Current Research

Sometimes I wonder if someone did a history search on my computer they might think I was off my rocker. Especially recently.


Let me 'splain.


Not only have I been looking up forging weapons, sword fighting techniques, and medieval information for my Ryder Chronicles, but I've also started research on other writing projects. These projects include a historical fiction set in colonial America, a modern day romance set in Ireland, a middle grade/YA type fiction/fantasy set in an alternate world that runs parallel to ours, a urban fantasy trilogy about loup garu set in Chicago, a urban fantasy/mystery series set in New York following a female detective, and a urban fantasy/romance involving a medical student and a vampire set in New England.


Phew...and there's even a few more projects that I have on the back burner. Now, before people start crying out too badly. No, most of these do not have titles, or even idea for when they will be released. Right now many of these stories are simply in the formulation stages. And for several of them, they are extremely research heavy.


So my search history has been ranging from colonial speech patterns and Native American tribes in the specific area, to medical advances in blood diseases. Sadly, for the romance in Ireland I actually have bookmarked a street view in Doolin as inspiration for the buildings that are there, and where to plant the buildings I've made up. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing to admit, but hey, it's there.


Even slightly creepier is the information I am needing for the urban fantasy in New York. If you've read The Dresden Files, that is more the type of book I am going for. I am hoping to strike a balance between fantastical and hard detective/mystery elements. This character came to me from no where, and she has an especially interesting story to tell. I do know the main character, the antagonist, and that there will be 13 books in the series. This is one long haul series I am looking forward to!


The other books set in Chicago involving loup garu will bring into play my knowledge of Celtic and Irish lore. Though the research will still be there, especially for the setting. I have visited Chicago, but never lived there. It's also been interesting discovering the many types of shape shifters and werewolf stories that are out there. The lore is all so different, so there is a lot to choose from. I first stumbled across the main character during college when I wrote a short story based on the main character. The professor said he had never given an "A" to a genre story....I forced him to change his track record ;)


So again for some of these stories it's pretty innocent: locations, local flora and fauna, speech patterns etc. And then again, some of it's not: blood spatter patterns, poisons, the hierarchy of different governmental organizations, gun and ammunition facts etc.


Oy Vey, why did I have to be interested in such different genres? I just hope I'm not the only one!
Can anyone else relate to researching things that would be considered "strange"?