by Kathy Fischer-Brown
For the past four years, fellow BWL
historical author, Juliet Waldron, and I have taken a few days together to step
back in time to an era we both love and love to write about. As many of you
read in her post yesterday, this year we ventured into the past to relive the
1778 Battle of Monmouth. I won’t recap the events, as Juliet (as always) did a
great job. Instead I will meander a bit…
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| Lean-to for three |
As a writer of historical-set
novels, I strive to make each book an immersive experience, and, if I haven’t lived
in the time—at least on some basic level—my readers will be deprived of the
sights, smells, sounds, flavors, and tactile sensations that make the past come
alive. Living in the 21st century we tend to take many of our comforts
for granted. Such things as plumbing and electricity, not to mention the
internet, satellite weather forecasts, and streaming video. Even for the
re-enactors themselves, going “home” to a hot shower and a real bed is always
on the other side of a long weekend camping out without benefit of modern gear.
It takes a bit of imagination to put oneself in the position of an actual
denizen of the 18th century, stuck there for life…and all that that entailed.
(And except for Jamie Fraser, I can’t imagine what kept Claire of “Outlander” so
long in 1740s Scotland.)
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| Hanging the Laundry |
I don’t for a moment wax
nostalgic over a past in which our ancestors lived and died (most likely too
young and from conditions and afflictions that in this modern world might be
considered no more than nuisances or inconveniences, or in worst cases could be
treated so much more effectively today). In this sense, I strive to create a
realistic picture of the mid-to-late1700s, warts and all, taking into
consideration some of the ugly facts of these days of yore, some of which today
seem barbaric, even stupid, especially when the 18th century is
known as “The Age of Enlightenment.” Women’s rights were barely the glimmer of
a glimmer of a dream; sanitation and personal hygiene were practically
nonexistent; and Draconian laws were often imposed for the slightest offenses. In
cities, the poorest people often lived in squalid conditions without benefit of
social services. Not to mention the existence of and dependence on slavery.
Consideration of these facts
often make me wonder why I love the period the way I do and choose to set stories
in this time. That’s probably why a day or two at a re-enactment event can be
so inspiring.
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| Doing the Wash |
While the battles are fun to experience
with all the senses and are well-orchestrated, I find the most interesting
aspects of these events to be the daily lives and struggles of the people behind
the scenes: the common soldiers hanging their wash to dry from makeshift lines
and poles; women weaving baskets, cooking meals, mending clothes, and doing laundry;
children being children (albeit without ipads and video games). The smells and
the sounds, and the details of the clothing. The reminders that, despite the
strangeness of the details, human nature remains unchanged.
Over the last few years I’ve developed
a deep respect for the re-enactors of these events. They are passionate about
what they do and are highly knowledgeable of the minutiae that governed the
lives of the simple people they portray and are more than happy to share.
And when the weekend ends, I look
forward to returning to 2016, to my home in the suburbs of Central Connecticut,
to my computer and cable TV, even if there’s an hour-and-a-half delay over the
George Washington Bridge.
~*~
