For me, doing the research is one of the most enjoyable parts of writing, although it can also be one of the most frustrating and time-consuming parts as well. Getting something authentic without going overboard on extraneous detail is a fine balance. I’m looking for realism rather than real.
After all, if we wrote truly authentic accounts of the lives of most private detectives, we’d be describing a lot of boredom combined with trying to get covert photos of cheating spouses and insurance claimants doing things they swear they’re now too injured to attempt. In real life, Detective Inspectors spend more time on paperwork than they do chasing murderers. Serial killers are still something of a rarity, thankfully, rather than popping up every other week, particularly in sleepy little English villages when elderly spinsters happen to be staying at the vicarage. Bodyguards, if they’re good at their job, will face few attacks they didn’t see coming and plan a way to avoid. Some soldiers have made it through entire conflicts without ever firing a shot, let alone seeing the whites of the enemy’s eyes.
I know some authors try to keep away from the lures of the internet while they’re writing, to avoid the distraction, but I find I have page after page of my browser open to check history, details, maps, and images.
And if those images are ones you’ve taken yourself, rather than relying on simply searching for pictures posted by others, they serve as a further aide de memoire.
So, for the last couple of weeks, I’ve been putting together my own aide de memoire of sailing in the Greek Islands, for a book I’d like to make a start on over the winter. And here's the proof.
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| Dog on the water. Watching how well dogs adapt to life aboard a boat is always instructional. |
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| The smart harbourside at Agios Efimia. |
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| Plucky little dinghy lolloping along behind the boat. |
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| The joys of monohull sailing, cranked over on your ear ... |
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| In Greece, cats are everywhere. This one had staked her territory as the roof of this Seat, just below the balcony of a restaurant ... |
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| Being in a constant saltwater environment does have its downside. |
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| The number of larger yachts has grown considerably over the last few years. |
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| Sivota harbour, with one of the many catamarans in the centre. There are far more cats around than there were even five years ago. |
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| ZS at the helm. Who put the horizon at that angle? |
What do you like to research, whether for a novel or simply out of a sense of curiosity?
This week's Word of the Week comes from the boat anchored next to us as I write this. It's called 'Sempre Decanter' because, according to the owner, the definition of a decanter is 'a vessel filled with spirit'. Coupled with 'sempre' meaning 'always', as in the Marine Corps motto, 'Sempre fi(delis)', meaning 'always faithful'.
Coming up
When I return next week, I'm straight back into the thick of it, with a Noir @ The Bar at The Winter Gardens in Morecambe on Friday, Sept 29th, from 6-7pm.
The following day, Saturday, Sept 30th I’m taking part in the inaugural Morecambe & Vice Crime Writing Festival, also being held at the Winter Gardens. I’m on the panel ‘Local Legends—I Did It My Way’ with other local authors AS Chambers and Beth Jones, and moderated by Kevin Wignall. The event starts at 9:45am, and the Local Legends panel is on at 10:15am.
And early next month, I have a blog tour starting for the publication of the UK edition of the new Charlie Fox book, FOX HUNTER. Many thanks to Ayo Onatade for organising me so brilliantly.
Zoë Sharp Blog Tour dates
2nd October
Victoria Watson
3rd October
Crime Book Junkie
4th October
Liz Loves Books
5th October
A Lover of Books
6th October
The Book Trail
7th October
Rachel’s Random Reads
8th October
Anne Bonny Book Reviews
9th October
Blue Book Balloon
11th October
Crime Watch
13th October
Shotsmag Confidential
14th October
Hair Past a Freckle
15th October
Damp Pebbles
16th October
Jen Meds Book Reviews
17th October
Random Things Through my Letterbox
I was going to comment that you're one busy human being, but from all that you do, Zoë--and do so well-- I don't think "one" is enough or "human" a possibility! Glad to see you got away on your sail, and happy that you were off in the Ionian as we'd be terribly disappointed had you made it over to our Aegean side and not rung us up for another sort of semper decanter experience.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jeff. And of course, had my sailing taken me to the Aegean, I would be knocking on your door! G&T o'clock is a regular occurrence on the boat, and one of the restaurants on Ithaca served some kind of cherry liquer that reminded me of cough mixture I used to have spooned down me as a child -- with, I'm certain, less beneficial effects!
ReplyDeleteLove being taken along on your research trips, Zoë. This one's a honey. I sure hope we will see you at B'con.
ReplyDeleteI'm counting on it, Annamaria! I'm looking forward to seeing all my MiE blog mates who are heading to Toronto -- it will be one of the highlights of the trip.
DeleteAnd I'm also looking forward to starting work on this book ...
I love the research side of writing as much as the writing itself. This looks like a great research trip!
ReplyDeleteHi Jackie and Joel. Thanks so much for your comment. Research is fascinating and has left me with a very odd collection of mental trivia, which certainly has people looking at me strangely at parties!
DeleteI like the philosophy of your column's title, Zoë!
ReplyDeleteMe too, EvKa. I've never believe the 'write what you know' saying. You write what you're fascinated to find out about, and hope others will be just as interested to read it.
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