Host: Jude DiMeglio TrangGuest: Kim Pearson Bradley

Description:We welcome author Kim Bradley back to the Gift of Need podcast to talk about historical fiction and why stories from other times and places can help us better understand ourselves and human nature. Kim shares how her love of reading, research, travel, and family stories led her to write the Merchant Tideshistorical fiction adventure series. We explore how historical fiction brings the past to life by showing that the emotions, relationships, struggles, and desires of people centuries ago are remarkably similar to our own.

We talk about:

· Kim’s unusual and varied career journey and how it led her to becoming an author

· Why being an avid reader and genuinely curious about people can serve a writer well

· C.S. Lewis’s advice to aspiring writers: read good books, write about what genuinely interests you, and understand the meaning of the words you use

· Why historical fiction can make history more engaging and memorable

· How stories humanize historical events, people, and places

· The universal emotions and desires that connect people across centuries and cultures

· How jealousy, envy, compassion, empathy, love, and the desire for freedom have shaped people throughout history

· Why Kim chose the eighteenth century and the period when Florida was under British rule

· The historical research behind the Merchant Tides series

· Kim’s discovery of a Greek family legend that became the inspiration for her fictional series

· The Mediterranean, the Ottoman Empire, and the importance of Smyrna as a center of international trade

· How the Silk Road connected cultures, people, goods, and ideas

· What historical records can reveal about everyday life in the eighteenth century

· The real historical events surrounding British East Florida

· Sebastian, the young protagonist of the Merchant Tides series, and his coming-of-age journey

· How Sebastian’s struggles with independence, family, freedom, and responsibility reflect universal human experiences

· The historical reality behind Sebastian’s experience as an indentured servant in Florida

· The story of Doctor Andrew Turnbull and his attempt to establish an indigo plantation using workers recruited from the Mediterranean

· How power, control, freedom, and the abuse of authority become recurring themes throughout the series

· How difficult experiences and “growing pains” can contribute to maturity and wisdom

· The way Kim draws from her own experiences and friendships when developing her characters

· Why writing can be a cathartic way to process emotions and life experiences

· What Kim has learned from traveling and meeting people from different cultures

· Why people everywhere share fundamental needs to be loved, valued, respected, and to know that their lives have meaning

· How historical fiction can help us recognize our shared humanity

· Why everyone has a story worth telling and why aspiring writers should simply start writing

You can purchase a copy of Kim’s books at your local bookseller or by going to her Merchant Tides books website:

http://www.kpearsonbradley.com/

or her other writing:

https://www.kim-bradley.com

Connect with Kim on Instagram: @kimwritesworlds

or Facebook: www.facebook.com/kim.bradley.357

Join the Conversation:We’d love to hear how you’ve seen the “gift of need” show up in your life. Share your story in the comments or leave a review. Please subscribe to this YouTube channel and follow the podcast and rate it. Subscribe to my free newsletter to get future episodes and newsletters sent right to your inbox. JudeDiMeglioTrang1.Substack.com

Music Credit: Gabe Kubanda / Damn Plans (Instrumental) © 2021 Kubanda MusicEngineer: Ray Ingegneri, Third Street Productions, Tucson, AZ

Producer: Jude DiMeglio Trang

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit judedimegliotrang1.substack.com