How History And Imagination Collide In "The Regulator"

Hey Gang. First off, I just wanted to let you know that The Regulator is rapidly on it's way to being ready for publication. The manuscript has been set in book form, and the jacket art is in the process of being designed. Although no launch date has  been set, the novel will be available as both a hard copy and as an e-book. The choice will be yours as to how you want to read it. Right now the entire endeavor seems to be running on intense pressure and high energy, but the result will be impressive. Expect the launch date to be announced soon.  

Now, what's interesting about novels like The Regulator is that they're set in reality while still remaining very much works of fiction. For instance, John, the hero (Or is it anti-hero?) of my novel, emerged from my own imagination and personal experiences. The world he exists in, however, the world of Shay's Rebellion, is a very authentic and frightening part of American history. 

The truth is I believe all of humanity, both past and present, contains certain traits. We all know what it means to be angry, happy, excited, jealous, even frightened. Those are things that aren't unique to people of certain places, races, or time periods. They're things that unify us. That's why I felt comfortable putting so much of myself into John, an 18th century soldier, even though I have no military experience of my own to speak of. 

Still, history can't be denied. Authenticity is important, and I strained myself to attain a high level of authenticity in this work. Real people and real places are involved in the narrative. One such real person is Luke Day, of West Springfield, Massachusetts. Day came from a wealthy family, fought as an officer in the American Revolution, then lost his fortune before becoming one of the leading figures of Shay's Rebellion. His house in West Springfield still stands. You can see what it looks like above. The home is also the setting of an important chapter of The Regulator. You don't see many structures like this around anymore, so it's a pleasure to know this piece of history is being preserved. 

Below you will see what  the view is like about five minutes away from the Day home, in the city of Springfield, where Shay's Rebellion reached its bloody climax. Architecture changes, but humanity essentially remains the same.