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2014-09-24 7:42pm UTC
American History Told Through Fiction
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American History Told Through Fiction
2014-09-24 8:04pm UTC
Welcome
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Welcome to a new blog.
This blog is about using historical fiction, based off of fact, to help teach and learn about American history. It's using life story to help bring history to life--where we can imagine history and understand it more fully.
(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC 2008-2014.)
2014-09-24 10:44pm UTC
History Told in the Form of Story
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History Told in the Form of StoryAHTTF: A Serial(American History Told Through Fiction: A Serial)
When I grew up, history was my worst subject. I hated it. (I usually don't like to sue the word hate, but it applies here.) After all, every year, for twelve years, we studied the explorers. We only got to the early 1900s a couple of times. I never learned about anything after the 1929 until my last semester of my senior year.
Then, to find out, a great deal of what I learned was wrong. (Sigh.)
For instance, the first permanent English settlement was not Plymouth, it was Jamestown, Virginia. 1607.
Also, the first Thanksgiving was at Berkeley Plantation in Virginia, not at Plymouth.
Another case and point, Pocahontas married John Rolfe, not John Smith.
So, why would I ever consider writing historical fiction?
I learn best through story. Tell me a story, I'll remember it for the rest of my life. Give me a book of facts to read and I'll only remember it temporarily. Facts can be cold and sterile. Tell me a life story and you've got my attention for hours, if not days, weeks, or months.
Historical fiction, based on a true story, helps me to see history in action, so I understand history all the more. It helps me to be able to use my five senses with the historical moment and life story. If I can put myself there, I grasp it far more than I do if you just present me with facts. I'm the hands-on type of gal.
History told through a story is the best way for me to learn.
I've tried to write several historical fiction books and series. In fact, recently I tried to do so. But, I get bored with all the extra fluff that needs to be added to it in order to make a novel.
So, the question came to me, what if some stories are meant to be a paragraph, a page, a short story, a novel, or a series in length? In other words, what if a story should be told, but only in a paragraph? But, what if another story should be told in several novels? Is either story greater because of the length? And, wouldn't it stand to reason a story is greatest told in the length in which it's supposed to be told?
Therefore, what about telling American history in story form, whether it's a paragraph or longer?
Here's another question: Is anyone's story greater than another? Or, is one story greater than another? Are any of them more memorable and/or more special?
I would argue that every story is important to be told in order to fully understand history. We should not ever pick or choose what stories to tell. The stories in history books, or told on the news, may provide a framework, but all of the stories that are part of it are just as important. the stories intertwined with it matter. The lives shaped by the historical moment matter. So, all of the stories should be told--without exception. In fact, I would argue that maybe the little known stories have had more of an impact on history than we know.
I think every story is important and necessary, because all of the stories combined provide the true story of history. If one piece isn't told, we have a skewed vision and perspective of history.
And, here's another question that came to my mind: What about telling the stories of history in the form of a serial? What about telling all of the stories of the United States of America--no matter whether it's a paragraph or a novel in size? Each story should be told. All of them should.
Why else should every story be told? It's because every story is sacred. Why is every story sacred? Every story points to the divine, to the hand of God, to the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe.
Every story is important.
Every story should be told.
I will share the stories of the history of the United Sates of America. I will jump all over the place as I tell them. I will not tell them in order. I also will focus on a theme with each story: Date, person, place, or event.
I will take the facts as we know them and will present them in a story form. Based on fact, with a little speculation of what could have happened in each historical scene and life. It's to help remember the facts that a little liberty will be taken where a story will be presented from the facts.
Stay tuned.
(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC 2014. Norfolk Botanical Gardens)
2014-09-25 12:22pm UTC
Imagine a New and Innovative Way of Learning American History
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Imagine a New and Innovative Way of Learning American History2014-09-25 07:49:22, Thursday
This is my goal with this new way of writing and AMERICAN HISTORY TOLD THROUGH FICTION: A SERIAL.
Through this writing, I hope to create an unusual collection for American History of stories based on fact, but told through the medium of fiction so they can be remembered and experienced with the five senses (but in the mind, of course). If each sense is engaged, the story becomes more alive and it's more likely to be remembered.
