Author Nancy Houser-Bluhm, one of my editing clients, shares about her two-year journey writing her time travel romance, The Nickel Loop. If you’ve ever felt the pressure to write faster or wondered if all those research rabbit holes were worth it, you’ll want to read this. Nancy’s story spans three eras—1898, 1938, and present day—and she shares the highs and lows of balancing historical accuracy with storytelling. From digging into old maps and slang to working with museum archivists, Nancy’s experience shows just how rewarding (and occasionally overwhelming) writing historical fiction can be. Whether you’re in the middle of your own project or just curious about the research process, you’ll find plenty of insight—and maybe a few lessons to help streamline your own work!
Well, this process was cathartic! Too much energy has gone to chastising myself for being a slow writer. It took me over two years to write my most recent novel, The Nickel Loop.
Some author friends push out two+ books a year. I see now it was a thoughtful process, and feedback is, I got historical elements correct. I adore historical fiction, so research was a delight most days, enjoying every rabbit hole I went down. TNL is a time travel romance with Nicholas, the male character coming to 1938 from 1898. Emmeline, the main female character arrives in 1938 but from current day. My storyline tasked me with three eras to consider. How would a person transported forward 40 years view 1938 compared to a woman arriving from current day?
Thorough research is key to avoiding later criticism. The 1930s was packed with momentous events; it was important to choose which aspects to incorporate while leaving looming war, the depression and dust bowl for another author to tackle. I chose to address several cultural aspects.
I kept voluminous notes and links to articles and photos. Keeping my reference information better organized would top my list of what to do differently. It was cumbersome trying to remember if a reference was in a notebook, in my phone, or on my desktop.
Reading old newspapers helped with language style and events. Nicholas needed to speak with slang from the 1890s, and checking word origins ensured a term was indeed used in the 1890s. The museum archivist from Glenwood Springs, where TNL is set, was as excited to share as I was to listen. I looked at old plot maps showing town density. Old photos helped me describe houses and kitchens of the era. Librarians went to their basements to locate books, allowing me to dive into minutia such as which roads were paved in 1938, and which cars could travel the mountain roads.
I looked at vintage magazines and era fashion books to get clothing right. Men’s clothing had zippers, but it was unseemly for women. I verified information with authors who write earlier eras into their novels. Several 20-somethings advised this boomer on what a twenty-three year old woman would miss most from 2022, as well as what may be appealing about the 1930s. We all know YouTube is great for how-to videos, but now I know it’s a handy way to experience a train ride from Denver to Glenwood Springs.
The triggers for time travel required research of old coins. A near miss was thinking Buffalo Head Nickels were around in the 1890s. I needed to know prices of meals and hotels in the 1930s as well as 1890s. The Nickel Loop has a thread that follows our food delivery systems. The 1930s were a pivotal era in our food production processes. I researched what refrigeration was like and how grocery stores worked.
Being a discovery author (aka pantser), my research paralleled my scenes. I plan to plot my next novel and it will guide research needed in advance. It’s often advised to look at similar genre blurbs before writing your own. It’s also advised to look at author’s explanations of their historical fiction. I invoked literary license while remaining true to America’s 1930s era even if it wasn’t authentic to Glenwood Springs. I acknowledged this at the beginning while at the end I listed samplings of literary license. That may not save me from some historian’s critique but so far, it’s worked.
More About Nancy Houser-Bluhm
Nancy Houser-Bluhm now hails from Michigan after living in the Colorado foothills for 25 years with her husband, various pets, and many, many trees. When she retired from a full-time career as a speech pathologist, report writing was replaced with creative projects-novels, short stories, and inspired poems. Nancy shifted reader’s thinking about the earth’s soil with her debut novel, Whispers for Terra. She enjoys being carried away by a good story while given cause to ponder some aspect of our existence.
About The Nickel Loop
Emmeline, a driven young woman, has withdrawn from friends and family since her adored father died suddenly. Traveling by train to visit her sister in a small Colorado town, she steps from 2022 into 1938. When she meets kind, well-educated Nicholas, she recognizes his panic and disbelief. He just arrived from 1898.
The two struggle to grasp their shattered reality, but blending into 1938 draws them close and love sparks. When a psychic offers hope for returning to their own times, will they forfeit what could be?
Nicholas is astonished by the advances 1938 offers, but Emmeline knows the 1930s hold little opportunity for her as a woman. A discovery intensifies the pull back to her own time. Can her heart exist on two timelines?
Have you ever wished for a second chance at love or wished you could go back and change that one thing? If you have, you will be unable to resist Nicholas and Emmeline’s story of love and choice.
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