About Me
I'm from New Jersey, the southern part of the state. Now, I live in Chicago, but both of my novels reference New Jersey. Six Winter Days is about the Battles of Trenton-Two and Princeton. Miller's Chapel starts in New Jersey, runs through the plot, and unfolds back in New Jersey.
My Passion for History
I've always been an amateur historian, mostly of American and British wars. Here's the difference between regular history and historical fiction:
A regular historian tells what happened. A novelist tells why it happened.
A regular historian tells what happened. A novelist tells why it happened.
Exploring the Battle of Princeton
Let me provide an example:
As I was finishing up the first draft of Six Winter Days, I had only to choreograph the Battle of Princeton. And that's where the problem occurred. I couldn't figure out why the British didn't see the Americans in their vicinity. The Americans were only a few hundred yards away. I had to figure out why.
I spent weeks researching the historical accounts, checking the weather, geography, topology, and everything else I could think of. Granted, it was still dark, but the sun was due to rise. Even after the sun had cleared the trees, the British still did not see the American militia, who were now behind them.
As I was finishing up the first draft of Six Winter Days, I had only to choreograph the Battle of Princeton. And that's where the problem occurred. I couldn't figure out why the British didn't see the Americans in their vicinity. The Americans were only a few hundred yards away. I had to figure out why.
I spent weeks researching the historical accounts, checking the weather, geography, topology, and everything else I could think of. Granted, it was still dark, but the sun was due to rise. Even after the sun had cleared the trees, the British still did not see the American militia, who were now behind them.
A Breakthrough Insight
Later, I tried a long shot. I plotted the location of the now-risen sun at 7:30 AM that Friday morning, Jan. 3, 1777. It turned out that the historical account could not possibly be right. Historians put the British Colonel at the foot of the bridge, but in fact, he had to have been at least 200 yards farther south, or he would have seen the Americans.
When the Americans entered a slight dip in the ground, the Americans were directly in line of sight between the British and the sun. The British couldn't look into the sun, and from that developed the American victory at Princeton.
That explained "why."I hope you enjoy reading my writings.
When the Americans entered a slight dip in the ground, the Americans were directly in line of sight between the British and the sun. The British couldn't look into the sun, and from that developed the American victory at Princeton.
That explained "why."I hope you enjoy reading my writings.