Writers Round Table


What is one of your favorite resources for research?

Cate Masters:  I’d love to be able to visit every setting in my stories! Unfortunately I can’t, so I mainly rely on either the library or the Internet, but I love to come across books specific to my needs that I’ll keep on my shelf for reference. For instance, I’ve relied on The Dictionary of Angels to supply not only names but background information for the angels in my Christmas fantasy, Ground Rules, and my dark paranormal, Dancing With the Devil. When I was lucky enough to visit Key West, Florida, I bought about six books about the local area because the history intrigued me so much, and I spent a few days in the library there while my family went parasailing and snorkeling. They had a fun time, but I felt like I found a lost treasure chest!
For more about Cate visit her blog: Cate Masters: http://catemasters.blogspot.com


Regina Duke:   I love Google and Wikipedia.
This sounds simplistic, but as a career academic (retired), it is such a joy to be able to type in a question and see a variety of answers. Some of the informants may not know exactly what they are talking about, but after perusing several sites with information, I can glean a huge amount of information without leaving my writing space.
Unlike the research I had to do for academic books. Every source had to be paper published (although this is changing), either a monograph or a journal article (refereed, of course). And the topics were very dry as well. Instead of reading foreign language articles about the ergative marker (linguistics), I can type in “What do bounty hunters really do?” or “What are buckyballs?” and spend half a day reading the fun stuff! LOL!
For more about Regina Duke visit her at http://www.reginaduke.com

Mariposa Cruz:  My favorite starting point for research is the children’s section of the library.  Children’s books are designed to be user friendly—I’ve found them to be a quick source for concise information.  Another wonderful resource is The Encyclopedia of Vampires, Werewolves and Other Monsters by Rosemary Ellen Guiley, a compendium of paranormal from folklore to pop culture.  My only complaint is that I have a hard time putting it down!

Popular posts from this blog

Author Interview-Joanne Guidoccio

Image
What inspired you to become a writer?   From an early age, I loved curling up with a book and losing myself in the stories. In high school, I looked forward to English class and dreamed of writing the great Canadian novel. Instead, I followed the conventional advice of the times and pursued a career in teaching. But, in my heart of hearts, I knew that someday I would resurrect that writing dream. When I took advantage of early retirement in 2008, I decided to devote my second act to writing. Who are your favorite romance characters (besides your own)?   My favorite authors include Ann Patchett, Ann Lamott, Jane Green, Maeve Binchy, Gail Bowen, Louise Penny, and Adriana Trigiani. The protagonists in these novels are older and wiser, having encountered many bumps on the road to romantic love and personal fulfillment. One of my favorite quotes comes from Maeve Binchy : “I don't have ugly ducklings turning into swans in my stories. I have ugly ducklings turning into c...
Read more

Author Interview-Vicki Batman

Image
What inspired you to become a writer? After my son was born, Handsome and I were shopping in a Half Price bookstore and I told him I was looking for Dick Francis mysteries. He asked why I liked them so, and I blurted out, “Because I wish I could write like him.” But I didn’t try to write for a long time. A friend prompted me to do so. My mind had really expanded in writing and I love it! Who are your favorite romance characters (besides your own?) I’ve always been drawn to curious heroines, particularly those in mysteries. I cut my teeth on Nancy and Trixie. Oh how I wanted to be them and have their adventures. As a teenager, my mom lent me her Emilie Loring romances. The women where strong and looked for someone to match them. They were willing to try new things and go new places. Eventually, I discovered stories by Mary Stewart who weaved intriguing suspense into her romances. Tell me what inspired this story. (see question 1) My friend suggested writing the open...
Read more

Author Interview-Regina Duke

Image
I had the good fortune to meet Regina Duke at a gathering of local romance writers and I’m thrilled to have her as a guest today. Regina Duke also writes dog books as Linda White. What inspired you to become a writer? As a child I read constantly. I have a memory dating back before kindergarten of copying the print off a page onto a piece of paper. I did not know what the page said at that time, but I felt compelled to write those symbols on paper. I was writing! My first trip to the library at five years old was memorable because they would only allow us to check out four children’s books at a time, and I read all four in the car on the way home. There were never enough stories! So I began writing my own as soon as I had access to pens and paper. I shared with girl friends at school. Ironically, although my writing skills always earned As in school, my male English teachers never enjoyed my creative efforts! Not masculine enough, I guess. Who are your favorite romance cha...
Read more