My Process For Research Has Changed How I research historical fiction has changed a lot over the years. When I first started researching historical fiction I would check as many books about my chosen era as I could carry from the library, take meticulous notes, color code my notes with highlighters (blue for information about … Continue reading Ideas For Researching Historical Fiction
Research
Goodwives in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
What Does the Term Goodwife Mean? Those familiar with The Crucible, the Salem Witch Trials, or even life in Colonial America have heard the term Goody, short for Goodwife. The term Goody was meant in a similar way as Mrs. today since Goody indicated a married woman. In Salem in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Goody … Continue reading Goodwives in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
What I’m Reading: Life During World War II and My Favorite Fantasy Book of All Time
My reading has been eclectic lately (as it always is, actually). I've completed my research for Down Salem Way with two of these books, though I will always have a fascination with witch hunts and witch trials. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare I loved this book when I was a teenager … Continue reading What I’m Reading: Life During World War II and My Favorite Fantasy Book of All Time
Did That Word Exist Then? Language in Historical Fiction
Wonderful news for James and Sarah/Elizabeth fans. The last draft of Down Salem Way is finished. Really! Okay, the book is not finished finished because it needs final edits and other odds and ends, but the light at the end of the tunnel is bright and clear and within reach. This is where the manuscript … Continue reading Did That Word Exist Then? Language in Historical Fiction
Cooking in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
What Did They Eat in the Massachusetts Bay Colony? One of my more popular posts is about food in colonial Massachusetts. Here's more information about the types of meals the colonists ate and other interesting tidbits about cooking in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Breakfast was a busy time of day in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The … Continue reading Cooking in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Clothing in Colonial Massachusetts
What Did They Wear in 17th Century Colonial America? Clothing in Massachusetts wasn’t much different than clothing throughout the rest of the American colonies. However, living in the Massachusetts Bay Colony was different because Massachusetts was a theocracy ruled by Puritans. The colonial Puritans were stricter in many ways than their English counterparts, and, oddly … Continue reading Clothing in Colonial Massachusetts
Food in Colonial Massachusetts
A Wannabe Food Historian I'm having a lot of fun learning about food in Colonial Massachusetts. Not that I like to eat or anything. There's a lot to discover about the types of foods that were available then, how they were processed, and how the meals were cooked. I started following a few food historians, … Continue reading Food in Colonial Massachusetts
Daily Life in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
How Did They Live in Colonial Massachusetts? The main reason I felt drawn to writing Down Salem Way was that there wasn’t much space to explore James and Elizabeth’s lives in 1691-1692 in Her Dear and Loving Husband. We get glimpses of that time through James and Sarah’s memories, but the focus in Her Dear … Continue reading Daily Life in the Massachusetts Bay Colony