I don't just want to capture the big, bold stories we know from the history books, but I also want to tell the less familiar, everyday stories of people alive during a particular time in history. Capturing both the familiar and the unfamiliar stories in history provide a broader, fuller, more accurate vision and knowledge of what really happened then and how lives were transformed because of an event, by a person, or by a time period in history.
This is my purpose of this blog and serial series of stories of history.
Anotherreason why I will tell these stories through the mode of fiction is because we just don't know the full detail of what happened. We know the facts. That's it. And, we only know some of the facts because not every story was captured in the history books.
The more we know of history, the significant and what was perceived as insignificant, the more we can understand history. The more we understand and know history, the more we understand the ramifications and the fullness of current events.
History, even when learned through fiction, can powerfully shape and transform our lives today.
Through the fiction,w e will learn the facts. We will understand in this blog that the fiction is just a means to help us learn and remember the facts (like a mnemonic device).
I am excited to learn history in a new way and help to intertwine it with my life today. I also am excited to help share this with you.
Every story matters--even the perceived insignificant. Not one story is insignificant, let me add. However, through looking at history books, you can tell only certain facts were presented, not all of them. History books tell the stories of the victors.
{Note: This isn't all history books, but a lot of them. After all, if history books were to tell every story, imagine how many volumes it could take to talk about one hour of an event in history. So, I understand that. But, this is my attempt to do precisely that and to tell the full story of everyone and everything involved, like a police investigator does with a case. I want to make an encyclopedia of stories, so to speak, of every major event, and the non-major events, in U.S. history. I also want to tell the stories of the people involved and who lived it. For, every story has made the United States of American what she is today. Every single one of them without exception.}
I think if this was how history was taught in school when I was growing up, I would have learned a great deal more than what I have. This is my attempt to do this and increase my knowledge and understanding of American history today.
This has the potential of being a lifelong project. I look forward to it.
I see some stories being short, some medium in length, and some longer.This will also be refreshing and innovative.
In time, I will combine these stories into books so the stories of U.S. history can be read in order and and even told at the dinner table. I will make sure to make the facts obvious, but assume the story of the facts, unless otherwise stated, will be a work of fiction. I want to look at each event, person, time period through an individual's eyes as if they were living in that moment. I want to make it come alive through them.
Every story matters. They are the USA.
2014-09-25 3:25pm UTC
May 25, 1584 (Fact)
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May 25, 1584 (Fact)
FACT: On May 25, 1584, Queen Elizabeth I granted a charter to Sir Walter Raleigh to establish an English colony in North America. Failure to do so would result in the revoking of the charter.
FACT: This led to the voyages to what we call today the Lost Colony of Roanoke, modern-day Roanoke Island, North Carolina (not to be confused with Roanoke, Virginia).
#Roanoke #NorthCarolina #RoanokeIsland #SirWalterRaleigh #QueenElizabethI #Colonization #1584 #1500s #16thCentury
*** Updated last on Sept. 25, 2014 1123 a.m. ***
2014-09-26 1:07pm UTC
Family Tree Stories
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Family Tree Stories2014-09-25 08:52:03, Thurs.
Part of the stories I include in this history will be stories I include from my family tree. After all, my family was involved with the lost colony of Roanoke (modern-day Roanoke Island, North Carolina) and at Jamestown (modern-day Virginia at HistoricJamestowne). I have direct ancestors from Jamestown--1607 and on, along with those through Plymouth. But,mostof my family comes from Jamestown.
Jamestown is about 36 miles from where I live today. When my husband and Imovedhere, we had no idea about my family tree.
I have several family members who served in the American Revolutionary War (aka War of Independence), including one father and his twelve sons. And, I've hadfamilyserve in every single war the USA has seen. Therefore, we seem to have always been a Christian and patrioticfamily, who were someofthe forefathers of this nation.
Additionally, I have five indirect lines to U.S. presidents and to several signers of the Declaration ofIndependence. In fact, some served on the first governing body of this country, the House of Burgess.
