I list Whiskey and Old Stogies as Historical Fiction. According to Wikipedia, “An essential element of historical fiction is that it is set in the past and pays attention to the manners, social conditions and other details of the depicted period.” In that sense the book holds up in the category.
Wikipedia goes on to say, “Authors also frequently choose to explore notable historical figures in these settings, allowing readers to better understand how these individuals might have responded to their environments.”
Dictionary.com defines Historical Fiction, “…characterized chiefly by an imaginative reconstruction of historical events and personages.” In this sense my novel doesn’t live up to the category. I mention Prohibition, The Great Depression, and the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre but those events only play into the plot with the gaining and losing of wealth. So some purists undoubtedly say I placed the book in the wrong category.
Yes, people really do quibble over these things, and one might even say nitpick. An article by Sarah Johnson defining the genre on the Historical Novel Society website shows evidence to that statement.
Thankfully most places allow the author to list more than one category so I also list Whiskey and Old Stogies in Literary Fiction and General Fiction.