tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7768080963330267344.post2734230961621453277..comments2024-03-07T13:15:51.124-05:00Comments on Marie Lavender's Books and Other Things: Research Can Be Fun Too!Marie Lavenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05627028683820078537noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7768080963330267344.post-56471605093053710472013-10-19T15:38:59.867-04:002013-10-19T15:38:59.867-04:00Exactly, Mark. I spend a lot of time looking at o...Exactly, Mark. I spend a lot of time looking at old pictures just so I can describe a place the way it looked then.Marie Lavenderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05627028683820078537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7768080963330267344.post-5898637652319121912013-10-19T15:36:49.434-04:002013-10-19T15:36:49.434-04:00Thanks, Christina!Thanks, Christina!Marie Lavenderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05627028683820078537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7768080963330267344.post-90138481328449398942013-10-18T12:25:09.509-04:002013-10-18T12:25:09.509-04:00A part of what I do is create graphic novels and a...A part of what I do is create graphic novels and a fun part of my research is doing searches for images to use as reference photos for the drawings. I find that the photos I look at often inspire a certain "camera" point of view or even an expression, or I'll find one item while looking for another that works so much better. But there are things like period pieces, too. I am currently working on a story that takes place during the Great Depression. Sometimes I don't know if certain inventions were either invented yet or even in common use, so I'll do an image search on Google, for example, just this morning I needed to find out if they had flashlights in the 1930s. So, I did an image search for "flashlight 1930s" and saw not only that they were a common item by then, but what they looked like. The images put me in the era and helped me feel what it was like to see those things, and to deepen my own sense of context for my story.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7768080963330267344.post-81647518643743827772013-10-11T19:55:39.522-04:002013-10-11T19:55:39.522-04:00I often say my characters lead me on a merry chase...I often say my characters lead me on a merry chase, bring me to far-off lands and putting me in situations I know nothing about. Needless to say, countless hours are spent on research; be it online, at the library or interviewing folks directly. The depth of detail required for a historical romance is mind boggling. You need to virtually become an expert on fashion, furniture, and food, on genealogy, botany, geography and meteorology. You need to know folklore and legends. If you have a ship, you need to know every gun, mast, sail and function of each crewman. <br /><br />If you are throwing a London Ball, you need to be precise if it is during "the season" or the "little season". You need to know which kind of flowers are in bloom at the time so you decorations are accurate. You need to know which materials would have been used to fashion the gowns, what accessories would have been worn with it, and even which street the dress shoppe would most like have been on and the route you took to get to the shop. You need to know what food and drink you would have served, what music would have played and what dances would have been danced. Would the ball be a one day event or would it be a house party culminating in a ball. What events and accommodations would you have for your guests who were staying for more than one night? What mode of transportation did they use to arrive at the ball?<br /><br />I could go on and on. At times it becomes so exhausting, by the time you've finished writing the scene you feel you HAVE just hosted a party for five-hundred guests. But, that is the type of detail needed to physically transport your reader into your story. The trick is for the reader to simply be able to absorb the surrounding and not be distracted by them. Now I’m digressing.<br /><br />Yes, research is vital to add to the authenticity of your writing. But it can be also fun if you start getting excited about what you are researching. The research itself can transport the author much the way the author transports her reader.<br /><br />Thank you Marie for yet another wonderful article! I so enjoy reading what you write.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11947876013414315168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7768080963330267344.post-2591473543846030162013-10-08T16:50:19.752-04:002013-10-08T16:50:19.752-04:00I understand what you mean, Kathleen. It's no...I understand what you mean, Kathleen. It's not a bad idea. Even though I researched my book as well, I have had the occasional person question me on those facts. I think that is why you will occasionally see a note to the reader in a book, describing what is true and what is fiction.Marie Lavenderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05627028683820078537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7768080963330267344.post-19935651538924080412013-10-08T16:46:36.279-04:002013-10-08T16:46:36.279-04:00Thanks, Marian! :)Thanks, Marian! :)Marie Lavenderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05627028683820078537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7768080963330267344.post-52126552754489405122013-10-08T16:46:18.419-04:002013-10-08T16:46:18.419-04:00Thanks!Thanks!Marie Lavenderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05627028683820078537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7768080963330267344.post-21092364571271588942013-10-08T16:09:33.167-04:002013-10-08T16:09:33.167-04:00Interesting helpful post, Marie. Yes, research can...Interesting helpful post, Marie. Yes, research can be fun and it does take tons of time. I haven't read Upon Your Return yet, but have it on my kindle & it will be interesting to read into the history. I have 3 books I bought for a future book I started on, just need to take the time to read them.<br /><br />About the importance of being correct and doing our research. I'm sure I spent 1,000's of hours doing research on my book. My inspirations came, in some form or other, from real life and of course I wanted to be accurate in the details. On a review someone gave the other day (which wasn't bad, a 4 star) the person said men in brothels don't act like I described. Yet, in some of my readings I found that some woman prostitutes, in earlier years, were mistreated (look at the sex slave crisis that's going on today). Maybe this person didn't remember that this was set in the 1950's. On my next book I'm going to outline all my research & find a way to list it in the book. Yes, it is important to do research & a book is better taken if it's accurate, so on my next book I think I'm going to outline my research and have it listed in the book.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09871715455123788528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7768080963330267344.post-218489371168220022013-10-08T15:51:17.037-04:002013-10-08T15:51:17.037-04:00Marie, great post. I bookmarked it.Marie, great post. I bookmarked it.Marian Lanouettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11989754229732790216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7768080963330267344.post-15133930304396769272013-10-08T15:36:51.997-04:002013-10-08T15:36:51.997-04:00Research is very important, especially in historic...Research is very important, especially in historical fiction. Even fantasy and sci fi the world needs to be plausible. Willing suspension only goes so far. The sort of folks who read these genres will notice if your world-building is poor and that, in turn makes for a poor story. Diidiihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03625251723765809757noreply@blogger.com