Welcome to week 40 of the challenge. The official topic is "Research - How It Can Open New Worlds For you." The inspiration for this week's post came from a story told by a mystery author about how the research that was on her computer could be misinterpreted. She flippantly said that if police ever searched her computer and discovered all the information on ways to kill someone or various other sundry crimes, she would need bail money. So that is how the title came to be.
But how does that tie into opening new worlds? The information acquired through the research allows you to to do things in your mind that you would never be capable of, either physically, emotionally, or perhaps most importantly, without running afoul of the law. Then you capture the dream or experience in words and call it writing.
Before my writing shifted to fantasy, I was a correspondent and feature story writer for a military collectors magazine. Forget poisons and such, my computer was filled with all kind of pictures, research, and sometimes even fun information on tanks and fighter planes. Oh yeah, did I say cannons and automatic weapons too?
While traditional fantasies do not lend themselves to such things, the information on bladed weapons and tactics has come in handy to make my sword fights realistic. Some of the characterization used in WindmasterI and Windmaster Legacy as the characters faced their final challenges came from interviews with former military officers, martial artists, and historic reenactors.
And as far as planning a murder? I take the fifth and refuse to incriminate myself.
As for my characters? A teaser to a scene in Hatchling's Curse. After a burial at sea attracts a fast-moving swarm of toothfish, creatures that pass for sharks in the land of the dragshi, the body is gone without a trace. Only the frayed ends of the tow-rope remain. Broch realizes her enemies could disappear, that once the toothfish have their way, the bodies will NEVER be found.
~till next time, Helen
LOL....a friend of mine used her son's computer once for research, forgetting that he worked in government. He had some 'splaining to do when his mother's 'research' for her mystery novel became known to his superiors! I wish I could find that blog post again....it was hysterical!
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