Dear Mr. Cornwell,

I have been reading your books since I was in high school some 21 years ago. My favorite series is the warlord chronicles followed by the Saxon stories which I have reread so many times I’ve lost count. So it’s fair to say that your works alone have inspired me in my attempt to write a novel, thus leading to the problem I now face. So I decided to ask you, my source of inspiration, for your advice on the subject. I have started a book set in the early medieval period but I keep getting mired in my attempts to be as accurate as possible. I know that historical fiction is just that, fiction, and some wiggle room is to be expected; however, in trying to keep everything as accurate as possible I find I get overwhelmed with information and detail. Be it describing how a place appears, technology available at that time, known relationships, etc. What advice would you proffer to help with this research overload? Should I sacrifice detail for expediency and ease? Should I trudge on with research that an unknown but probably high percentage of readers (being optimistic there) wouldn’t notice or even care about? Any sage advice would be warmly received.

Yours truly,

Chad H.