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During the course of my PhD research for the book that became The Battle of the Sexes in Science Fiction I had to learn a lot about ye olden day beliefs about sex and sexuality, including conception. For instance I came across this in Thomas Laqueur's book Making Sex:
Samuel Farr, in the first legal-medicine text to be written in English (1785), argued that "without an excitation of lust, or enjoyment in the venereal act, no conception can probably take place." Whatever a woman might claim to have felt or whatever resistance she might have put up, conception in itself betrayed desire or at least a sufficient measure of acquiescence for her to enjoy the venereal act. This is a ...
Posted by Justine at 7:36, August 20th, 2012 under Feminism, New York City/USA, Research, State of the World |
I have a writing problem which is shared by many writers: I struggle to get started.
I wrote about this problem a bit
way back in 2009 when I confessed to almost destroying my professional writing career before it even started. The first six months of being a full-time freelance writer was one great big procrastinatory guilt-ridden hell.
Since then I have reigned it in so that it's only a struggle at the beginning of a first draft.
For the first week or so on a new book it is a major effort for me to look away from whatever online or offline spectacle is calling to me in order to start typing. I'll have the open scrivener project with ...
Posted by Justine at 6:58, August 7th, 2012 under 1930s NYC novel, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Liar, Magic or Madness trilogy, New York City/USA, RSI, Research, Sydney novel, What to write next, Writing goals & milestones, Writing life, Writing process, Zombies |
Posted by Justine at 8:25, July 13th, 2012 under 1930s NYC novel, New York City/USA, Research |
@DaniArostegui asked "Can you write a post on the research process for your novels? How much research do you do for a given book?"
The book I'm writing at the moment, Sekrit Project, was inspired by a non-fiction book. So one of the first things I did was work my way through the articles and books listed in the bibliography. Each of which led to other books and articles and so on. Footnotes and bibliographies will lead you in many wonderful and unexpected directions.
When I'm writing a book set during a different historical period as I am with my 1930s New York City novel I immerse myself in the music, literature, movies, radio, fashion, food (via cookbooks and restaurant reviews) ...
Posted by Justine at 5:41, July 6th, 2012 under 1930s NYC novel, Research, Sydney novel, Writing process |
Sibylle asked:
Perhaps I’m reading too much into it but is this question [
have you heard of Joel Chandler Harris] somehow connected to your reading of Slavery by Another Name by Blackmon?
You are not reading too much into my question. It is indeed related to my reading of Blackmon's Slavery by Another Name or, rather it's related to the research I've been doing for my book set in the early years of the 1930s in New York City. I asked about Harris because I'd never heard of him and only vaguely knew what the Uncle Remus stories were. Yet his name kept coming up in a lot of reading I've been doing. I was curious to know whether he ...
Posted by Justine at 10:47, April 13th, 2010 under 1930s NYC novel, New York City/USA, Research |
Danah Boyd is an ethnographer who's done a great deal of work on teenage use of the internet in the USA. Her work is absolutely fascinating and I think every writer of Young Adult books should be reading it.
She recently gave a talk about
race and class in the MySpace v FaceBook divide. You all need to read it, like, NOW:
If you are trying to connect with the public, where you go online matters. If you choose to make Facebook your platform for civic activity, you are implicitly suggesting that a specific class of people is more worth your time and attention than others. Of course, splitting your attention can also be costly and doesn’t necessarily mean ...
Posted by Justine at 0:07, July 15th, 2009 under Bloggery/Internetty Stuff, Research, State of the World, Young Adult literature |
Posted by Justine at 16:39, June 20th, 2009 under New York City/USA, Praising, Research |
An anonymous reader sent me
this link to the top five things people lie about:
1. Age
2. Alcohol Consumption
3. Sexual History
4. Changed Appearance
5. Job
I am very pleased to see that I haven't lied about any of them.
Well, except no. 1 when I was little in order to get into bars. ((Don't try that at home, kids what are under 18 (in Australia) or 21 (in the USA).)) Oh, and no. 5 a few times when I didn't feel like answering the usual questions you get after you say you're a writer. "Have you published anything?" "Would I have heard of you?" "Can you set ...
Posted by Justine at 0:02, May 26th, 2009 under Liar, Research |
Posted by Justine at 9:56, May 21st, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, Basketball, New York City/USA, Research |
Posted by Justine at 0:13, May 19th, 2009 under Fans & readers, Feminism, Research, State of the World |
Posted by Justine at 17:02, May 18th, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, New York City/USA, Research |
Posted by Justine at 8:37, May 14th, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, Liar, Research, Writing process |
Posted by Justine at 12:52, May 13th, 2009 under Liar, Research, Science |
Posted by Justine at 11:05, May 12th, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, Research |
Posted by Justine at 16:46, May 8th, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, Research |
Did you know Buddy Ebsen of the Beverly Hillbillies could dance? Well, he could. He and his sister Vera had a most excellent vaudeville act together. He'd be the clumsy kid and she'd be the dance teacher. They appear together in Broadway Melody of 1936. He's the one wearing a Mickey Mouse jumper (sweater)
I really love his goofy dance stylings. Halfway between dancing and falling over. Fills my heart with joy. Here's the only good example I could find online. It's from A Banjo on My Knee (1936). Buddy doesn't start dancing until about 1:40. Enjoy. And keep your eyes peeled for his surprise dance partner who I have never ever seen dance before:...
