Writing is
such an interesting business!
I loved being in school.
I spent many years in college, changing majors several times along the
road to a Master's Degree in nutrition.
Ahhh, you say. Nutrition---an ideal background for a inspirational
romance writer. <g>
But it was,
in a way. All that studying
was helpful for becoming a writer, because with each book I write, there's a
whole new world to research while I try for accurate, evocative settings. Ranch settings, the Rocky Mountains and
the Northwoods of the upper Midwest are some of my favorites, and our travels
often end up as settings for my books.
I’m looking
forward to the Romantic Times Convention in New Orleans this May, not only for
the chance to be a speaker, and to schmooze with old friends, but because the
French Quarter and tours through the lovely bayous will provide such a great opportunity for research.
Writers not only strive to get their settings
right; there are also the details and vernaculars of different professions and
hobbies to consider. Believable
behaviors of ranchers, or cops, or children, or even someone slipping into the
murky mental depths of Alzheimer's all take either personal experiences or careful
research.
I love using
a variety of pets and other animals in my books--but that "research" often comes from our family
menagerie. In fact, our son's
favorite slithery pet had a key role in my very first SuperRomance back in 1999. I still wish I'd gone to vet
school (a lesson in “following one's heart” that I've reiterated to our children many times over!) But now, I can slip into
that world, sometimes for months at a time if writing about characters who are
veterinarians and vet techs.
When you
browse through books at your favorite bookstore, or online, what do you zero in
on first?
One of
the people who comment here will win an e-book copy of my Summer at Briar Lake.
Blessings,
Roxanne Rustand
www.roxannerustand.com
www.roxannerustand.com