kristaphillips New Followers Update:
First, I’d like to welcome my newest followers to reflectionsbykrista!
Thanks for the follow y’all (showing my transplanted southerness… by marriage!)
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GUESS WHAT!?!
Next weekend, I will be going on my FIRST ever RESEARCH TRIP. Well, actually I’m going with my mom and dad back to my hometown for a family picnic… but I don’t get to go very often, and my hometown (I lived there till I was 5 and most of my dad’s side of the family is still around there…) is where my newest book is set.
I don’t have much time for research. We leave Friday afternoon, get in late that night, stay there on Saturday (including picnic) and leave home on Sunday. BUT, I fully plan on walking the downtown of my little town and taking lots of pics, and maybe even stopping by the library or other area “attractions” that I might want to put in my book.
I am SO excited about this, cause I have a lot of memories of my little town that I’m itching to put in my book. We have Art’s Supermarket… an icon in the town that no book set there can do without. Then the Yum-Yum shop, which has been transplanted and updated… but still, my town is not complete without it. The train diner down town, and a host of other places that make up the sweet memories I have.
I write “contemporary” books, but I’d still love to know a bit more of the history so I can incorporate it in my book. My little town also hosts fun things like an annual fair that is renown in that area, as well as little antique fairs that people come from miles around to check out. It’s a small town, but rich in history and character.
It also has a fun name, thus the reason for it’s prominence in my story.
Discussion: Has anyone else been on a ‘research’ trip? How did it go? Any pointers for the rest of us?
How fun, Krista! I just love when I can combine a fun family outting with research! We just took a trip Saturday as a family to a museum further north of us here in Michigan. I wanted to go to do research for my newest book, but my entire family loved the trip. One of my DD's took over 100 pictures and told me I could have doubles of her pic's. She wanted to "help" me! So, give your kids cameras and let them "help"!
YES! It was fun. I went to my brother-in-law's farm in Wisconsin. Him and his wife gave me a tour of the entire place and explained all kinds of stuff and answers every one of my silly questions! Have fun!!
Sounds like fun. I haven't done research, but would love to be able to travel and write it off.
Oh, yes, I love research trips. I have researched Duluth, MN, where my first series of Heartsong Romances are set (Duluth, 1905-6) as well as the Minnesota River Valley for an historical I wrote called Drums of the North Star, about the Sioux Indian Uprising of 1862.
In September I'm taking another research trip (on the way to and from the ACFW Conference) looking into US Cavalry forts of the plains.
Have fun researching your hometown. Like Jody says, take lots of pictures.
LOL, I DO plan on taking lots of pictures. But as a note, only one of my kiddos, Gabby, is going with me. The other two are staying home with Daddy. I'm actually really excited about having a weekend with Gabs because she doesn't get "mommy" time as much as she needs with her big sisters around!
Everyone's trips sound wonderful, and Tara, I'm actually tagging along with my mom and dad so my expenses will be few… but any I have I WILL write them off! *grin*