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Cindy Vallar is a historical novelist and an authority on maritime piracy and Scottish history and culture. She is also a freelance editor, an associate editor of the Historical Novel Society’s Solander Magazine, a workshop presenter, and a book reviewer. Her debut novel, The Scottish Thistle, has earned high praise from the Clan Cameron Association, which awarded her the first North American “Friend of Clan Cameron” distinction.
What is the difference between “historical fiction” and “historical romance?” Cindy Vallar addresses this question:
Over the years I have read many historical romances, but my favorite novels are always those that emphasize the history over the romance. It is why I describe The Scottish Thistle and my works-in-progress as historical novels intertwined with love stories. Both are key elements of my stories, but the reader encounters far more history than is commonly found in historical romances. While nurturing the love between the hero and heroine is an important theme in my books, they sometimes spend long passages of time apart or do things contrary to the normal roles of men and women in formula romance. For example, the Rising of 1745 separates Rory and Duncan for much of the time in The Scottish Thistle. Alexine, the heroine in The Rebel and the Spy, exhibits traits expected of a young woman living in New Orleans around 1812. Her brother, who raised her, is a sailor, privateer, and smuggler. Lucas, the hero, soon discovers that Alexine has many other traits society would frown on if they knew the truth.
When I write my stories, I strive to make history, time, and place come alive for readers so they feel as if they stand in the midst of the battle or feel the roll of a ship’s deck beneath their feet. To achieve this sometimes requires modifications to history. The reason for doing so is that the story should take precedence over the history because I write fiction rather than non-fiction. Whenever I do alter historical details, I make note of them in the Author’s Note at the end of the story.
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Cindy Vallar
