Today’s post is courtesy of Carrie Dalby, author of Corroded and Fortitude.

If you had asked me twenty-five, twenty, or even ten years ago what I thought I’d be doing, I never would have dreamed of saying “writing historical fiction.” Writing? Yes. Historical? No. While I enjoyed writing research papers in school, I never enjoyed history class. There were too many dates to memorizes, the textbooks were dry. And I failed my A.P. U.S. History test.

The two main things you need to write historical fiction are the ability to research and a passion for the subject matter. I knew how to research and acquired a love of history as an adult by reading historical novels—mostly middle grade, but some young adult and adult titles as well. Well researched books by Laurie Halse Anderson, Avi, Richard Peck, and countless Newbery winners captivated me. The time periods that once were…