1) Writing the Middle Ages: new approaches in historical fiction

“Where do you draw the line between fact and fiction?” “How do you balance authenticity with the need for a good story?” “How historically accurate is your work?” “Is it based on real events?” “How much research do you have to do?” These are some of the most common questions asked of historical novelists. We often feel compelled to justify and explain our work in terms of its historical underpinnings and our preparatory research. In contrast to writers in other genres, we are often expected t...