Tuesday, June 24, 2008

WAS THAT RESEARCH REALLY NECESSARY?

Was I crazy to tackle a novella involving slow pitch baseball, firefighting and search and rescue? After all, it was a big chunk, and I was the one crafting the story. I didn't have to do this! Call me dogged - or maybe just plain stubborn - but I stuck with it.

What gave me the courage to go with them was knowing those subjects weren't entirely new to me. The men in my family had played baseball while I cheered from the sidelines. Training to be an MICN (mobile intensive care nurse) many years ago, I'd spent twenty hours in a fire station chilling out and riding with their paramedics. That gave me an atmosphere from which to create my own station. I'd also recently seen a presentation to eighth grade girls by a female firefighter, and even knew the weight of the backpacks carried.

I've watched the Dog Whisperer on TV, seen TV specials on search and rescue teams, heard a government expert witness on search hounds, who's also a Bloodhound breeder, in my Sisters in Crime chapter meetings.

No matter how familiar the subjects I'd chosen were for me, I'd have been a fool to avoid researching each one. The tools I used included the Internet, personal interviews and the local library with its interlibrary loan system, periodicals, books and videos. I could have even accessed the Internet there if I hadn't had my own computers.

As an example, I knew about Bloodhounds, but how big were they and what colors did they come in? I found an email contact with a breeder online who cordially provided that information. I decided which color I liked and gave my scent hound a name. An Internet look at search and rescue teams gave me clues as to other hounds used and revealed that some hounds are air scenters and others are ground scenters. Photos online of the SAR team in my county as they assembled to train sparked the opening scenes of my story.

As for firefighting, I interviewed a battalion chief by phone, stopped firefighters when I saw them ready to leave a call or found them in the supermarket. Did they sleep dormitory style? What do they wear to bed? Who was in charge on a call? Yes, they still come down poles and only have one minute to hit the mat at the bottom once the alarm sounds.

I checked my town's firefighter job descriptions online. Googling firefighting equipment and gear prompted me to ask about the mat, boots and suits they use on different calls. I saw yellow suits in the back of an engine when I spoke to some men leaving a call up my street. Yes, they leave their suits in the truck or engine.

Well, what do you know - there are trucks and there are engines! Different purposes for various calls.

Obviously, I wasn't going to use all the information in my story, but it would've been stupid not to look in depth for more than I'd personally experienced. I guess the short answer to the question posed in the title is:

YES...all that research is necessary. Heaven forbid you should use it all, but without the background it provides your story won't ring with authenticity.

Dee Ann
Posted by Dee Ann Palmer 10:11 AM 0 Comments:

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