Guest Post with Imogen Martin
Imogen, welcome. I think you are going to tell us what comes first when you start to write your novels. It's over to you!
Chicken or egg? Does the story or the research come first for a historical novel?
Actually, for me, it’s neither. It’s the characters. I’m interested in people, and more than anything, in people falling in love.
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Grace has shot her landlord and doesn’t know if she has killed him. Terrified about what will happen to her – and to her young brother if he is left all alone in the world – she lies in order to get on the next wagon train West.
Grace is determined, brave and resourceful. She is also vulnerable and has to struggle in a man’s world. Unfortunately for Grace, one of the biggest misogynists is Captain Randolph, who is in charge of the wagon train. Whilst the pioneers are going on a physical journey, Randolph’s journey is one of changing attitudes.
I spent hours poring over maps, particularly the series produced by Captain Frémont in 1846. I looked at photographs and paintings, read about military equipment, and learned how wagons are constructed. I am a visual person so I printed off images and made a collage taped to my office wall.
I even spent a day on a firing range, to learn how a rifle feels. Yes, this is me in the photo.
I hope the research gives the book an authentic feel which means readers can lose themselves in it for a few days. That’s what reading is about, isn’t it? Using our imaginations to find out what it feels like to be someone else. In To The Wild Horizon, we’re finding out how two very different people overcome challenges and fall in love.
Buying
Link
To The Wild Horizon: https://geni.us/179-al-aut-am
Social Media Links
Website: https://imogenmartinauthor.com
Twitter / X : https://twitter.com/ImogenMartin9
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ImogenMartin.Author/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imogenmartinauthor/?hl=en-g
Author
Bio
Imogen
writes sweeping, historical fiction. Her first two novels are set in nineteenth-century America.
As
a teenager, she took the Greyhound bus from San Francisco to New York. Over those
three days of staring out of the window at the majestic mountains and endless
flat plains, stories wound themselves into her head: tales of brooding,
charismatic men captivated by independent women.
Since
then, she has worked in a coffee shop in Piccadilly, a famous bookstore, and a
children’s home. She has run festivals and turned a derelict housing block on
one of the poorest estates in the UK into an award-winning arts centre.
During
2020, Imogen was selected by Kate Nash Literary Agency as one of their BookCamp
mentees, a mentorship programme designed to accelerate the careers of promising
new writers.
Married
with two children, Imogen divides her time between Wales and Sardinia.
She
hopes her books will bring you the tingle of a new love affair whilst immersed
in a different time and place.
Blurb
Missouri, 1846: In the frontier town of Independence the sound of a gunshot shatters the night. As the pistol drops from her hand and clatters to the ground, Grace knows she has no choice but to leave. Now.
In this inspiring and deeply moving story of love, courage and endurance, a young woman on the run from the law sets off on a desperate journey of survival on the treacherous Oregon Trail.
Terrified she’s wanted for the murder of her landlord, Grace is certain that, even though she acted in self-defence, no one will believe her. Quickly packing the few belongings she and her little brother Tom possess, they race to join the line of dusty wagons preparing to leave for Oregon.
As they set off, over the perilous Great Plains, knowing the wild rivers and the Rocky Mountains they must cross, Grace vows to do whatever it takes to protect Tom and get them both to safety. She will prove herself capable of surviving the hardest journey of her life.
This unputdownable and heart-wrenching historical novel shows the true strength and resilience of a woman’s heart, even when she has everything to lose and the odds are stacked against her.
What readers say about To the Wild Horizon:
“Incredible!!!!!” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“One of my favourite reads of the year. I absolutely loved it. A heartwarming, enticing, and intriguing tale of courage, love, compassion and resilience. This story will keep you on edge until the very last page.” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I absolutely loved this book. I couldn’t put it down. I couldn’t fall asleep because I had to know what was going to happen next. Incredible… I loved every second.” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Truly special. You will be swept along in a truly epic and romantic tale of love, endurance and hope.” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“The perfect blend of adventure, romance, and a woman’s strength. I fell in love with Grace and her compassionate heart… I couldn’t put this down.” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I did not want this novel to end. I spent most of the night reading it. What an awesome adventure! I highly recommend it.” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“A fabulous book! I was hooked from page one. I couldn't put it down.” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This book is fantastic! This is a story of hardship and struggle, but ultimately it’s a story of love and survival.” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Wow! You must be thrilled with those reviews. Having just finished To the Wild Horizon, I must say they are very well deserved. What impressed me in both of your novels was evidence of the meticulous research you must have done and you've confirmed how important research is to you in this post.
Thank you for reading. I'm sure like me you found Imogen's post very interesting, especially the bit where she spent a day on a rifle range learning how a rifle feels. If you're a writer, what is the most unusual piece of research you've done to give more authenticity to your novel? I'd love it if you shared what that was. Thank you.
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