Non-US/Euro settings (split from Historical accuracy)

I'm with you there. Once I've finished (yeah, right) I'll need to find betas familiar with ancient Jerusalem and ancient China to look things over and make sure my characters are true to their cultures. It'll be hard enough convincing the average reader that there really was an historically-documented slave who married Herod the Great's brother without making cultural boo-boos on top of it. And I'm not familiar enough with either culture to assume I won't make some wrong assumptions.

Heh - BardSkye, my best friend is a Religious Studies professor specializing in Judaism; she knows her ancient Judean stuff ...

Can't help with China, though I'd love to read that work. Chinese history is one of those areas I adore, but find so huge I'd never presume to even attempt writing "there" - I'd make a total hash of it, without doubt.

I write about Ancient Egypt. I'm hoping to convince an Egyptologist to beta read my first historical for me to double check it, but I think I'll do alright. I've been reading about/studying Egypt on my own for a decade or so, and studying it at University for the past year, so my blunders shouldn't be cultural. And at least, if they are, I won't risk offending modern-day members of the same culture. Thanks heavens for small blessings, and all that.

DianeL said:

Chinese history is one of those areas I adore, but find so huge I'd never presume to even attempt writing "there"

Click to expand...

Fortunately, or unfortunately as the case might be, my Chinese characters spend most of their time travelling with a caravan on the Silk Road to Persia. The actual history is mostly backdrop and a reason they need to leave. I've used attitudes more than location. My teenage country princess shocks the skin off her protector by getting far enough into her disguise as a caravan master's granddaughter to curse and spit in front of him. Poor fellow almost drops a box on his foot.