Doing Research for OHIO

I do a lot of research for all my books, and I love it. It makes the books more interesting, and it is fun for me to pass along the information to my readers. OHIO! has been more challenging since it deals with the obscure topic of the mounds or earthworks of Ohio.

In January 2023, I was doing research one morning before breakfast and discovered that the Archaeological Society of Ohio was having a meeting that day. It was snowing, but after church, I hopped in the car and sped off to nearby Hillard. I met lots of wonderful people in the display hall and browsed numerous tables/displays of arrowheads and other items. This was the first time that I heard the term "field find." This term is used to describe arrowheads and artifacts found in fields, the most frequent source of finds. 

While I was there, I came across the paperback, "Ohio Flint Types," at the book table. The price was more than I wanted to spend, but fortunately, I was able to find a 1973 edition on eBay. This book has been an incredible source of information for me. 

When I left the meeting several hours later, considerable snow had fallen, making for a slick trip home. But the trip to the ASO meeting was more than worth it. 

First Draft of OHIO - Done!

I have been out of touch, and I apologize. The holidays came and went, and I was busy working on OHIO. Then I traveled a bit in February. 

But I am thrilled to announce that I finally (and I mean finally) have a first draft of OHIO! This has been such a hard time coming. My usual approach—sit down and write, and the story will follow—did not work at all. I think it's because the topic, Mounds of Ohio, is a tricky one to explain to children. I had one plot, then another, then another, and on and on. 

I spent way too much time staring at the computer screen, hoping for a break-through. I should have gone out for a walk, as Margaret Renkl in her new book, A Company of Crows, so clearly explains. Movement is critical to creativity. A study to measure creativity in college students found unremarkable results when they were sitting, but once they were up and moving around, the screen lit up with their brain activity. I will remember that.

The last few days, I have been editing OHIO, and there is still a whole lot to do. But at least I now have something to edit!

I highly recommend Margaret's excellent book, A Company of Crows. It's a walk through her backyard garden, month by month, and so much more. A book to relax and revel in. It's truly beautiful. 

I wanted to insert a cover image of Margaret's book but couldn't. So here's a crow instead. 

Back to Work!

I'm happy to report that the story for OHIO! slowly started to find its way, and the plan forward was clear. But then the holidays were here, and I had to make the decision to slow down and focus on family. I wasn't being successful with both writing and holiday preparations, so I stopped.

But now, I'm back! I could have been back a little earlier in the month, but I've been occupied with marketing for ALASKA! and also editing MASSACHUSETTS! All is going very well, and the release date for MASSACHUSETTS! The Stolen Spyglass will be Spring 2024. 

This morning, my first task is to reread OHIO! I haven't touched it since the beginning of December, so I'm eager to find out how I feel about it and if my plans for the rest of the book are solid. 

Over the Christmas holiday, I spent an afternoon at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park in Chillicothe, Ohio. The visitor's center featured a fascinating 20 minute film which can be seen here: https://www.nps.gov/media/video/view.htm%3Fid%3D0D6D9715-CD96-9409-65BA31CE0A87522C

I spent a lot of time walking and thinking about these ancient peoples and all that they did to create those amazing earthworks. 

 

Staying With the Story

 You may have noticed that I haven't posted for awhile. Some of that was Thanksgiving prep, but mostly it was that I didn't care for the trajectory of the plot and needed for it to go in another direction. I spent many, many writing periods staring at the screen. Sometimes, I ended the session with no words at all or even a negative word count for the day as I edited away some sections that weren't working.

Finally, I took a break. I was going away for Thanksgiving anyway, so that hiatus gave me space to think. When I returned home, I was prepared for a fresh start. One of the difficulties for OHIO is it's a book about the mounds that are located throughout Ohio and other states. They are ancient earthworks with sacred meaning. I want to convey the meaning of the mounds to children, but what's inside the mounds (or under them) is what's especially important. This is largely unseen. There is nothing you can pick up and discuss. Yes, the artifacts are, but where they come from and the ceremonies and rites associated with the mounds are unseen. Children need to see things to understand them.

