Hello, Everyone!

Today I want to discuss historical fiction for a bit.  Historical fiction is a huge passion of mine, and it is something that drives every genre of literature.  History is in everything that we do, and as writers and readers, it is important that we understand this.

I am a huge fantastic about ghost towns and the histories thereof.  I live in Colorado where we have many ghost towns in the Rocky Mountains, but with the passing of time many of these ghost towns have lost their remaining structures and cease to exist.  With our harsh winters, so many of these towns are lost and forgotten – and along with them the histories of those who once settled there.  With the loss of physical markings of towns that once were, we are left with whatever recorded history exists and the possibilities of historical stories in literature.

This is why historical fiction is so important.  By writing about the past and creating stories from different perspectives, authors keep alive those who are long gone and the legacies that they might have left.  As time passes, history is lost and it is our duty as authors to make sure that the past is not forgotten.  It is even more important as readers that we read these books to understand where we have come from.  There is a lot that can be learned from historical fiction and history in general.  Our world is molded from the events of the past, and we only continue and grow from them.

Historical fiction is also a great way to keep people and places alive who may be long gone.  As in my example of ghost towns, I love writing about many of the ghost towns here in Colorado that don’t have big histories.  By giving these places stories and a fictional population, I am able to explore that history and bring a place to life that might otherwise be forgotten.

The best way that a writer can get into writing historical fiction is to explore the history of where they live.  This allows the writer to connect more with their surroundings and the history of their town.  Just visit one of your local museums to get started!  If you begin researching the history of your town, you will feel more connected to the history that lies within your town as well as those who live there now.  Connections with other humans, and with our past, are what makes living wonderful.

My job for you is to find out something about the history of your town and share it with me in the comments!  Let’s pass the history around.

Much love,

Ashley

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