Historical background for The Breaking Dawn

The Breaking Dawn is slowly inching further towards publication. The bulk of the editing has been completed and now we're on to polishing and perfecting the novel!

For this story, I've decided to insert some 'Historical Background' notes at the start, in order to give readers an idea of the cultural and political context of the time. 

Something that readers have asked me, is when exactly was the 'Anglo-Saxon' period? Not only that, but what made it different to the rest of the Middle Ages?

In the 7th Century, England was not as we know it today 

The British Isles were named Britannia (a legacy of the Roman colonization) and split into rival kingdoms: the Kingdom of the East Angles, Mercia, Northumbria, Kent and the East, and West Saxons - as well as the Celtic Kingdoms of Powys (Wales) and Wessex.

The Anglo-Saxon period lasted from the departure of the Romans, in around 430 A.D., to the Norman invasion in 1066 A.D.

However, I've focused on just a small window within the period.

I'm particularly fascinated by the period between the departure of the Romans and the first Viking invasion in 793 A.D – a 300 year period in which Anglo-Saxon culture flourished. So far, I've only set my novels in the 7th Century - from 600-700 A.D.

Why the 7th Century?

These were exciting times. The Kingdom of the East Angles was dominant at the beginning of this century, but gradually diminished under the power of Mercia. The 7th Century saw Christianity make inroads into the British Isles. Famous kings: Raedwald, Penda and Offa ruled during these years, leaving a lasting influence.

The Breaking Dawn is set in 641 A.D., at the height of King Penda of Mercia's reign. It is the year of the Battle of Maserfield (Maes Cogwy in Welsh). In the summer of this year, Powys (Wales) and Mercia united against, and defeated, the Northumbrians.

And very soon, you'll be able to read all about it. 

I will be announcing the publication date for The Breaking Dawn soon, so watch this space!

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Historical accuracy in novels - rabbits and getting your facts right

I'm in the final edits of my latest historical romance, set in Anglo-Saxon England (The Deepening Night) - and part of that process is doubling checking my historical facts.

I write historical romance that's set in a sketchy period of British history: 7th century Anglo-Saxon Britain. Many of the details we have about this period were actually recorded a few centuries (mostly by monks) after the events actually took place. The Viking raids on the eastern coast of England destroyed what few written records there were, and so historians have had a tricky job of pasting it all together.

This misty historical period can be both a blessing and a curse! It's a blessing in that, since I write historical romance, I can 'play' a little with history - shift one or two dates, and adapt historical figures and events to suit the purposes of my story. However, it can be a curse because checking details such as weaponry, food, habits, clothing and building materials can send an author round in circles. Everything is open to interpretation.

Take, for example, the issue of rabbits.

Now, I took it for granted that there were ALWAYS rabbits in the British isles. Rabbits play a huge role in my books set in the 7th century. Chicken wasn't part of the Anglo-Saxon diet, and foods such as potatoes, tomatoes, wheat and sugar would not enter Britain until much later. I mention rabbits as a major meat source, especially for the poor. Yet I also write about clothing and wall hangings made from rabbit skin. It was a fact I felt pretty sure on - but then I read something that made me break out into a cold sweat...

Some historians believe that the rabbit was not introduced to England until the Norman conquest.

Arggh! This meant that my references to bunnies - in all three of my books - was wrong!

Panicking, I dug a little deeper, before realizing - with enormous relief - that not all historians believe rabbits arrived after 1066. Instead, many insist that rabbits came with the Romans, who kept them fenced off in warrens and harvested them for meat and fur.

Here's an interesting article from the Telegraph, explaining the archaeological evidence that proves that rabbits - or 'conies' as they once known, arrived with the Romans.

Massive sigh of relief - I had not been putting my readers after all!

This might not seem a big deal but getting historical details right is important, both for authors and readers. Don't be fooled into thinking readers of historical romance don't know their history - they do! However, for writers of historical fiction, it can be easy to get your facts wrong - especially when dealing with everyday details, facts that we take for granted.

Hence, I will never look at the humble bunny in the same way again!