Misty M. Beller – Storytelling vs. Historical Authenticity

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It’s such an honor to sit around the campfire with ya’ll again! The Petticoats and Pistols family is one of my favorite places to hang out.

I’ve been a fan of historical fiction for as long as I can remember, all the way back to the Mandie books by Lois Gladys Leppard and the Sadie Rose books by Hilda Stahl. Does anyone remember those series?

When I started thinking about my first novel, there was no doubt it would be a Christian Historical Romance set in the west. By my second book in, I had narrowed my focus to frontier life in the Rockies. My happy place!

It can be challenging to write about a time I haven’t experienced and cultures that don’t exist in the same form anymore. I love reading first-hand accounts to help me bring a particular time period to life. I often visit historic forts and talk with those who have studied the time period and setting in greater depth.

(Misty and her son in Badlands National Park)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three years ago, my family and I set out on a 28-day epic road trip to tour many of the state and national parks across the country. We spent about half of our time in Wyoming and Montana, exploring Yellowstone and Glacier, and touring historic and ghost towns. We spent more than one night tent camping without bathrooms and showers!

These experiences definitely make it easier for me to slip into that world as I write. The characters come alive in my mind, and I see the story like a movie in my head. Writing Earning the Mountain Man’s Trust was especially fun to write, as we return to the Coulter Ranch. I fell in love with not just Naomi and Eric, but also sweet little Mary Ellen, their one-year-old daughter whom Eric meets for the first time in this book.

Purchase Links:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C7NCSTTX?tag=pettpist-20

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/earning-the-mountain-man-s-trust

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id6450163846

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/earning-the-mountain-mans-trust-misty-m-beller/1143638415?ean=2940167186491

https://books2read.com/u/3ydLWL

Back Cover Blurb:

In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, second chances…and a hidden fortune.

Naomi Wyatt has finally given up on the man who once promised to love her for the rest of his life—then disappeared after a business trip, never responding to her letters. She’s now alone with a beautiful baby to provide for, a daughter whose red hair reminds her daily of the man she gave her heart to. She has to move on, though, and she did, going west with her sister. When Jonah Coulter asks for her hand in marriage, she knows she would be hard-pressed to find a better father for her sweet child. He’s a Coulter, after all, and he’s proven to be a good friend during her darkest hours.

Eric LaGrange thought he’d lost Naomi forever. But when he finally gets word that she’s in the Montana Territory, he drops everything to go after her…and their daughter? How could Naomi have kept their beautiful child from him? And how could she move on so quickly that she’s already engaged to another man? He loves Naomi so much that he’ll accept whatever choice is best for her, but is that him…or this settled rancher who clearly cares for them. No matter what, he’s determined to know his daughter and become the father he always wanted to be.

With Eric’s sudden appearance, Naomi’s heart is shredded once again. She barely has time to catch her breath before a new threat appears on the horizon. This time she has far more at stake than her heart, and only a Divine hand can turn this disaster for their good.

From a USA Today bestselling author comes a mountain family saga filled with a second chance romance, love triangle, hidden treasure, and faith that heals wounded hearts.

I pray the story comes to life for readers as much as it has for me!

I’m excited to give away a signed copy of the first three books in the Brothers of Sapphire Ranch series to one winner.

To be entered, I’d love to know your thoughts on whether you prefer to read historical romance with a lot historical details, or whether you’d rather have the focus be on the story and characters. Leave a comment below to share.

 

 

Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love.

Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.

 

Author Links:

https://mistymbeller.com/

https://amazon.com/author/mistymbeller?tag=pettpist-20

https://www.facebook.com/MistyMBellerAuthor

https://www.instagram.com/mistymbeller/

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/misty-m-beller

https://www.goodreads.com/MistyMBeller

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81 thoughts on “Misty M. Beller – Storytelling vs. Historical Authenticity”

  1. I love the details! I was privileged to know several people born in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. I was always asking questions!

    • Oh, Robin! I’ve always loved sitting at the feet of the older generation two. You are blessed!

  4. I prefer the focus be on the story and the characters, but I know authors have to do a lot of research in order to write a book that is ‘true’ to the time period.

    • You’re definitely right about that! As an author, it can be hard to know where the balance is sometimes. 🙂

  5. I am a history major, so I appreciate some of the historical details, but I read for entertainment, so I want them woven into the story in a meaningful way. I don’t want them just tacked on or to become just a lot of information that becomes burdensome to the story. Although I love history, the characters and the story are more important to me. However, I do expect any historical novel to be true to the time period. By the way, I love your novels and have purchased many of them.

    • Oh, thank you, Janice! Both for your insight and for your kind words! I’m honored you’ve enjoyed my stories. 🙂

  6. Why can’t it be both? I love the historical context, but I also enjoy the story line and romance.

  7. I think both, make it well rounded, so it really paints a full visual. I love the cover and it sounds reall.y good! Thank you for the opportunity!

