Before I started writing Medicine Creek Claim, the third book in the series, I did some research – and a lot of reading.
As I wrote in earlier blogs, Medicine Creek Claim was inspired by Edith (Ammons) Kohl’s book Land of the Burnt Thigh. Edith and her sister Ida Mary staked claims in South Dakota in 1907.
That was just the beginning of the pre-writing research. Since Charlotte, one of the main characters, worked as a medic in the Union Army, I learned about the women of the Civil War in She Went to the Field. When I needed to learn about women physicians in the Old West, I read Pioneer Doctor, the story of Dr. Molly Atwater.
Also, I needed to ensure I was using the correct medical terminology, treatments, and tools of the trade. And it needed to be historically precise for the Civil War. For instance, were soldiers shot with a bullet or a ball? (Answer: a ball). And how was that ball extracted? I leaned heavily on Bleed, Blister and Purge for authenticity. (I also asked a healthcare expert to read the manuscript for accuracy.)
Then, I needed to learn more about bushwhackers, specifically William Quantrill and Frank James. For that, I read Bushwackers by Samuel Hildebrand, William Quantrill and Quantrill’s Raiders, and Outlaws of the Legendary West by Bill Markley.
To ensure that I had the Civil War actions, battles, generals, and other background information correct, I used Jerry K. Sweeney’s A Handbook of American Military History. (Dr. Sweeney was also my history advisor in college.)
Medicine Creek Claim also references the 1862 uprising in Minnesota. I used The Dakota War of 1862 and Through Dakota Eyes to ensure I understood the causes and effects of that time in history.
Of course, the books were just part of the research. Internet searches, including several Civil War historical websites, were extremely valuable in verifying historical accuracy.
Doing the research – the homework – is part of the fun of writing historical fiction. When I understand the time period’s history, I can write more believable characters. And that’s really fun.