I Found It! The Nerd Within Me

You know you’re a book nerd, or a writing nerd, when the most exciting thing that happens over the Fourth of July weekend is finding the old path your characters would take from Richmond, Virginia to Bedford, Virginia.

But that’s what happened Saturday night, and boy did I do a happy dance.

My husband ran through the house worried something was terribly wrong. My children hovered around me, concerned that I had received some sort of bad news. I assured them that nothing was wrong, but all was right in my “writing” world.

Writing historical fiction is fraught with one especially nasty difficulty – how true do you stay to the historical record?

Some things are easy to find. The kind of food people ate. The clothes they wore. Not only are there books about just any time period you are interested in, but these days a lot of what you need can be found on the web.

But then, some things, like old roads, can be more difficult. That’s where the trouble started.

I don’t wish to give too much away, but Annie and David, in Breaking Promises, must go from Richmond to Bedford. I know the new roads oftentimes followed the old, but I didn’t want to just assume this was so. I have looked for the past four months in various books, websites, etc. Finally, in a webpage for the history of Powhatan County, the words popped from the page. Colonials going that direction would have taken the Old Hunting Path. And, even better, it closely mirrors US 60.

Honestly, I thought I had struck gold.

Happy July 4th!

About Donna

Donna Hechler Porter has always had stories in her head. When they were not swirling and gnawing, she had her head in a history book - both fiction and non-fiction. Now, she puts her love of old things, including her genealogy, to good use by writing both genealogy books and novels. She has published five historical novels, several of which have won awards, four genealogy books on her family history, and several smallish books including a book on the 1778 Big Siege of Fort Boonesborough and a book with tips and tricks for bringing history to life for young people. A graduate of Texas A & M University, she currently teaches middle school English and literature at a small private school east of Houston and runs a private tutoring business. She stops for all garage sales and to collect treasures from the side of the road. She dreams of life in a log cabin in the woods, even as she is addicted to antique and thrift shopping.

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If you live in southeast Texas and would like Donna to come speak at your reading, genealogy, or history club, please contact her. She is more than likely to say yes! 

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