WHEN RESEARCH LAUNCHES THE STORY

I have to confess the idea for this post came from Ellie James and her post on our new Smart Girls Read Romance blog at http://www.smartgirlsreadromance.blogspot.com. She posted on the 6^th about her own research for her Dragonfly series. She put me to shame with her daring. If you haven’t read her post, please do yourself a favor and read it—after you read this one, of course. ☺ (Points to image on sidebar>>)

Me doing research. Is writing a great job or what?

Most of the time I love research. With the internet we can “visit” anywhere. Sure I love to take nice drives to the locales of my books, but that's not always possible. Now there's not even a need to travel to the library bearing pads of paper and a handful of pens. With my own research books plus the world wide web, I’m usually set. I still love the library, but for pleasure reading. Writing is my business!

Paty Jager 

For my new work in progress, I have the hero and heroine travel through some places I’ve never been, so I had to get out my map, Texas Almanac, and go to the online Texas State Historical Association Handbook of Texas. Fortunately, I’ve driven most of the places on my characters’ journey, but they’re on horseback. Oops, more research required. But not from the library or the web. Time to call on friends.

I asked Oregon author Paty Jager, who has horses, how far my hero and heroine could ride in a day. (Paty is also a member of the Smart Girls Read Romance blog team and posts on the 12th of each month.) Paty told me the mileage range I needed, but I learned the answer depends on the terrain.  Great, so I have to determine the lay of the land as well as what towns were around in 1888? Okay, I’m on it. 

There are a lot of hills on this journey to slow them down. And rivers and creeks. Wouldn't it be great if they had to cross the Colorado River north of San Saba after a storm. Bwahahaha. Authors get to be mean to their characters. It's not only allowed, it's required. 

Colorado River of Texas

In my research I learned the early Spanish explorers thought the Colorado and the Brazos were the same river. The way the explorers wandered around and the way the rivers meander, is it surprising that the explorers mapping the area got a few things confused?

I love writing, and research gets me in the mood even more. I can hardly wait to make use of some of the interesting tidbits I’ve learned this week. Hopefully, they will seem organic and not as if I’m teaching a history lesson. I do love Texas history, but want the book to be an emotional journey with a satisfying conclusion.

My new hero is Storm Kincaid, brother of the heroines from my earlier Kincaid series, THE MOST UNSUITABLE WIFE and THE MOST UNSUITABLE HUSBAND. His book is titled THE MOST UNSUITABLE COURTSHIP. (I'm really sorry I started with such a long title in the first place, but want the series titles to match.) 

Storm is a favorite character for me and I want his book to be especially deserving of him. His heroine is Renata “Rena” Deitrich, a German immigrant whose husband was killed by the men the two are chasing.  Storm wants justice, Renata wants revenge! Who will succeed?

We’ll see how the story plays out. In the meantime, please keep in mind my current release, TABITHA’S

JOURNEY. She’s a substitute mail order bride whose fiancé doesn’t appreciate the switch in prospective brides.

Smashwords buy link is: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/319614?ref=CarolineClemmons

Amazon Kindle buy link is:
http://www.amazon.com/Tabithas-Journey-Mountain-Novella-ebook/dp/B00D0C3MNC/ref=sr_1_14?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1370574040&sr=1-14&keywords=caroline+clemmons

TABITHA’S JOURNEY is a spin off sweet novella from the sensual Men of Stone Mountain trilogy, BRAZOS BRIDE, HIGH STAKES BRIDE, and BLUEBONNET BRIDE.

 Thanks for stopping by! Now, please go read Ellie James post . ☺