• Blog

    LA research trip!

    7/3/2013

    Los Angeles View Hollywood Hills and Hollywood SignI write this blog post on a Friday night in LA. To say I’m a tad tired would be an understatement. Still, anything in the name of research right?

    I’ve been in town since Tuesday and I think my friends and I have covered a whole lot of territory in essentially three full days.

    This is a research trip for the sequel to Mr Right and Other Mongrels so I am trying to see LA through the eyes of the main character Allegra. I want to view things through the prism of her experiences and interests.

    She likes vintage clothing and I found this wonderful shop on Sunset. I also visited some very cool vintage shops in Old Town Pasadena.

    (OK that’s as far as I made it on that tired Friday…it’s now Tuesday in Maui…nine days later…every single day has been go, go, go and I am exhausted in a really good way.)

    Lucky for me I made great notes at the beginning of my trip and took at least a zillion photos because every wonderful day has blurred into the other.

    I can tell you that if Allegra’s L.A. experience is anything like mine was she will eat well, shop lots, visit some amazing, gardens, meet some cool people and have some very funny experiences…stay tuned for more information…when my brain is working again!

    Comment

     

    MaryK
    7/3/2013 06:38:45 am

    And if Allegra is anything like you (which she is!), L.A. is going to love her!!

  • Blog

    Research or procrastination?

    5/19/2013

    Question Mark and PenI’ve done a lot of research this weekend. Honest I have.

    I looked up places for my various books on Google earth. Am I the only one who feels like superman when the globe spins and I go from Sydney to Los Angeles in a matter of seconds.

    I also planned aspects of my LA research trip for the as yet un-named sequel to Mr Right and Other Mongrels, that has to be research right? I mean obviously I must know what is on the menu at The Getty in LA a full month before I visit it.

    I might have also done some research on Serendipity 3 in New York because that places and it’s frozen hot chocolate may feature in an upcoming book.

    As a writer you do need authenticity. If you describe a real place it needs to feel real and the only way to get true credibility is to visit or visit via the inter-webs. However, it is a fine line between research and procrastination.

    It’s very easy to get sucked into the vortex and suddenly realise you’ve spent two hours on your computer and not written a word. (And that’s without twitter, Facebook and all their social media buddies). I think it’s a fine line between research and procrastination – it’s like when a teacher gives a child ‘busy work’ to occupy them but maybe it’s not advancing their cause any. (Any Aussie’s out there remember the SRA cards of the 1970’s – OK I just Googled them? How can they still exist?)

    Anyway, if you’re a writer how do you balance research and procrastination? (I imagine for Regency writers or people writing historical novels this must be even harder to balance!)