When I write, it's very important to me to have the facts correct. So, I want children to gain an understanding of these sacred sites. That's the difficult part.

I knew I had to approach the book from a different angle, so that's what I did. But I was also vividly reminded of something else: I have to "stay in the story." By that, I mean to keep writing something every day, even if I don't know where it's going or if I feel it will eventually be edited out. The reason? The act of writing will lead me to a greater understanding of the story, the plot, and the characters. 

In these last few weeks, I've learned a lot about the mounds, about moon rise and set, and the solstice, different kinds of rocks, arrowheads, and even knapping. (And I don't mean a mid-day snooze.)

Whew! This has been quite a new journey. Usually, the characters start talking to me, and I quickly type what they are saying. This time, it's been different. But I'm happy to say that I've learned a lot and feel the track I'm on will help me tell a great story.

Stay tuned...

PS - ALASKA! Danger on the Mushing Trail makes a terrific stocking stuffer!

This Week's Total

Despite having three boxes of this week's writing calendar with a large X in them, I was still able to crank out 1175 words this week for a total of 5961. 

Because last week's tally was only 866, it took me a little longer to get back into the story. One day only had 189 words, and another registered a paltry 61 words. 

But the takeaway is that even with 61 words in last Sunday's box, that's still 61 more words than if I hadn't sat down to work. 

Plus, I find that writing and then going for a walk, bike ride, or swim makes the creativity surge. As I swam laps at the Rec Center pool, I wished I had a piece of paper and a pen to jot down the ideas that were flying through my head. Fortunately, I hung onto my train of thought and dictated a voice memo into my phone to save the ideas when I got back to the locker room.  

It's a beautiful fall day. I'm off to the Ohio History Connection for some research.

 I snapped this photo while visiting the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, PA in 2021.

379 Words, Total 3976

 The calendar is working. 😊 

I was running late this morning getting to my study, and almost abandoned my writing time as I didn't think I'd make that much progress anyway since it was already 10:45. But, that writing calendar kept nudging me - if I didn't show up at the computer, the box for today would be blank. 

So, I plopped myself down and began to write. I reviewed a little of what I wrote yesterday, but then picked up where I had left off and managed two pages. I was super happy because even though it's not 500 or 1,000 words, it's still 379 more words than if I hadn't sat down to write. Plus, it flowed out of me, and I wasn't left staring at the screen (which happens when you're least expecting it).

Tomorrow is tricky since I have a knitting meet-up at 10 and probably should leave here by 9:30. And the morning is my favorite time to write.

PS - I'm not the best knitter, but I did finish two pairs of socks a few years ago. The first pair is at the top. The second pair, on the bottom. Socks are challenging, but fun. I have another pair started but haven't worked on them in awhile. Maybe I should get back to them. 

As I look at these pictures, they actually look pretty hysterical, especially the first pair with super narrow ankles. 

487 Words!

Happy November! I was able to add 487 words to OHIO! just now. I was a little worried about getting back to this manuscript, as I haven't worked on it since January 2023. That's a long time to be away from a creative project. 

However, I spent the first block of time rereading it - getting back into the story and the characters' heads. There is a lot of initial conflict in this book, which is fun to fool around with. 

I did some editing (not too much, because what I'm after here are the words); I want to get them down so that the first draft is complete. 

Next, I started a new chapter. And there's that blank white screen staring back at me. But, ignoring that naysayer voice in my head who whispered this might be really hard to do, I pictured what might happen next in the story and started typing. Sure enough, the scene unfurled, and soon I had a nice addition to the conflict already there.

We had snow last night on Halloween, and even though it was beautiful—soft and fluffy—I'm not exactly ready for it. So, here's an alternative reality to feast on - a sunset over Lake Oneida taken last summer while visiting very good friends: