Each of the Doug Fletcher mysteries is set in a different US National Park. I've enjoyed visiting the future settings of the Fletcher books, and last fall we spent a week in central Kentucky. The setting for "A Bourbon to Die For" is Lincoln's Birthplace National Historic site. I approached the volunteer in the visitor center, handed her on of my business cards, then asked, "Where would you dispose of a dead body?'
Without a moment of hesitation, she replied, "In a pig sty." Seeing my surprise at her quick response, she explained she had been the district attorney for that county and had often reflected on how to dispose of a dead body while prosecuting dozens, or perhaps hundreds, of hapless criminals who'd had the misfortune of having been caught, arrested, and prosecuted for their crimes.
After explaining to her that my crime scene needed to be inside the park, we had a longer discussion of the park, it's layout, and secluded spots suitable for a murder. In the end, we decided my victim should be found in a secluded area of the park beyond the overflow parking. Once off the main trails, very few visitors would stumble onto the crime scene.
The next part of the research was a terrible burden (insert dramatic sigh). With assorted family members, we HAD to visit several distilleries and a cooperage (Barrel making company). While suffering through samples of different bourbons, we were educated in the nuances of aging, and bourbon flavors. Armed with a TON of research material, I started writing. I passed a partial draft to my first proofreader, Deanna Wilson, who responded, "You really 'geeked out' on this one. Cut out about ninety percent of the chemistry and try to focus on THE PLOT!"
Getting that same advice from other beta readers, I deleted pages of information about corn genetics and gas chromatography, focusing on the death of a bourbon maker and who had motive, means, and opportunity. Who would kill a guy who was on the verge of introducing a bourbon he claimed would change the industry. I added a toothless church janitor who knew more about the victim and his distillery than the local police did, some local politics, a discussion of the local social strata, and voila! there's a mystery.
Check out "A Bourbon to Die For" at my publisher's website Bookswelove.net
Interesting. Was the research really that boring. Will enjoy reading. It's on my list
ReplyDeleteThe research was great! The problem was trimming the information. I learned so much and wanted to share it all. The details of bourbon chemistry were interesting to me, but they didn't really do anything to move the plot ahead.
DeleteResearch often is an author's guilty pleasure... an excuse to travel and let the characters in our heads wander the scenery and tell us their story. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI laughed at 'really geeked out.' So easy to do when you are enthralled by some aspect of your research and I do agree with Vijaya - research is often an author's guilty pleasure!
ReplyDelete