  8. Howdy Misty! I like both also. It makes for good reading. I do get caught up in the characters at times. Especially when the author gives them a personality. I’ve read books about brothers/sisters and each have their own humor or traits that are different from others. Those make wonderful books.

    I’ve yet to read this series, but if it’s anything like those other mountain series, I’m sure to love them! Best wishes Misty!

    • Ah, Tracy, I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed my other books! I completely agree about personalities in characters too. 🙂

      • Well love the historical part of the book its so interesting too read but I also love to get to now the characters and their personalities which is fun to see it blossom, I’m quess I’m saying i love both. Equal combination of them both.

  10. I like a good mix of the story line along with the history of the region being written about. I have begun the book, “Healing the Mountain Man’s Heart”, #1 in the series. I am at chapter 15 and loving the storyline. The disposal/discovery of their sapphires by someone yet unknown is always on my mind at this point in the story. You write a thrilling story, Misty. I am anxious to get on with this book.

  13. The story line is what draws me into the book but when I learn about the period it is fascinating and gives me a perspective about the time and individuals.

    • Me too, Denise! That’s not always easy to judge when I’m writing, but I’m thankful for editors!

  16. The storyline and characters are what draw me to a book and keep me invested. However, I do enjoy all the historical details, too!

  19. I just finished reading Earning the Mountain Man’s Trust and loved it and the other books in this series. I enjoy the historical details and have learned so much reading my favorite authors who write these types of books. My husband and I like road trips and our last one was the Dakotas, Montana and Wyoming . We visited a lot of places I had read about.

    • Oh! I wish I could be in your backseat on the road trips! Those sound like amazing experiences. 🙂

  20. I like a mixture of both! While the story line and characters are (in my opinion) most important, I love the tidbits of historical detail! It helps bring the story to life!

  21. As with most things in life, balance is important. Elements of our lives affect our emotions. I love learning and feeling at the same time. I appreciate accuracy and detail. I love a good heartwarming moment too. I read just historical books and just sappy books, but I really prefer a bit of both.

    • You’re so right, Violet! I find some of my favorite plot twists come when I uncover a neat researched tidbit. 🙂

  23. Combining historical details with the story is interesting and provides me with background which is vital.

    • Great stories are definitely what make most of us pick up the book in the first place, right? 🙂

  25. I always start a book and think What am I going to learn from this book?

    So, yes, I like to have historical events or information ONLY if it enhances the story.

  29. I love when I read something I didn’t know about history and I can go Google it and learn more. Of course, I love the characters too.

  30. I love the historical details that I learn from reading! I enjoy the main focus to be on the couple & their story, but I think it’s great when the author takes the time to get the historical details correct (as much as possible) for the time period & weaves them into the story. I’ve learned a lot of history from reading historical Christian fiction & I’ve enjoyed it much more than I did learning it from a textbook in school!! 🙂 haha

  32. Misty, I like a nice balance between history and the story in a book. The details in the book should be historically accurate as should any historical characters included. It is still important to have characters who are believable and relatable as well as a good story surrounding them. I have read “historical” fiction that was just a story set in an earlier time period. However there was nothing in the story that rooted it in that time. It was just a story that could take place today or any other time. It is the specifics of the time period that give the story its flavor and authenticity.
    I read the sample for EARNING THE MOUNTAIN MAN’S TRUST. It set up the story well and I am looking forward to reading it. Jumping into a series like that is not what I like to do, so the precious books are on my list also.
    Congratulations on your new book and what sounds like a good series. Enjoy more “research trips” with the family. We loved it out there and have taken several trips back after we had to move from Colorado. Colorado. Montana, and Wyoming are favorites.

  33. Hello Misty I Like a mixture of both! And your Books sound very interesting Have a Blessed weekend!

  34. I love both to be in a book. I used to not feel this way but the older I get I’m love learning about history too.

  35. I like the story to be true to the time period and location. I enjoy learning historical tidbits that start me researching or getting out an atlas. But the story is most important. Balance is the key.

  36. First of all about your 28 day trip! Wonderful! About 15 years ago I fell in love with Montana from the window of an Amtrak train and now I try to go up there at least twice a year.

    I like historic details in fiction books because it feels authentic to me but I need the references to be fairly accurate.

  37. Hi. I prefer to have the characters and story dominate the story with some historical information added in to be able to explain the period. Thank you so much for being here and sharing. God bless you.

  38. I like historical details included in the historical romances that I read because it makes the story more authentic. I want to know how the characters would have lived and what they would have done and how they would have conducted themselves in that time period.

  39. I enjoy reading the historical details in a book. And if the author writes about the history of the area or their research at the end of the book, I always read that too.

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