Historical fiction and the little things that make it real: Setting I

To celebrate the Kindle and Nook versions of my novel, I’m going to talk about setting for a moment. When researching for my novel Why Aren’t You Sweet Like Me? which is based on a true story, I had a need to be as historically accurate as possible. That being said, I wanted to make sure that even the smallest details were not just thrown in; I needed them to have a purpose as well. While writing, I knew that there are people still alive that knew this time (like Honey), and that would appreciate my taking the time to create a setting that is a character on its own; I don’t wish to disregard them by pulling out of the story with inaccuracies either. This will be a three part blog, and first, I will talk about one of my favorite things (and one of the most prized possessions of WWII): the cars…

Don had his 1939 Ford cream convertible named “John the Baptist”

A similar car restored today:

Bobby had a 1938 Chrysler Imperial C-19 in Mediterranean Blue

Caroline (Honey’s mother) had three black cars in the novel:

1938 Buick Sedan

1940 Cadillac Sixty Special

1940 Lincoln Continental

And I will end with the most impressive: Emmett’s white 1938 BMW convertible (modern picture of an antique).