What is it like using historical figures in your novels? How do you figure out how they'd respond in certain situations, or what they'd talk like? Is there any sense of trepidation when penning a genius like Isaac Newton or Leibniz into your stories? What kind of research goes into developing their characters?
Similarly, how intensively did you research London for the Baroque Cycle? When Daniel is strolling around the city, you go into such intricate details about, e.g., streets; is this all made up, mostly made up, or strict historical fact?
I guess the thrust of the questions above is, what is the process for integrating historical past into your fiction? However you do it, the end result is fun to read--thanks for the books.
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What is it like using historical figures in your novels? How do you figure out how they'd respond in certain situations, or what they'd talk like? Is there any sense of trepidation when penning a genius like Isaac Newton or Leibniz into your stories? What kind of research goes into developing their characters? Similarly, how intensively did you research London for the Baroque Cycle? When Daniel is strolling around the city, you go into such intricate details about, e.g., streets; is this all made up, mostly made up, or strict historical fact? I guess the thrust of the questions above is, what is the process for integrating historical past into your fiction? However you do it, the end result is fun to read--thanks for the books.