DISTRACTIONS!

There are times when a story just has to percolate, and there’s little a writer can do about that unless there’s something to edit.  To not go stark raving mad while characters chitter in the background of our mind, sometimes it’s nice to do something a bit different. I cook, write bad poetry, or do artwork in various styles. I have also studied Latosa Escrima to research the weapon styles to use for a book, and then to also workout some of that frustrated energy. 

This is a portrait of a friend's character, the Kel Sharha from her novel The Healer's Choice. Kathryn Hinds is a very good friend, and is well published with textbooks for children.

RESEARCH LINKS:

Writing a novel isn't just sitting at a desk and plodding along, though that is a huge part of it. For me, creating Mythopoeia, it involves being inspired by the variety from the world around us. The reason these links are on a page called "distractions" is that often they can be so fascinating that I get... distracted.

Here are a few research links I used for Seek the Monster:
For clothing and iron works:

http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/daily_living/text/clothing.htm

http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/manufacturing/text/bog_iron.htm

A site that began to freak me out:

http://www.norcalblogs.com/gate/2010/08/photograpkic-proof-that-wolves-do-kill-without-wating-their-prey.php It's not the site itself, but the picture towards the bottom where someone tests his hand size against that of the wolf. It made me wonder if werewolves do exist. However, the early term for a werewolf was "vargulf" and meant rogue wolf. And it was just a wolf that didn't eat what it had killed, and nothing supernatural about it.

And a site that is great for ambiance!

http://www.soundrangers.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_ID=517

I JUST LIKE THEM LINKS:

Amanda Kyle Williams is one of my favorite new writers. She was generous and let me read an early draft of The Stranger You Seek.

Kathryn Hinds is not only a good friend, but her textbooks are great reading for young and old. I have often turned to them while doing research.