When writing relationships like Julia and Fred’s, how do you strike a balance between character motivations and historical accuracy? Do you have any rules for when to exercise creative license?
My basic rule is that what I write about the relationships—and other parts of the story—either happened or could have happened as far as I know. In historical fiction, we are filling in the blanks: the emotions, the dialogue, the motivations that don’t get documented and therefore are not included in nonfiction accounts. But these very things bring a story to life and, for me anyway, make it more enjoyable to read.
There are times when I break this rule, and that is usually when I have to move events in time or place a bit to better fit with the arc of the story.
That said, it must be remembered that this is a work of fiction. There is no way to research every piece of documentation in existence. That is why I have the caveat as far as I know.
Like any historical novel, The War Nurse required a great deal of research. What kinds of sources did you rely on most? How did you find the resources you needed?
As previously mentioned, Finding Themselves was an invaluable resource. Another was Nursing through Shot and Shell, the memoir of Beatrice Hopkinson, a British nurse. Washington University in St. Louis has extensive online documentation of Base Hospital 21. Harvard and Vassar databases also provided insight on Fred and Julia.
But the most enjoyable and perhaps most important research was actually visiting Rouen and the surrounding area and taking tours with historians throughout Belgium and France. Not only did I learn a lot from them but they led me to other sources I wouldn’t have found on my own. I found museum bookstores to be a treasure trove for finding obscure, narrowly focused information.
What were the most surprising things you learned while writing?
I guess the most surprising thing I learned was Marie Curie’s involvement in the war and of the extensive accomplishments of her daughter, Irène, who, with her husband, also went on to earn a Nobel Prize.
I also noted how so many things never really change. Sure, we have better treatments for most illnesses and injuries, but the human body and its frailties are the same. And while we think we are seeing something new with COVID-19, we are not.
Were there any interesting facts that ended up not being included in the book?
I learned much about World War I history, but I purposely avoided including too much of it. There are plenty of books about wars, both nonfiction and novels. I wanted to focus not on the battles and destruction and weapons but on the personal experiences—the human story, through the eyes of Julia. I also underplayed the horror of it. I believe there is only so much gore my readers want to see. There needed to be enough to set a scene, but I didn’t repeat the very unpleasant things the nurses were dealing with. As a nurse myself, I know how they learn to ignore what they need to in order to help their patients and get through the day.
Did the COVID pandemic change the way you wrote about the Spanish flu outbreak?
Since the Spanish flu would have been mostly a problem of fall 1918, slightly after the story takes place, I hadn’t planned on it being as important in the story, other than the character arc of Charlotte Cox. But with the parallels of COVID, I realized its relevance to current events, so I made it a larger subplot.
The 1917–1918 pandemic killed at least fifty million people worldwide. In my research, I found an interesting comparison between how St. Louis and Philadelphia handled the Spanish flu pandemic. Philadelphia ignored the warnings and proceeded with a planned parade to raise funds for the war. Two hundred thousand people crammed the sidewalks to view it. Afterward, the city’s hospitals were full, and there were soon 2,600 deaths. In contrast, St. Louis banned gatherings, closed businesses, and treated the sick at home. It was able to “flatten the curve,” as we say today, resulting in a lower death rate than Philadelphia.
I didn’t find an explanation for why the cities handled the situation so differently, but it certainly seems reasonable that they followed the advice of people at the war front, where the situation first became critical. Hence, this inspired the standoff between Julia and Dr. Valentine regarding sending advice back home.
What lessons from 1918 did you apply to your own life?
That just when things look the bleakest, change will come and some equilibrium will be restored. We ourselves will have grown and changed, become stronger and more resilient.
Which books are on your bedside table right now?
Kristin Harmel’s The Book of Lost Names and advance reader’s copies of Greer Macallister’s and Marie Benedict’s upcoming books, The Arctic Fury and The Mystery of Mrs. Christie.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank my friends and family who have put up with my protracted mental distraction as I follow my dreams and write books. They understand how I can be in the same room, possibly even answering their questions, while my mind is a hundred years and thousands of miles away. Most especially, my devoted husband, Dave, whose unending support has allowed me this privilege.
I would also like to thank the many historians from whom I learned so much and the people of Belgium and France who were so gracious during my visits.
I had the great fortune to have early input from the amazing novelist Stewart O’Nan and several other writers at Stewart’s workshop in Tenuta di Spannocchia. To these wonderful writers, thank you, and write on.
But without the hard work of my editor, Anna Michels; line editors Sabrina Baskey and Heather Hall; as well as the entire team at Sourcebooks Landmark, this book would never have been completed.
And to my agent, Lucy Cleland, once again thank you for your support and for believing in me.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo by Firehorse Entertainment
Tracey Enerson Wood is a published playwright whose family is steeped in military tradition. This is her second novel, following The Engineer’s Wife.
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