I will tell the what might have happened stories about them, based off of the facts I know about them and about the time. I will also explore the lives of others at the time.
Therefore, some of these stories will hold a personal element, which will make them more interesting. I will include other stories of the time as well so as to provide a more fully rounded perspective of the time.
(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC 2014. Berkeley Plantation, Charles City, Virginia.)
2014-09-26 2:38pm UTC
NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)
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NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)2014-09-26 10:17:12, Friday
November of every year is:NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). What it means is writing 50,000 words of a writing project during the month of November, which averages 1,667 words of writing per day for thirty days. I've tried to participate every year since 2009. I actually won (meaning wrote 50,000 words start to finish) in 2009 and 2010, but haven't since. (Ugh.) I've sure tried, though.
This year, it's my goal to actually accomplish this feat again. Since I've decided to start AMERICAN HISTORY TOLD THROUGH FICTION: A SERIAL project, I realize it's okay for me to jump from story to story, as long as it fits within the theme of American History. Therefore, I am a great deal more confident about participating in, and finishing, NaNo (NaNoWriMo) this year.
Of course, I'm going to see how much writing I can accomplish with the AHTTF project between now and November 01, but my goal between November 01 and 30 is to do a minimum of 50,000 words, preferably a lot more if I can.
The truth of the matter is, I can write 2,000 words per day easily. I can also write 5,000 words if I get enthralled in the story. I can even do a 10,000 word day, but those are few and far between. With giving myself permission to write a paragraph of a story (American Historical Fiction), a page, a short-story, or a novel, it frees me up to see what the story requires, versus putting parameters on the story. This allows the story that wants to be told, to be told, and I won't have to force it or restrict it in any way.
Hence, yep! I am quite excited for NaNoWriMo this year--and for the preparation between now and then. How much will I get done between now and then? Time will tell.
Here is where you can find my NaNoWriMo page and information, by the way:
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/remembering-your-present
#NationalNovelWritingMonth #NaNoWriMo #NaNo #AmericanHistoryToldThroughFiction #AHTTF #AmericanHistoricalFiction #AmericanHistory #U.S.History #U.S.HistoricalFiction
NOTE: I apologize the picture is for Camp NaNoWriMo, which is in April and July of every year, but NaNoWriMo hasn't downloaded their 2014 images to the site yet. (Drat.) Hopefully soon, though.
2014-09-27 4:00am UTC
Stay Tuned for Sir Walter Raleigh, May 25, 1584. (Story)
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Stay Tuned forSir Walter Raleigh, May 25, 1584. (Story)
This is the first story I'm writing.
(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC 2010-2014. Virginia Beach.)
2014-09-28 12:48am UTC
Writing Plan for Friday, September 26, 2014
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Writing Plan for Friday, September 26, 2014
I originally wanted to start with the story of Sir Walter Raleigh receiving the patent to establish the first permanent English settlement or colony in the New World (North America). However, I've done more research and have determined that there is actually another story that I should start with first.
So, here is my writing plan:
1 Sir Humphrey Gilbert2 Sir Walter Raleigh. May 25, 1584.
It is interesting to note how both men are from England and neither actually stepped foot in what we would now call the United States of America. However, it is through their vision the USA was established centuries later.
Hence, in this AMERICAN HISTORY TOLD THROUGH FICTION (AHTTF) blog, we will learn about world history as well. Anything that happened in which has ties to the United States is part of American History.
2014-09-28 12:48am UTC
Plans
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Plans2014-09-27 16:46:48, Saturday
Plan #1: FACTS AND STORY (FICTION)With each fictional story, I will make sure to write the facts of the story first. Then, I will write the story.
Plan #2: NEWS AND CURRENT EVENTS: I will try each week to add current events to this blog. After all, in a couple of months, it's history. I will even include links to the stories and articles.
Plan #3: I want to write as much as possible and see if I can get an extensive collection of facts and American History Told Through Story.
--Stacy Duplease
http://rypstories.blogspot.com/ and http://ahttf.blogspot.com/
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire HDX Tablet
(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC 2008-2014.)
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