Current Project: Leg Shaving Leads to Trouble
Status: If wishes were wings. I don't know why I put that - it's a news headline that's on my other monitor. "If wishes were wings: vampire woman unearthed in Venice."
I wish I had some incredible transition from that status line to the topic of this blog post. Alas, I don't. This post is going to be a bit of a mish-mash because I'm feeling sort of scrambled today. Lots of stuff going on and I'm having a hard time keeping it straight, so I'm going to touch on a variety of topics.
1) I'm definitely becoming more picky with my reading. I'm tired of all the novels I have on my bookshelves, but I'm having a heck of a time finding ones I find interesting to add. I picked up a few on Friday night at Powell's and have been reading one of them. It caught my eye because the hero is an anthropologist. I was simultaneously excited, yet wary because I was concerned that there would be terminology and action in there that would go against some anthropology knowledge that I've learned. Sort of like if you're reading about someone firing a gun and it's written in a way that you know isn't accurate.
Well, I've had many, many, many cringe moments. The book centers around a tribe that is referred to as "undiscovered." That wouldn't stick out to most people, but if you've taken an anthropology class, odds are your teacher has taught a level of sensitivity and about ethnocentrism. Just because the Western world didn't know about a tribe doesn't mean they were undiscovered. They knew of themselves!
Also, the author keeps referring to them as a "Stone Age" tribe in the hero's POV. This, too, would make many anthropologists cringe. It stems from late 19th/early 20th century selfish anthropologists who ranked groups of people on a scale from barbarians to civilized. Again, just because they aren't using computers doesn't mean they are akin to prehistoric peoples.
Wow talk about a tangent, eh? There probably aren't very many people out there who would read this an cringe. And you can't please everyone, that's for sure. But once in a while it's just hard to separate the fact that it's a book and to not let those things bother you. Normally I would brush it off, but coupled with the fact that I'm already struggling to find things to keep my attention makes it stick out more to me.
2) Have you ever done something you normally wouldn't do in the name of research? Or trying to understand something your character would do? Say, go skydiving or scuba diving. On Saturday night I was at a concert of my favorite band. This is an alternative rock band and there's a lot of moshing and stage diving. I've never crowd surfed or dove from a stage, but I found myself wanting to. I was already amped up on adrenaline from moshing and had I not been much too overweight to do such an act (I'm being realistic here, I wouldn't want to catch myself!) then I would have done it. I wanted to see what it felt like so I could portray that experience in a book should I ever want to. I think this could also be dangerous territory for me because "in the name of book research" can cover a whole lot of things ;)
Have you done something our of your normal character for research or trying to better understand a character?
7 comments:
Intriguing question, Lisa. As for the book that isn't working for you- I have trouble reading western historicals when the horse and wagon stuff is wrong. Saddles and all the garb that goes with it. That takes me out of the story faster than the heroine being stupid.
As for your question... I'm thinking... I've done some on site investigating and interviewed people for books, but Ive not gone as far as what you're talking about. Like when I wrote the book about a bronc rider, I didn't go out and jump on a bucking horse. LOL I talked to someone who did it for a living.
But I do see where living something would help to enhance your story.
Hi, Lisa!
Basic career mistakes irritate me. However, I tend to give authors some leeway as I know every social worker or every police officer or every other career person does their job a little differently than their peers.
I went through the Citizen Police Academy as research for a book with a policeman as a hero. But I haven't done anything really dangerous or odd in the name of researchl.
As for the pet peeves thing, prior to parenthood, I loved secret baby stories. Then, suddenly, I HATED them with a passion. And now, the lawyer and mother in me hates most of the baby stories that I once loved as I spend a lot of time going, "That's not legal! Where's DHS? Wouldn't she want child support?" and "OMG! How could (s)he do that to the kid!"
As to your other issue, I try to write books that don't demand a ton of research, but I think it might be fun to try to get into a character's head by trying something new. I've never done it, but go you!
Ah, Lisa, I know what you mean about being wary when reading a novel that's in an area in which you're familiar. Over the years, I've learned to mostly ignore high tech details in books, especially those set in the present or near future. If the plot's interesting, I can usually hand-wave the errors and/or flights of fancy when it comes to technology and computers. I try to think of it as the CSI-syndrome -- I'd rather believe the author fudged tech facts for the sake of plot/character/overall readability, than that she did so out of laziness or lack of research.
I can't think of anything I've done that I wouldn't normally do for the sake of research. I've done things I wanted to do, then thought (sometimes much, much later), 'hey, this might come in handy in some future book.' Things that fall into that category include traveling to other countries, learning to fly an airplane (though not getting my license -- but enough to know what it feels like to take off, fly, and land a small plane), and taking English horseback riding lessons.
Oooh. Stage diving sounds awesome to me, Lisa!!! Maybe I'll research it for you when I go to the Nickelback concert this friday!
Yes, I've done things I wouldn't normally do in the name of research. IE...taking that gun class, getting a lap dance, learning to scuba dive. I think doing some of the things our characters do helps us to describe the events and make them more real...if nothing else, then from an emotional standpoint. Actually shooting a semi-automatic weapon is very different than I expected. Of course, you don't HAVE to do those things, but they can be fun and only add authenticity to your book(s). ;)
Too funny about your new book. I'm so glad I have you on my side and can bounce "archaeology" questions off you BEFORE they go in my books. (Though I will always remind you...it's fiction, my dear! LOL) I understand the technical inaccuracies though. I read a book recently where the hero (ex military) was running around with his finger on the trigger of his gun...literally...runny through the jungle that way...and I kept thinking, "no way. Any trained military or cop person knows that's just an accident waiting to happen." Trip on a tree root and you shoot yourself or someone else. And how stupid would that be? "Whoops! Sorry heroine. I didn't mean to kill you. But it was an accident!" (book over) As this was an RS, I judged the author harsher than I probably would have had it been a different genre. One gun class or even talking to someone who owns a handgun will teach you that much. But, for the most part, I tend to cut authors slack because I know how hard it is to get ALL the details right. Which must be why vague descriptions sometimes (especially with techie stuff like Debbie mentioned) work their way into my books. LOL
My running partner's husband is a cop. I asked him once if all the inaccuracies on CSI and those crime shows bug him. He said, "No. When I watch them, I do it for entertainment. I know it's fiction." 'Nuff said.
Paty, lol! That would have been fun to try :) I am not an adventurous person at all and I wouldn't have tried bronc riding either. I get my adrenaline fix by watching crazy stunts on tv. But for some reason, stage diving sounds like a blast. I think it's specifically the crowd at this band's concert. Everyone is so nice, they lift you up when you fall in the moshing, they support each other when people trip, gently lower people who stage dive. Feels like a safe atmosphere.
Genene, that's a great point. And the Citizen's Police Academy sounds fun! Did you like it?
Wavy, it's hard to separate things sometimes, isn't it? Most things I can ignore - but there are a couple of things I get crazy annoyed at, things that perpetuate stereotypes or widespread misinformation. Like the common use of caveman as a derogatory term, like the Geico ads. Don't get me started! :D
Debbie, great point about CSI-syndrome. I think you're right, that makes sense. Learning to fly a plane would be a great experience! For the specifics of the act, and for the mental and emotional states of such a rush.
Eli, wonderful example with the book you mentioned. Sometimes things like that pull me right out of a book - then sometimes those little details are what pull me in. Like the other night when I mentioned the scene where the overweight heroine had an internal monologue explaining why she bought two drinks and an apple along with her junk food - so the clerk thought the apple and soda was for her, and the junk was for her invisible roommate/significant other. That tiny detail about behavior of some overweight people drew me in and I was hooked. But it could backfire for just as many.
I'm glad you have done some things for research! And I hope you get to stagedive this weekend ;)
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