Comments on: If you’ve got to write it, you’ve got know it

By: Pamela

Pamela — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 06:29:02 +0000

I usually shrug off inaccuracies, even big ones. Yes, I admit it, I like wallpaper historicals.

That being said, it strikes a special note with me when an author so strongly identifies with a location (such as SEP’s Chicago series) or other topic (Deidre Martin’s hockey sereis.) I think this applies more to contempories as readers could possibly be living in a town that’s featured in a book. I always thought that was one of Nora Roberts strengths; the strong sense of location.

By: Karen T

Karen T — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:06:52 +0000

I dont think Ive really noticed the mistakes, just would keep on reading the book!

By: Cate Sparks

Cate Sparks — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:51:28 +0000

I hate sloppy workmanship. But that said, I’m sure that I’ve missed author errors any number of times. I’m more likely to quit a book because it ‘just doesn’t grab my attention’. I became bored with some just because the plot lines were always similar and didn’t seem to have any difference from book to book. I enjoy everything from science fiction, biography, general fiction, romance, etc. But I personally believe that errors are usually more glaring in historical fiction — we read that because we enjoy it & then you get more familiar with the history, fashions, etc. Then errors do begin to become more apparent. Especially if you hang out at some of the authors websites that have links to their research sites. But I sure wish some of you had mentioned specifics — but I guess that’s not permitted. There’s so much good stuff out there to read – I hate to think I’d buy something that would disappoint me due to this issue.

By: Anne L.

Anne L. — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 15:13:14 +0000

My feeling is that if you’re placing your name (or pseudonym) on it, you’re responsible for the content. An author that takes on the challenge of a historical novel, or a novel based around an unusual career or location, IS obligated to do her research. It invalidates all the good work that she has done if she alienates the reader with a smack-in-the-face factual error.

By: Alyn Y.

Alyn Y. — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 20:27:18 +0000

I love historical fiction romance novels. I know that many of them are made up and quite a few are inaccurate but it hasn’t stopped me from reading the book.

I have, however, read a book before about my people written by someone who was doing some sort of case study. The book is supposed to be great. Many people love it. I didn’t. There are many words in my native language that can’t be translated into English. Yet the author tried to do it in the book and to me it was all just wrong. I quit reading the book after a few chapters.