Researching The Dragonslayer's Sword
My novel, "The Dragonslayer's Sword," is either fantasy or science fiction, depending on how you look at it. I chose to model the world on a specific period in history, so I read as much as I could about that time period and the hundreds of years that came before and after.
Because my main character is a female blacksmith who makes swords for dragonslayers, I first read as much as I could about blacksmithing, and then gained hands-on experience by taking a course with John Stevens at Sturbridge Village (through the Worcester Center for Crafts.). Here's an ironic twist that makes sense if you read the entire Why I Love Swords section: John Stevens was once the Director of the Higgins Museum.
Even though I hated weapons, I made myself read about them. While slogging through a pile of books (and often nodding off), I was unexpectedly captivated by Ewart Oakeshott's The Archaeology of Weapons. His enthusiasm and love of swords jumped off the page. It was as if he'd knocked on my front door, taken my hand, and invited me to come outside and get into a swordfight.
I searched for information, both about Mr. Oakeshott and about courses for learning how to use swords. I found different roads, and they intertwined. The first road I discovered led to a course in medieval weaponry.
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