Nancy Dane
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ABOUT NANCY
WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW: the golden rule of writing... or at least one of the literary Ten Commandments... prompted me to set my novels in Arkansas. And since I love to read and write historical fiction, that is the genre I chose. The Civil War had long been a personal fascination of mine, and became even more so when I discovered all four of my great grandfathers fought for the Confederacy. When I decided to do a historical fiction series on Civil War Arkansas, I did not know what happened in my particular hills and hollows, so I set out on a quest to learn. Three or four months of research should be enough, I thought, but as the facts began to unfold, I was hooked! My three or four months grew into ten years. And my research became the history book Tattered Glory, a compilation of fascinating source documents.
At that point, the challenge became not what to include in the novels but what to leave out. The true stories related in the Southern Claims Commission Files alone could net a lifetime of ideas for writing fiction. I venture to say that about ninety percent of what happens to my fictional characters actually happened to real people in Arkansas during the war.
Where the Road Begins covers the first two years of the conflict from the Confederate perspective.
A Difference of Opinion takes place at the same time but from the pro-Union standpoint. Book three, A Long Way to Go, a sequel to Where the Road Begins, is now in bookstores and here on my web. And to all my readers who have written demanding to know what happens to Allen and Nelda after A Difference of Opinion, I am hard at work on it! Book four will be the last in the Tattered Glory Series and will cover the final years of the war.
I do plan to keep writing novels set in Arkansas. The next will probably cover the coal mine/timber boom era.
My life is good. My days are busy. Along with writing, I have the pleasure of lecturing on Civil War Arkansas. The most rewarding result of getting the history right is the unexpected pleasure of having the novels and the history book used as curriculum in Arkansas schools.
I do appreciate hearing back from my readers so stay in touch!
Nancy lives in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. Although writing is her passion, she travels the state speaking to schools and civic groups about the war in Arkansas. Years of historical research bring realism and accuracy to her novels.
All of Nancy Dane’s books are currently being used as curriculum in Arkansas Public Schools.