Thursday, September 17, 2009

Research!

After meeting my three early-September deadlines, I started thinking about my next one--for the first in my new Lauren Vancouver, Pet Rescue mysteries. I decided to immerse myself in research about animal shelters and other organizations that get involved in pet rescues.

So far, I’ve visited the Pasadena Humane Society and sat in on a meeting of the Los Angeles Animal Services Commission. I also visited the offices of the Los Angeles Animal Cruelty Task Force and received a wonderful introduction to the members, and what they do.

I’ve been really excited by the warm welcomes I’ve received as well as the extensive information I’ve gained. That information leads to ideas... and I’m definitely looking forward to using a lot in my first Lauren mystery.

Am I done with the research? Not at all. I’ve got ideas about other people I want to meet, shelters I want to visit, and more. I want to learn as much as I can about people who care so much about animals that they’ve devoted their lives to saving and protecting them.

How much research do you do when starting a new project, whether writing or something else?

8 comments:

CDOC Dogtalk said...

What an interesting blog. I saw that one of the issues was miniatures; if I had to do that I would certainly kill!
But on the Research topic, since there is so much money and legislation around this issue, I think that would be interesting as well. Certainly the issue of animal legislation could be its own murder mystery. We'd be happy to help. Infor@concerned dog owners of california

Terri Thayer said...

Three deadlines! Yikes. I'm brain dead after one.

I do a lot of non fiction reading, casting around for ideas. Right now I'm reading ERASED, about men who kill their wives. Interesting stuff. Not sure how it'll work into one of my mysteries or even if, but that's how it works for me.

Linda O. Johnston said...

Thanks for the suggestion, CCOC Dogtalk. I checked out your website. You obviously really care about dogs in California! I'm sure the debates over legislation get heated, so you're right: there could be a possible murder mystery there...

The nonfiction I read these days tends to be only about whatever I'm researching, Terri--but some of the stuff gives me additional ideas, too.

Linda O. Johnston said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Janie Emaus said...

Hi,
I do a lot of internet research on my topics, but since I'm currently writing a Time Travel I haven't been able to actually go the place that I'm writing about!

Linda O. Johnston said...

Yes, when we write about paranormal stuff it's hard to experience it ourselves, Janie. Don't know what I'd do if I ran into someone actually shapeshifting!

Betty Hechtman said...

Congrats on making your deadlines.

I love research, particularly when it involves yarn shopping.

Linda O. Johnston said...

Thanks, Betty. To me there's nothing more gratifying than researching something about pets!