This time last week, the first novel in my “Wellington Undead” series (The Beast of Mysore) was published. Sales are steady and sufficiently encouraging for me to have already begun writing the second book, which goes under the working title “The Hordes of Assaye.”
Three years will have passed off-page between books, and Arthur Wellesley has now obtained the rank of general. Based out of Seringapatam, he and his army of redcoats are drawn into the Mahratta war, which will culminate in his small army having to engage and defeat a much larger native force of infantry, cavalry, artillery…and zombies.
Supernatural forces influence all aspects of the world of “Wellington Undead,” and after pitting Wellesley against a band of were-tigers in the first book, it seems only natural that the shambling, hungry dead take center stage in the second. Having the latitude of inserting fantastical elements into the narrative only go so far, however; the remainder of this fictional world must still adhere closely to the historical reality.
Which means research. Lots and lots of research.
There is no shortage of published material which covers the life, times, and career of England’s greatest soldier. Part of the challenge is actually finding time to read it all. I make my living as the assistant chief of a paramedic division, but also somehow find the time to volunteer as a firefighter, teach EMT and paramedic students, chair a committee, and be a part of several other valuable and rewarding activities which are, nonetheless, all time-sucks.
I tend to write free-form and delve into the books in order to clarify a point, such as the correct way for infantry soldiers to form square, or the distance marched by a battalion of troops on a given day. I reserve the right to deviate from history in order to serve the needs of the plot (by necessity, vampire generals are forced to fight their battles at night) but strive for the the ring of truth wherever possible.
Putting words in the mouth of Arthur Wellesley, his peers, and even his adversaries, is a daunting task. Fortunately, Wellington’s own dispatches survive in published form, and so his turn of phrase and manner of writing, at least, is there for all to see and appreciate.
Without the research, the Wellington novels would be finished in half the time; and yet, I strongly suspect that they would not feel remotely as “realistic” (if such a term may be applied to a fantasy novel) as they do.
I hope that you enjoy reading them as much as I have enjoyed writing them.
