I love historical fiction. I love to read it. I love to write it, but I find it’s not something I write very often.
At one time, I believed, as did those around me, that I would be primarily a historical fiction writer. I have in fact written two complete novels set in ancient Greece as well as a number of stories of various lengths and in various stages of completion set in other time periods. But over time I gradually wrote less and less historical fiction and more fantasy and paranormal pieces. Why that happened, I’m not sure.
Sometimes I will blend historical fiction and the paranormal together, like I did for the first story I got published, Idus Martiae, which was a re-imagining of the dream Caesar’s wife had the night before his murder. (You can read it here). But still, my historical fiction writing has been limited, at least until these past few months, when I wrote The Sultan’s Daughter, set in a period and culture that I was unfamiliar with, and then Jousting for Murder, set in the Middle Ages, a period I have a great interest in.
And it is this latest historical short story that has been accepted and published in Tournament Games, an anthology dedicated to the Middle Ages and the Age of Chivalry. The anthology is published by Zimbell House Publishing and edited by Evelyn M. Zimmer.
Jousting for Murder
The baron is celebrating his birthday with a joust and one of his closest friends, Miles Chevalier, is competing in a much anticipated competition. However, when his opponent falls off his horse in front of the lists, it appears that Miles has killed him. However, things are not as they seem. Will Miles be able to find the truth behind the joust? And more importantly, will he able to find the real murderer?
You can learn more about the anthology over at the publisher’s website.
A side note: Thanks go to Ben, whose knowledge of the Rule of St. Benedict proved extremely helpful in adverting a disaster in my story. I will never forget that Benedictines were forbidden from taking food and drink outside of the walls of their religious house. Brother John was almost in a lot of trouble… 😀
Well done, Sammi! I do love reading and writing historical fiction myself. Brilliant news on your succes 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Lynn. Sorry it took a few days to reply. This hot weather has been keeping me away from the computer and making me lazy 🙂
I love historical fiction but I think the problem I have with it these days is that so many professional historians do it too, which leads me to second-guess all my research and the historical detail I include. The standard is just so high, and so it’s easier for me to write fantasy and paranormal stories because I get to make up the details 🙂 But, sometimes I will venture to give it a go.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do know what you mean. There a quite a few historians who’ve ventured into historiacal fiction – rotten devils. Though I don’t think you have to be a historian to write good historical fiction, just know enough of the detail to make the scenes come alive. (Says the woman who’s never had any of her historical fiction published …) Spec fic is great fun too- quite enjoy a bit of steampunk myself 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rotten devils, indeed! 🙂 Perhaps I should just have a little more faith in my research…
I’ve not written much steampunk myself but I do quite enjoy reading it 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, I’ve not written any but I do have some ideas. I have a steampunk short story collection I’m dipping into and some of it is amazing – tempted to have a go at scribbling some 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Go for it, Lynn! I would love to read 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
If I manage to get round to writing some, I’ll share with the Bunnies. Thanks for the encouragement, Sammi 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Time – there’s just not enough it! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
So true! If only we didn’t need paying jobs – family, friends, food, drink, basic hygeine – I’m sure we could rattle off a lot more fiction 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha ha! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person