So I'm starting a new story with an April Fools Day theme. I love a good joke, heck I even enjoy the bad jokes, but when it comes to April 1st, bring it on. Seeing folks pull off really good pranks puts a titch in my grin for days.I've tried my hand at delivering the perfect prank, but the closest I got was the year my husband and I were dating and I called my mom and told her I was preggers. LOL After a few tension filled moments, the undisputed champ of the April Fools Day prank, my mother, came back with, "nope, but good try."
I have never successfully pulled one over on my mom. She has a killer poker face and an inventive mind for the prank. It got to the point that my grandmother wouldn't even talk to her on April 1st. hehehehe
But I digress. This blog is not about April Fools Day.
Nope, this blog is about starting new stories. As I start this story I am finding that the characters are insistent that their story takes place in Northern Missouri, amidst the farm fields. Huh? Why Missouri? Why not, Minnesota or Texas? I've lived there and know something about those places. The best I can do with Missouri is pull from my teenage memory the many, many drives up and down interstate 35. It sure looked like farm fields along the sides of the Missouri road.
So what's and author to do? Well, first I pulled out my Official Missouri Highway Map, yep, I collect maps. ~cof~geek~cof~ LOL I just love looking at the roads, city/town names and the other fascinating things you can find on a map.
Once I've identified the town or city that fits in my story, I go on line and see what I can find on the place. Pictures, special happenings or anything really that will help me know the place. Well, know it as well as anyone can who has never lived or traveled there.
As a short paranormal story, that will probably be all I need to get the story written, but I wonder, are there places/sites that you go to when writing about a new setting?
If so, I'd love to know where.
BTW - be on the look out next week for the remainder of our Sept contest clues!
Have a great weekend!
10 comments:
It really depends. With the novella I didn't need that much but for the shapeshifter in Guatemala and Belize I had to go online and do some research on the area and what would be available while they were running through the jungle fleeing the bad guys!
If you start in the library the best place I've always found for researching anything from geography to cultural habits is to start in the children's section. Really useful information and lots of pictures!
Good luck with the new project!
I should have said doing research on what would be available to eat while they were running through the jungle fleeing the bad guys! I might need some more coffee;-)
LOL...Coffee!!! A yummy white chocolate mocha would hit the spot right now!! hehe
The Library is a very good idea, Paris. Thanks I'm in there so much the ladies almost know me personally. hehe Plus now you can request the books online for pick-up! I wonder how many they'll let me take at once? ;)
Have a great weekend!
Serena, I've only driven though northern Missouri, mostly. There are a lot of farm fields and tobacco was/is a big crop because of the richness of the land.
I've never been good at April Fool's day jokes/pranks. Usually, I'm not fooled. Course, occasionally, I get caught.
One of the best I heard recently was when George Noory of Coast-to-Coast night time radio pretended a baby T-Rex had been captured in deepest, darkest Congo.
Serena, I'm kind of lucky. I've lived in a lot of places and I used to love to do 'road trips'. LOL. I've seen a lot of places so finding locations to write are easy. I just remember somewhere I've been... and there I am. LOL.
April Fools... I have some VERY gullible friends. It helps that I get them at the END of the day. They expect it in the morning and during the day. I wait until about dinner time or a few hours after. Of course the bad side is when something really happens and no one will believe you. I broke down once, was calling people to come get me from the shop where my car was towed to, and nobody would drive there. They thought it was a prank. One of the mechanics gave me a lift to my apartment finally. LOL.
Hey Savanna,
Awesome info! Tabacco in Missouri. I would have guessed corn, but only because it seems to be the crop of choice up here.
Oh my that would have been a good prank to hear, a T-rex in the congo...I wonder how many people he fooled? hehe
Have a great weekend!
Hey Laurann,
Setting recall! That would be a sweet power to have! hehe 'Road Trips' are the best! I need to take more of those. :)
Oh man, gullible friends around April Fools Day...you are very lucky. Do you use the same prank on all of them or does each person get their own? LOL I can see where it would be a problem when they stopped believing you, but on the flip side, you got the mechanic to take you home...was he sexy?? ;)
Have a great weekend!
Serena,
I always use different ones on different people. LOL. As for the mechanic... he thought he was sexy. He hit on me. I didn't agree he was sexy...LOL. Two words will explain it all. Chewing tabacco! EWWWW! LOL.
Oh Laurann, I agree. Yuck! Chewing tabacco does indeed take the sexy out!
No! Not chewing tobacco!
Serena, there are probably corn fields. However, the area is noted for Tobacco. Although, that has lessened.
Post a Comment