*This post originally appeared on Teatime & Books*
“You
must remember this, a kiss is just a kiss…” Except for when it comes to a first
kiss. As all lovers will tell you, the magic in a relationship sparks or
fizzles with that first kiss. It is a dealmaker or breaker.
When
a first kiss burns hot, love blooms. According to a 2012 ABC Science poll, 90%
of lovers, irrespective of age, can remember when and where their first kiss
occurred. When a first kiss goes badly—as 60% of first kisses do according to
the same poll—all hopes for a lasting romance are lost.
I
was ten years-old the first time I fantasized about holding a boy’s hand—a very
specific boy with blond hair parted by a cowlick on the right side of his
forehead, tiny freckles dotting his perfectly upturned nose, and grey-blue eyes
that reminded me of the sky before a summer storm. I daydreamed about
walking past him one day and letting my hand brush his. In my daydream, he
would take my hand and we’d stand there together. That was as far as my
ten-year-old mind had worked things out. Having accomplished my goal, I
supposed we’d just stand there holding hands for eternity. I wanted it so
badly.
When
I was twelve years-old, that same boy—who was by then fourteen and over six-feet
tall, gave me my first kiss. As we sat together in a wooden porch swing, he
reached out to lift a strand of hair that the gathering wind had blown into my
face, and as he leaned in to tuck the hair behind my ear, he kissed me. “I want
to remember you just like this,” he said, “with the wind and that strand of
hair in your face, always. You’re perfect.” I could have died! It was the most
romantic moment of my life. At twenty-seven, I married that boy even though he hadn’t
said anything half as sweet to me since that long-ago summer. It was
the kiss that did it. I'd never forgotten it.
In
Solomon’s Bell, the second installment of the Genie Chronicles,
thirteen-year-old main character Ginn Lawson contemplates bartering her first
kiss for what she hopes is information she needs to save her family. Caleb
Scott, an older boy and Ginn’s longtime crush, is a descendant of Grimms,
members of the Order of the Grimoire, who’ll stop at nothing to possess a genie
as part of their magical menagerie. Caleb turns from the Order in hopes of
proving his devotion to Ginn, but when Ginn asks Caleb to return to his Grimm
roots to help save her family from the clutches of a golem, Caleb has but one
request: a kiss. Ginn agrees, only to worry later that it’s been bad luck to
barter her first kiss for intel on her most dangerous enemy. As the story
progresses and Ginn is swept up in the adventure of battling golems both at
home and in 16th Century Prague, she forgets about the promised
kiss; but that’s never the case for Caleb. Will their romance burn bright or is
Caleb’s past and their new mission too dark to let in the light?
What do you remember about your first kiss? I'd love to hear about it in the comments.
I take these words very seriously. Whether working in the field (during my day job as a biologist), or learning about the settings, timelines, ecosystems, and mythology for my novels. Unfortunately, when writing historical or mythological based novels, not every topic is well known or understood. And unless Doctor Who shows up with the Tartus at your doorstep, we may never really know how general people lived or what they believed during past eras or what an environment/setting might have actually looked like.
That’s when the author takes on the role of Sherlock Holmes, using the resources allowed to us and piece together a fictional world that is still real and believable. There are several medias I use for my work, each playing a vital role in bringing a sense of reality to my fiction: the internet, books, documentaries, and in field research.
Internet
The internet is usually my first step, especially for high level research. This includes finding the right calendar on timeanddate.com to build my outline, Google Maps and Street View to get an idea of the setting in which I wish to write, and general topic searches on Google and Wikipedia to give me a general direction in which to conduct my research. I even do my best to research terms and slang that my characters might use.
However, there are other sources on the internet I use for more in depth research as well. The first are news media sites, which I use to keep up with the events, technology, and latest archeological discoveries that might relate to the novel’s theme. Other sources I use from the internet are online articles and journals. These can be easily accessed sources such as National Geographic or History Channel Facebook feeds, or if you have access to a database, peer-reviewed articles on science and history.
But, if you are writing a historical based setting, one of my favorite resources is online archives, where you can find historical documentation and maps of different regions and states. I’ve used this source when researching for my work in progress, Death Island, when researching Gregory’s home town—a minor portion of the novel, but still vitally important. You can also go into online libraries to discover books, papers, and other documents on the topic you’re researching.
Books
Much like Hermione Granger from Harry Potter, published reference books are my best friend. I have two bookcases dedicated to my reference books—particular books on Ancient Egypt I used for my first published series, Descendants of Isis. I also kept all my old text books, applying subjects such as chemistry, ornithology, mammology, ecosystems, and climate change to other works in process manuscripts. I also have religious and philosophical reference books taking my writing into other dynamics. Books are just great for some in depth studying of the topic you wish to focus in. And there has been many a time where a new concept or twist clicked into my mind while reading a new reference book.
Documentaries
Growing up, two of my biggest role models were Jeff Corwin—and you wonder why I became a biologist—and Digging for the Truth’s Josh Bernstein. They taught me to always be curious and to always ask questions. Since then, my documentary DVD collection has grown with programs from National Geographic, History Channel, A&E, and Discovery Channel. Many I have watched several times and know by heart. And I always stay on top of the latest releases, making sure I have the most recent data on hand. Then, while writing my novels, I’ll run a related program running in the background to inspire the imagination. At the same time, I’m learning something while I write.
Field Research
You’re probably wondering what I define as in field research? Basically, any research that is conducted in a location (other than at home, school, library, or bookstore) where you can interact and learn about the subject you’re focusing on. This could be while on the job, studying biology, working with wildlife, and learning about different environments. Or visiting museums with exhibits on what I’m writing about, such as our local art museum’s Ancient Egypt display. Or participating in themed festivals like the Tall Ship Festival in Michigan. Or even visiting a family owned restaurant that hosts their homeland cuisine, or cooking a foreign dish yourself.
Field research is talking with people and learning their culture.
The best way to do this is actually visiting the locations and historical sites your novel is based in. Unfortunately, for Descendants of Isis, I have yet be able to visit Egypt. I’m hoping in the next year. But for Death Island, which is based in the early seventeen hundreds, I have been able to visit many period-based villages and towns across the east coast to learn what life was like for my characters. I’ve watched carpenters and blacksmiths, I’ve helped raise a sooner’s sail, I’ve asked questions and learned period superstitions and systems, I’ve learned about their medicine and the meaning of the colored glass. Without these amazing people, I’d be writing blind. This is the kind of research that makes every moment worthwhile.
To conclude, all this research does take time—along with my day job—and I will admit that I am slower in publishing my novels than most self-published authors. But I focus on my novels’ quality and push out of my mind the quantity, using research as one of my major writing tools.
Now, even with all these resources, I will never say my writing is one-hundred percent accurate or that I don’t take literary license. Which fiction author doesn’t? But before placing pen to paper, my advice to anyone writing a paper or novel would simply be:
