Fiction Friday | History Can Be Fun!

I know. “History Can be Fun!” sounds like a lame kid’s show, but the older I get the more I realise this truth.

History can be fun. I still remember a high school history teacher who sat at the desk and read the textbook aloud as the class struggled to keep their eyes open. Needless to say we didn’t find those lessons very fun. It actually turned me off history, until I watched the 1995 BBC production of Pride and Prejudice, and started reading Georgette Heyer’s books, and enjoying aspects of that time of history (the language, the manners, the clothing, the social expectations!). Later, I wondered about writing a historical blending Heyer’s wit with Austen-esque prose and a solid Christian thread, which led to exploring the Regency era (1811-1820) in more depth, and my first published novel, The Elusive Miss Ellison.

 Delving into fascinating aspects of history can lead down rabbit trails of intrigue and mystery as authors explore the reasons why decisions were made that affect lives. One of the most bizarre things I came across in my research for the Regency Wallflowers series was to read an English soldier’s diary where he talked about a commanding officer taking his pet turtles to war during one of the Napoleonic campaigns. Hello? This was while men were shivering, battling a mysterious sickness, sharing one blanket between twelve men. (Not exactly fun, but intriguing, nonetheless) What actually happened to those turtles is anyone’s guess, but that this was once considered acceptable seems odd to our modern sensibilities, and this tidbit of history I find fascinating, and dare I say it, fun.

My most recent Regency Dawn’s Untrodden Green released last week, and it’s been good to see some of the reviews. I don’t normally read my reviews, but when a blog tour has been paid for by my publisher I do. And it’s great to see those who love Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen appreciating the wit and banter of a book that’s a lot more lighthearted in tone than the previous two books which dealt with very real and raw topics. For me as an author it was necessary to finish this trilogy on a more upbeat, hope-filled tone, and I loved returning to some of the wit and banter of previous books like The Elusive Miss Ellison and Miss Serena’s Secret, which other readers have said are among their favourites of my Regencies due to the humour.

Sometimes sprinkling some humour in a book can be an effective way to make truth more palatable. One of the themes of Dawn’s Untrodden Green concerns trusting God with our future, especially in the face of the unknown. We don’t know how long we have in this world, and while we might plan our course as Christians we know it is God who ultimately directs our steps. So while the unknown can seem scary, it can also hold excitement and anticipation. One thing I try to show in all of my books is that God loves us, and He is faithful, which means we can trust Him. We can trust Him in the good times, and trust Him when circumstances seem impossible, we can trust Him with the unknown, the “untrodden paths” of life. Showing characters who are facing some of the questions I contemplate too – what’s next? what happens if I step out of the comfortable and known and dare to trust God for something different? – can seem less “sermony” when humour is involved.

History can be fun, fun to explore, fun to read about, but sometimes it’s good to look back on our history – our lives – and see just how faithful and good God has been. Sometimes our personal history isn’t that fun, but if we look a little deeper, we can see how God has brought us through, given us strength, helped us find purpose and pace and joy. Looking back at history can give us hope for the future, especially when we’re not sure what is next.

I’ve enjoyed writing the Regency Wallflowers series, but just like Theodosia and Daniel, my main characters in Dawn’s Untrodden Green, I don’t know what’s coming next, especially when it comes to writing more Regencies. But I do know that whatever happens God is still with me, and as I place my writing career in His hands, I can trust Him to open the right doors and close the wrong ones as He’s done so many times before.

And, just like Theo and Daniel, I can do it with hope in my heart, buoyant spirits, and a smile on my dial, expecting that God who is good, who is faithful, who loves us, can do “exceedingly, abundantly above all we can ask or imagine” like it says in Ephesians 3.20. That’s my prayer for my writing, and that’s my prayer for you.

Buy your copy of Dawn’s Untrodden Green now at Amazon, Koorong, other retailers.

Not much happens in Theodosia Stapleton’s tiny Northumberland village. Certainly not to her. She has resigned herself to spinsterhood, caring for her ailing mother in the home of her grandfather, known to the locals as “General Contrary.” When her dear friend dies and leaves behind a daughter, it’s simple enough to take the child into her own quiet world. That is, until her ward’s famous uncle unexpectedly arrives and throws Theo’s tidy orbit completely off-kilter.
Fame was the last thing Daniel Balfour sought when he fought in the Peninsular War. But his brave exploits caught the attention of the King, and now the honors he was given hound him everywhere . . . even on his rushed trip to rescue his orphaned niece.
Theo’s quick wit and warm smile reassure him that Rebecca is in good hands, and he finds himself free to swiftly return to London and his responsibilities. But those caring hands are beginning to look like they could also safely hold his heart, and he’s tempted to linger. Unfortunately, marriage is simply not in the cards; the army is spouse enough for him.
Then an accident and a scandal lead both Theo and Daniel to discover that their best-laid plans may not have been what God designed for them after all.