Life in the Massachusetts Bay Colony To get myself back into the flow of life in the Massachusetts Bay Colony while I’m writing And Shadows Will Fall, I just rewatched The Crucible, which is a story I love. Whenever I teach American literature, one of my favorite lessons is always when we read and watch Miller’s work. … Continue reading Watching the Salem Witch Trials
Author: Meredith Allard
Where I Find Character Inspiration: Sarah Alexander and Elizabeth Wentworth
Where Do Character Ideas Come From? Fans of the Loving Husband Series are familiar with Elizabeth Jones, the greatest love of James Wentworth’s life. She is the woman he sees across the dining room table in Salem Village in 1691, and her beauty and warmth capture his heart forever. But where did the idea for … Continue reading Where I Find Character Inspiration: Sarah Alexander and Elizabeth Wentworth
Character Inspiration For the Loving Husband Trilogy: Mr. Wentworth the Younger
Down Salem Way is Shortlisted For the Chaucer Prize For those of you who don't follow me on Facebook, you may not know that Down Salem Way has been shortlisted for the Chaucer Prize in Early Historical Fiction Pre-1750. I'm very excited. I know it's a cliche to say that it's an honor just to … Continue reading Character Inspiration For the Loving Husband Trilogy: Mr. Wentworth the Younger
Modern-Day Salem Witches
Sometimes Characters Are Easy To Discover Sometimes when I’m writing a story I have to stretch a bit for a character as I try to figure out exactly who this person is. Writers are like actors in the sense that we have to understand the evolution of the characters we’re writing about. Sometimes I have … Continue reading Modern-Day Salem Witches
Writing Historical Fiction About the Salem Witch Trials
Learning To Leave the Past Behind As I'm weaving my way through the sixth part of the Loving Husband Series, I realized that the Salem Witch Trials are never far behind for the Wentworths. The infamous witch hunts of 1692 once again play a role in James and Sarah's story. Both James and Sarah have … Continue reading Writing Historical Fiction About the Salem Witch Trials
Fascinating Witch Stories in Historical Fiction
The Season to Read About Witches Since we were on the subject of vampire books last week, I thought this week would be a great time to revisit some novels about accused witches. After all, witches and witchcraft are popular themes in novels, especially historical fiction. I've done more than my fair share of reading … Continue reading Fascinating Witch Stories in Historical Fiction
My Favorite Vampire Novels (and Vampires)
Autumn is a Vampire Time of Year As we head into my favorite time of year, I always have a lot of fun putting out the autumn decorations. Apples, pumpkins, and multi-colored leaves always help my home feel festive. Of course, no Halloween is complete without vampires, and I happen to have a pretty cool … Continue reading My Favorite Vampire Novels (and Vampires)
Historical Recipe From the Oregon Trail: How To Churn Butter
When Will You Need Pioneering Skills? For those of you who have read The Duchess of Idaho, you know there's a scene where Grace is both baffled and amused when her grandmother Annabelle teaches her how to churn butter. Annabelle has a feeling that Grace will need such a skill. It's a skill Grace will … Continue reading Historical Recipe From the Oregon Trail: How To Churn Butter