I love writing historical fiction because the plot is already laid out for you. There's no mystery about who won the war, just about how your character changed because of it.
But I hate it when something I thought I so carefully researched turns out to be incorrect. While digging for information for "Strength to Endure," I came across the story of King Christian X, the Danish king who wore a yellow star to support the Jews during the Holocaust. I even mention it in the book. I found the information in a couple of other sources, and so thought I was safe.
Well, today at the library I found a children's picture book about the "legend" of the yellow star, and the author's note in the back says that there is no historically recorded evidence that the King actually did that. I checked it out on Snopes, and found the same reply.
Darn it, darn it, darn it!! I get so mad when I find out that something I thought was true, isn't true. Especially when I put it in a book. And that book is still being sold. With my name on it.
It's still a really good book, though . . .
1 comment:
Darn it! is right! I guess the good news is that you still *could* be right. There's no evidence either way, right? So you aren't technically wrong, either. But as a fellow historical novelist, I feel your pain!!!
Post a Comment