tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079864127530511532.post860435826422629440..comments2016-11-22T06:01:18.574-08:00Comments on Rain Trueax : using history in an historicalRain Trueaxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07994628226501093880noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079864127530511532.post-18329449100334190002014-10-19T06:01:57.611-07:002014-10-19T06:01:57.611-07:00They might, but most would know more about more fa...They might, but most would know more about more famous regions. Experts usually know about one area or aspect. <br /><br />I've read historical novels that were way off base from what I had read elsewhere. Historical romance readers might be better at catching errors but they have a set of ideas they already believe based on earlier books they read. Even to discuss whether women rode astride is fraught with disagreements. When I was doing the Tucson book, I found out when electricity got there, also ice boxes, but it is a big city. Figuring that out for small towns in Eastern Oregon is going to all be guesswork unless I stumbled across a person who had relatives living there in 1867 and had heard the stories. That's not always without errors either but it's a treat to hear the stories.<br /><br />Which reminds me one of the places I have had good luck with stories is finding small memoirs or journals kept by average people relaying the details of their life. Sometimes museums have those and let someone look at them. <br /><br />I wanted an accurate map of the stage road between The Dalles and Canyon City but when I called the Portland Historical Museum, the woman had no idea there even was such a thing. I could go in and search through what they have and before I published this book, I would. The main road on all the maps has been the Military Road, but it was later. The stage road might or might not have followed it.<br /><br />I happen to have some early Oregon history books written in the first part of the 20th Century. They are totally wrong on a lot of things as we know them today. Sometimes it's politically correctness and politics of the time. Sometimes it's painting a pretty picture.<br /><br />I've read that Rush Limbaugh is writing history books for children so that they get the 'true' story of how our country was founded. You can imagine which set of 'facts' he is using. <br /><br />Probably whether I call it Fort Watson or Camp Watson would only matter to a eastern Oregon history buff. I call it Camp mainly because of my research but I'd much rather call it Fort... sounds better ;). Rain Trueaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07994628226501093880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079864127530511532.post-46799250929242833742014-10-19T03:36:40.126-07:002014-10-19T03:36:40.126-07:00you do present a good argument for the difficulty ...you do present a good argument for the difficulty in getting historic facts straight even when you have access to records. The fact that enjoy the research makes sure that meat goes on the bones of your story. I wonder if editors are smart enough to catch detail errors if they are not glaring?Taborhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15257045780724471840noreply@blogger.com