The Historical Choices Behind Edale Lane’s Novel Merchants of Milan!

The Historical Choices Behind Edale Lane’s Novel Merchants of Milan!

by Edale Lane

When I began formulating ideas for this book–which turned into a trilogy–I wanted to create something unique. I’ve never been locked into a genre, followed typical tropes, or written formula fiction. My master’s thesis advisor told me that there were two ways to write an outstanding thesis: take something that has been said before and present it in a whole new way, or say something that has never been said. In my previous novel, Heart of Sherwood, I took a well-known story and told it in an innovative way; this time I wanted to try for a story that has never been told.

Primarily I write historical tales, so I searched for a time period that was not saturated with fiction. Victorian and Medieval could both fill libraries, but interestingly enough the period between, including the Renaissance, is much sparser as a setting. Likewise, England, France, and the US are heavily drawn on for settings, but not so much Italy. Then there was Leonardo da Vinci! Since my childhood I have admired the great master and as I zeroed in on Renaissance Italy, I knew he must play a role.

The Renaissance began in Italian city-states because of the wealth amassed by the merchant class. Abandoning the rural based feudal system, cities and towns grew and prospered on the peninsula which was uniquely situated along the vital east-west trade routes, and Milan was among the largest and wealthiest cities in the world in 1500. Add to that fact that da Vinci spent a number of years in Milan and produced The Last Supper there, helped to pinpoint the setting.

Now for the characters! I began to contemplate the concept of a 16th century “super hero”, a kind of “Batwoman meets Leonardo da Vinci.” She would have physical skills but rely more on her wits. There had to be a catalyst for this intellectual to don a costume and fly through the night, and naturally she had to meet the woman of her dreams. The most challenging aspects lay in making everything she invents and does believable.

Researching Leonardo da Vinci was a labor of love. Florentina, who watched and learned from Leonardo, kept some of his sketches and used ideas from his inventions to create her own arsenal. The flying machine was one of Leonardo’s unrealized passions; Florentina combined elements from his flying machine, his parachute, and the parasol to create her “wings.” She also took ideas from da Vinci’s envisioning of a multi-barreled cannon to improvise a revolver styled crossbow. He was knowledgeable in the medical field as well so she learned about potions, chemicals, drugs, and first aid. The story also includes little-known facts about The Last Supper and a peep into da Vinci’s character.

Likewise, the plot hinged on historical research. At that time period in Italy wealthy merchants and bankers held the role that oligarchs do today, wielding their power in an almost mafia type style, and the vendetta was an important part of the culture. They did not have police forces as such; instead it was up to the family–traditionally a male relative–to avenge a wrong done to one of its members. Florentina was an only child and a girl, so Don Benetto thought he acted with impunity when he killed her father. While women, particularly of the upper class, had more rights in Italy than most countries at the time, they were still not expected or allowed to engage in most activities designated for men. Therefore, Florentina, an only child, found it necessary to create a disguise, a secret identity with which to carry out the family vendetta. Thus the Night Flyer was born.

Setting the scene also required hours of research. I wanted to make sure every plant, every piece of furniture, meal, and article of clothing was correct for the time and place, along with geography and climate information. Fortunately, we have the internet! Language usage was a challenge; finding old English words and expressions is much easier than Italian. Therefore, I sprinkled in a few familiar Italian words and tried to steer clear of vocabulary and phrases that sound too modern. They would have had slang back then too, but that was harder to pin down. I selected “dribble” and “pinnacle” because the terms are old enough and they seemed to fit. As for profanity, all the colorfulisms of today were in full use during the 16^th century.

Having earned a master’s degree in history, I am no stranger to research. It is my goal to make every aspect of the story as authentic as possible, enveloping the reader in the setting, educating as well as entertaining–even when giving a girl wings and teaching her to fly!

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About the author: Edale Lane is the author of an award winning 2019 debut novel, Heart of Sherwood. She is the alter-ego of author Melodie Romeo, (Vlad a Novel, Terror in Time, and others) who founded Past and Prologue Press. Both identities are qualified to write historical fiction by virtue of an MA in History and 24 years spent as a teacher, along with skill and dedication in regard to research. She is a successful author who also currently drives a tractor-trailer across the United States. A native of Vicksburg, MS, Edale (or Melodie as the case may be) is also a musician who loves animals, gardening, and nature. Please visit her website at: https://pastandprologuepress.lpages.co/

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Book Synopsis for Merchants of Milan:

Three powerful merchants, two independent women in love, one masked vigilante.

Florentina, set on revenge for her father’s murder, creates an alter-ego known as the Night Flyer. Madelena, whose husband was also murdered, hires Florentina as a tutor for her children and love blossoms between them. However, Florentina’s vendetta is fraught with danger, and surprising developments threaten both women’s lives.

Merchants of Milan is the first book in Edale Lane’s Night Flyer Trilogy, a tale of power, passion, and payback in Renaissance Italy. If you like gadgets and gismos, rich historical background, three-dimensional characters, and fast-paced action with a slow-boil lesbian romance, then you are sure to love this series. Buy this one of a kind novel today and let the adventure begin!

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Author Links:

Twitter: @EdaleLane

Official Site: https://pastandprologuepress.lpages.co/

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