It’s a common dilemma among us suspense writers. Are we
attracting unwanted law enforcement attention with our keywords in the internet
search engines? You know what I mean. A writer can google “how to make a bomb”
or “what authority do airport police have” only so many times before she starts
to wonder who’s watching.
Still, though, the research in a suspense novel can be some
of the most exciting part of writing the story. In my family, it’s resulted in
some of the most lively conversations!
My second book, Deadly Disclosure, is available next week in
print (available now for kindle), and it’s exciting to see those times of
research come to fruition in a story.
Of course, not all research is related to weapons and danger
and suspense.
For example, I confirmed that it truly isn’t as easy for an
adopted person to find birth parents as many people think. I found my birth
parents more than twenty-five years ago, but it was through the agency that
handled the adoption, and even then, I didn’t get any identifying information
until the agency had contacted my birth mother and obtained her permission. The
laws are designed to protect the anonymity of birth parents so as to encourage
adoptions. There are online registries that exist now that didn’t exist then,
but if a birth parent doesn’t register, that won’t help an adoptee who is
searching.
I also discovered that many wealthy people still have
butlers and those butlers dress rather formally. Picture black pressed pants, a
crisp shirt, a black tie, a gray coat with tails. Some even wear white gloves
while holding out the silver tray to serve, an arm held behind their backs.
I found a neat wristwatch for lawyers that may make it to my
wish list.
The most interesting bit of research was finding videos of
people shooting fire extinguishers. I don’t understand why someone would want
to video themselves shooting their weapon at a fire extinguisher out in the
open field and then post it on YouTube, but I’m glad they are there. (You’re
going to go look now, aren’t you? 😊)
Deadly Disclosure, my second Love Inspired Suspense, is
available in print on Tuesday and available on kindle now. I would be honored
if you signed up for my author newsletter at www.MeghanCarver.com.
What do you think? Wouldn’t it be grand to have a butler?
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve researched?
Posts
Congrats on Deadly Disclosure, Megan! Love that cover!
ReplyDeleteI can easily get lost in research, especially anything involving emerging infectious diseases. It's like Facebook. I start by taking a peak at what's out there and then I'm hooked, moving from site to site and finding all sorts of great story ideas.
Your mention of shooting fire extinguishers has me stumped. Do they explode? Is that the draw...no pun intended. :)
Thank you, Debby! Hmm, emerging infectious diseases sound fascinating! Is that a new story idea? :-) Yes, research can pull you in, can't it? And yes, fire extinguishers explode.
ReplyDeleteI've found videos that people have taken while driving. I hope a passenger was actually taking the video, but it gave me a great idea of what the area I was researching looks like.
ReplyDeleteI love those videos, Merrillee! For Under Duress, my first book, I watched videos people took while driving a motorcycle. Scary!
DeleteI agree with Debby--love the cover! I don't write suspense, of course, but I always wondered if you guys end up on some kind of super-secret watch list! Why is this lady googling all these scary topics?? Better keep an eye on her...
ReplyDeleteHopefully, the list is so long that they'll never get to our names....
DeleteI'll admit I flew straight to YouTube. Interesting. And I'm piqued as to why you needed to research that in the first place. Look forward to your book!
ReplyDeleteI guess I should admit, Deb, that I saw it first in a movie. :-) But I did my due diligence and verified that it would actually work the way it did in the movie. The movie exaggerated the effect, but only a little.
DeleteSounds like an amazing story Meghan! I look forward to reading it! And I love the cover.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Maggie. It was so much fun to write!
DeleteIt strikes me that most of you look so innocent to be writing such suspenseful stories :-) Your book sounds intriguing, Meghan!
ReplyDeleteThat's part of our disguise, Donna. :-)
DeleteI'm amazed at the things people will video themselves doing. I love researching (historical). I hope I have as much fun researching contemporaries.
ReplyDeleteWhat was interesting to me was the fact that I even had to research the normal stuff. Of course, I knew I would need to research the suspense parts, but looking for a watch or what a modern-day butler would wear? But we want it to be accurate, right, and it's all quite interesting.
DeleteI love research and yes, I learn interesting things in doing it. It's like forced homework but in a fun way. Your book sounds so interesting.
ReplyDeleteFun little tidbits to bring up at dinner parties, Lenora! :-)
DeleteCongratulations on your second release, Meghan! I'm eager to hear about suspense research since I'm writing them now. And I've had the same thought about searching certain things. Thank goodness for YouTube!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about what we research, especially on the internet. Poisons, bomb making, guns, etc.
ReplyDeleteI gotta watch that on YouTube. How funny! Meghan, I love the cover for your new book. It is creepy pretty.
ReplyDeleteI truly enjoyed the post. You're right about it being hard to find biological parents. I didn't find mine until my father remarried and his new bride convinced him to give me some information. Other that that, I was pretty much told they went into a room with pretty bassinets and picked me. LOL
ReplyDeleteI asked my kids what the oddest thing I've researched. They all answered at once. "How to assassinate someone!"
ReplyDelete