Today I welcome author Joan Donaldson and her cat, Turnip, as Joan discusses dialogue in historical fiction.

Share with us what you know, Joan.

What Did She Say?

           Recently, while reading a novel set in the nineteenth century, a character exclaimed how she didn’t want to throw someone under the bus. I paused, as I was pretty sure those words originated in the last few decades. An internet search showed that after The London Times printed that phrase in on June 21, 1982, people adopted the words into their speech pattern. Because the book I read took place before buses existed, a better combination of words would have referred to tossing someone under a wagon or carriage.

           Just as historical fiction authors weed out references to jets flying overhead, writers need to take care how their characters speak. When were phrases or expletives such as Laws or Good grief were commonly spoken? While the magic of the internet provides details about language patterns, writers need to utilize websites from reliable sources, such as a university.

           One of the best methods to learn the speech patterns of a certain time is to read the masters. If an author is writing a novel set in nineteenth century England, read Charles Dickens, George Elliot, or Thomas Hardy to learn what characters might utter when astonished or angry. American authors such as Louisa May Alcott or Mark Twain will give insights into their contemporary’s dialogue. Sometimes, nonfiction from a certain period provides a stunning illustration of how folks combined words. If a term might confuse a reader, then the author should use it while also providing a hint to help the reader comprehend the word within the narrative.

           What about a character expressing his or her feelings with an explicative? An editor once explained that for inspirational fiction, a character might mutter a swear word, but it is not written in the dialogue. Or consider looking for common expressions of the time such as balderdash, blast it all, or good gravy! Such vocabulary expresses cynicism, anger, and frustration without offending the reader. They set the tone of the scene, showing that the story does not take place in the twenty-first century. One phrase I remember from my childhood reading of A Wrinkle in Time was how Calvin described Meg’s eyes as dreamboat eyes. At that time, the term reflected the vernacular of my youth, but fifty years later, the words are no longer said.

           Dialogue, which includes appropriate phrases, will strengthen a plot and shape a character. Editors remind writers that every single word matters. May writers everywhere, including this one, find the perfect expressions and words for their stories.

Writer spotlight:

Unique things: To provide nectar for pollinators and to honor our late son who served in the Army and died because of PTSD, my husband, John, and I planted a five-acre field of wildflowers that included thousands of red poppies. In June 2020, a local television station ran a feature about the flowers, the clip went viral around the country, and thousands of people arrived to view the sight. Instantly, our farm was known as “the poppy field in Fennville”.

Here is a video that someone posted about it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izg4w3uu_qE

What do I enjoy the most about writing? I love meeting my characters and getting to know them better as the story progresses. By the end of writing a novel, I miss my new friends.

Where do I write? While ideas roam through my brain as I work on my farm, I write in a tiny room with white wallpaper covered with sprays of blue flowers. Usually, our barn cat, Turnip, joins me, but I prefer he sleep in his cat bed and not on the table where my laptop sits. When Turnip stretches out, his paws tend to hit keys.

Bio: Joan Donaldson is the author of eight books and writes from her organic blueberry farm located near the shores of Lake Michigan. In 2018, her novel Heart of Mercy won first place in romantic-suspense fiction category in the PenCraft Awards and was featured as a book of the month on IndieReader. Every day, she walks around her farm praying and watching the birds.