we have a multitude of resources available to us, both in libraries
and on the Internet.
For instance, while writing FIERY SURRENDER, I did my research and found
tons of information on the customs, costumes, and locations for the two main
areas in my book: Paris, France and Yorktown, Virginia. I visited
local libraries (including the Library of Congress) and read books to insure
my historical facts were correct. I went to Yorktown, Virginia, and
spoke with representatives of the National Park Service there; the Visitors'
Bureau in Newport, Rhode Island; and I took a trip to Europe with my husband
and visited King Louis XIV's palace at Versailles, France. I hit used
bookstores and purchased every book I could find on the history and customs
of the era. You'd be surprised at the great books you can find hidden
in some dusty corners, but you get the idea. Research is a vital
component in your writing; especially if your genre is historical romance,
and you can find what you need almost anywhere.
Also, be sure to make note of your sources. Write down the title,
author, publisher, page number(s), and ISBNs for any reference books you use
for your writing. Jot down the hyperlink for any online sources you
use. Why? Research doesn't necessarily stop after you receive a
contract.
Jean Hackensmith, the owner and Senior Editor of Port Town Publishing, asked
me to do additional research for FIERY SURRENDER. She wanted the
specific names of the birds and shrubs typical of the Paris region, since I
had mentioned them (albeit vaguely) in my book.
How did I find that information? Using the Internet. It is my
personal belief that the 'Net is a godsend to all writers, but I can tell
you, many are the days that I did a search on Google.com and came up with
sites filled with so much wonderful information that I wandered that virtual
realm for hours checking them all out.
In future columns, I'll provide information on researching various
historical eras and the historical links/sites I've discovered. I also
hope to provide you with personal interviews with historical romance authors
and an article or two dealing with writing historical romances.
Of course, I'm open to your suggestions, so please feel free to email me if
you have a specific area of interest or question: mailto:RomRiter@aol.com
. (Be sure to indicate GWN in your subject line, or I just might
delete your email by mistake.)
In the meantime, I thought I'd list some of the sites I discovered during my
research of the Revolutionary War era:
The Virginia Campaign and the Blockade and Siege of Yorktown 1781 http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg
This 200+ page booklet from the U.S. Government Printing Office is
definitely for history buffs.
Spy Letters of the American Revolution -- From the Collections of the
Clements Library, Ann Arbor, Michigan http://www.si.umich.edu/spies/
A rare gem, this site includes stories of spies and their letters, secret
methods and techniques, and an historical time line.
Xenophon Groups' Military History Database: Yorktown Campaign
(August-October 1781) http://xenophongroup.com/mcjoynt/yrkcam-z.htm
A chronological listing of the battle of Yorktown.
Biographies of the American Revolution http://www.colonize.com/p/a.php?a=n001001189
This is quite an extensive site, geared for educators as well as
students. The offerings include world history, America's wars, primary
documents, and even American aviation, naval, and railroad history, in
addition to the biographies mentioned above.
National Park Service: Categories of National Significance, Military:
Revolutionary War http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/categrs/mili7.htm
This site links to the various battlefields under the care of the National
Park Service, as well as other links regarding the Revolutionary war.
Sailing Vessels of the 18th Century: Types, Expressions, Parts and
Equipment http://www.blupete.com/Hist/Gloss/Ships.htm
This site includes a glossary, useful for those of us who are not avid
sailors.
Nobility in France http://www.heraldica.org/topics/fance/noblesse.htm
Discussed French nobility as it existed until 1789.
About 28th Century taverns [ http://food4.epicurious.com/HyperNews/get/regions/15/4/1/7/1/1/1.html
] Includes information on alcoholic drinks, food, sweep suppers, etc.
For links on apparel (costumes, hats, hair, fans, etc.) from the 18th
century, visit Linda's Place-A Site for Romance Readers and Writers [ http://hometown.aol.com/lbmwriter/romance/INDEX.html
] and click on my "Costumes and other historical links."
Until later, keep on writing….
Linda Morelli
FIERY SURRENDER, ISBN 0-9700544-5-9 "An inspiring, fast moving
tale...beautifully researched...a rollicking adventure with a healthy dose
of romance tossed in." -- Romance Reviews Today
SHADOW OF DOUBT, ISBN 0-9716239-9-6 "...a fast-paced
read....should have readers turning pages, and will keep you guessing until
the end. 3 Daggers''--The Romance Readers Connection
The above books are available from Port Town Publishing: http://www.porttownpublishing.bigstep.com
Author websites: Linda Morelli, Romance Author [ http://www.lindamorelli.us
]
Linda's Place-A Site for Romance Readers & Writers [ http://members.aol.com/lbmwriter/romance/INDEX.htm
] |