Kristina Stanley's debut novel, Descent, was an instant bestseller and continues to garner rave reviews. She's a fellow Imajin Books author and a great addition to our Imajination team with her enthusiasm, inspiration and support. I'm thrilled to have her here as a guest to talk about research, my pet topic this summer.
Catherine has asked me to talk about researching my novel DESCENT, so let’s talk research.
Catherine has asked me to talk about researching my novel DESCENT, so let’s talk research.
We’ve all heard the saying write what you know. Well, I think it should be write what you love. If you’re not
interested in something, and I mean deeply interested, how can you spend
endless hours researching and writing your novel?
In order of fun and importance, my methods of research are:
- Life experience
- Interviewing experts
- Online research
Being the director of security in an isolated ski resort
inspired me to write the Stone Mountain Mystery series. I lived the life for
almost six years and paid attention to what happened around me. I wrote the
first in the series, DESCENT, after I moved from the ski resort to a sailboat
in the Bahamas.
In DESCENT, there is skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling,
night hikes, employee terminations, medical emergencies and interactions with
RCMP. Due to my job and my lifestyle, I’ve participated in all these things.
This provided the basis of facts. Then comes the imagination. One dead ski
racer, many suspects: all the more believable because the underlying story is
believable.
When using real life experience, I was careful not to write
about actual events or people. The trick is to use an event to spark the imagination,
turn it into something evil or dangerous, exaggerate it, expand it, and go from
there.
Now here’s an important research tip. Keep in touch with all
you work or play with. This group of people will become your experts. After I
left the resort I interviewed ski technicians, RCMP constables, snowmakers,
lift operators and security officers.
When I needed details, these people were there for me. I found most were
happy to contribute to the process of writing a novel. In return, they get
mentioned in the acknowledgement section of DESCENT.
Online research is my last resort. For DESCENT, I used the
Internet to ensure I used the right language for a skier aiming to be part of
the Alpine Canada ski adventure.
So why not descend into fiction and order a copy of DESCENT
at amazon.com, amazon.ca or the amazon hosted in your country? To entice you,
here is what DESCENT is about:
 |
| http://www.amazon.ca/Descent-Stone-Mountain-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B01053N6CA |
Kalin’s boss orders her to investigate. Her
boyfriend wants her to stay safe and let the cops do their job. Torn between
loyalty to friends and professional duty, Kalin must look within her isolated
community to unearth the killer’s identity.
BLAZE (to be release this fall by www.ImajinBooks.com) is
the second in the Stone Mountain Mystery series and is a tale about arson, betrayal
and revenge. Heading up security was again a great asset. The security team was
tightly linked to the fire department, and you guessed it, the firefighters
were an awesome group to interview. A first person account of what it’s like to
walk through a burning building is terrifying but makes for a good story.
The third in the series, AVALANCHE, has Kalin Thompson
searching for a thief, struggling to prove her brother is innocent of a major
theft. Unfortunately for Kalin, her brother disappears in an avalanche hours
after the theft and is the prime suspect.
REQUEST FOR READER ASSISTANCE: I’m writing the fourth
in the Stone Mountain Mystery series. A business partner of Kalin’s is murdered
while driving his ATV on a mountain trail. He’s forced into a frothing river…
My problem with the fourth novel is I have to stop calling it “the fourth.” I
need a title. If you have any suggestions for a title that fits with DESCENT,
BLAZE and AVALANCHE, please leave a comment below.
You can find out more about me at www.KristinaStanley.com. I’d love to
hear from you so drop by and leave a comment or connect with me @StanleyKMS.
Follow me and I follow back.
Thank you, Catherine, for hosting me. It’s a pleasure to
share your blog with you.
2 comments:
Really like your point about keeping in touch with people you work and play with, Kristina! Our personal network as writers becomes a fascinating web of interesting people who indeed have knowledge beyond our own. It makes the writing life a never-ending happy learning experience. Good post.
Melodie, Thanks for your comment. It is great to keep track of people and does keep life interesting. Today I'm researching Avalanches for my third novel and scaring myself by watching go pro videos of people actually buried. I like connecting with people much better :)
Post a Comment