Posted by Justine at 13:56, May 6th, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, Research |
Posted by Justine at 15:35, May 5th, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, Listening, Research, Viewing |
Following my
post of t'other day several people have been saying that I really must learn the lindy hop for my 1930s novel. And, in fact, if I don't they won't read my book.
I have several extremely sensible objections to learning the lindy hop. They are as follows:
Objection no. 1: My book is set in the early 1930s and the lindy hop was around later.
Tragically, this turns out
not to be true.
Multiple sources online say it began in the late 1920s in Harlem. *sigh*
Objection no. 2: I cannot learn how to dance.
This is absolutely true. I have physical dyslexia. I cannot folllow instructions. The instructor's arm goes one way mine goes the other. It is ...
Posted by Justine at 0:19, May 4th, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, Research |
Posted by Justine at 2:02, May 2nd, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, Listening, New York City/USA, Research, Viewing |
Posted by Justine at 13:32, April 7th, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, New York City/USA, Research, State of the World |
Posted by Justine at 10:41, March 28th, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, Bloggery/Internetty Stuff, New York City/USA, Research |
I am now the proud owner of a 1931 edition of Etiquette: The Blue Book of Social Usage by Emily Post. Up till now I'd been making use of the
Project Gutenberg edition. And while I adore digitised books---they certainly make research much much easier---you still can't go past an actual held-in-your-hands book from the period you're writing about.
I have been flipping through it all day, checking out the illustrations, enjoying the jacket copy and ads for other books. (None of that matter is included in the Project Gutenberg edition). It feels like a direct link back to the people of that era. I can imagine them holding it just the way I'm holding it. And I'm pretty ...
Posted by Justine at 0:41, March 26th, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, New York City/USA, Research |
Several people have asked me about my research for the 1930s novel. Specifically, they're interested in writing a novel set in ye olden days and they want to know if there are any particularly useful tools/techniques I'd recommend. Something that applies to more than just the 1930s.
Why, yes, there is one single research tool I would recommend: the
Oxford English Dictionary. It's the best value for money of all my online subscriptions. I could not write without the OED. I'm not even sure I could live without it. I hug its bits and bytes to my chest.
I probably spend just a tad too much time looking up words to see if they were in use in the 1930s and ...
Posted by Justine at 0:00, March 24th, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, Research, Writing process |
Posted by Justine at 3:26, March 3rd, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, New York City/USA, Research |
It's pretty bad, isn't it, that one of my favourite aspects of my 1930s NYC/USA research is the hilarious names I keep coming across.
Exhibit A:
Rexford Tugwell.
Readers, I admit that I laughed for about half an hour. And then I made the mistake of telling Scott about Monsieur Tugwell. More laughter.
For the record, Mr Tugwell was a dead interesting bloke. A member of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Brain Trust and thus a key contributor to the New Deal.
And yet, REXFORD TUGWELL!!!!
Posted by Justine at 8:27, March 2nd, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, New York City/USA, Research, Titles & names |
Posted by Justine at 7:59, February 26th, 2009 under Liar, Listening, Research |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, January 29th, 2009 under Research, Writing process |
Posted by Justine at 0:02, December 24th, 2008 under 1930s NYC novel, New York City/USA, Praising, Research |
Posted by Justine at 4:48, December 22nd, 2008 under 1930s NYC novel, Bloggery/Internetty Stuff, Excuses, Praising, Research |
Quite a few people lately have been asking me for book recommendations. They want to know what new YA they should be buying for the holidays. Sadly, I am in less of a position to help than usual.
For most of this year I have been solely reading books about (or published during) the 1930s. The only non-1930s books I've read have been manuscripts I've critiqued for friends. This means I have not read Hunger Games yet. Or the second Octavian Nothing or the National Book Award winner, Judy Blundell's What I Saw and How I Lied or Coe Booth's Kendra which I hear is every bit as good as the wonderful Tyrell. Or anything, really. Nor will I be ...
Posted by Justine at 19:13, December 5th, 2008 under 1930s NYC novel, Research, Writing goals & milestones, Young Adult literature |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, October 25th, 2008 under 1930s NYC novel, New York City/USA, Research, Science, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 0:02, October 12th, 2008 under 1930s NYC novel, New York City/USA, Reading, Research, State of the World, Toilets |
Posted by Justine at 14:50, October 11th, 2008 under 1930s NYC novel, New York City/USA, Research |
Posted by Justine at 3:25, August 4th, 2008 under 1930s NYC novel, Liar, Research |
Posted by Justine at 0:16, March 2nd, 2008 under Liar, New York City/USA, Research |
Posted by Justine at 8:47, February 29th, 2008 under 1930s NYC novel, Fashion, Research |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, February 21st, 2008 under Liar, Research |
Than you so much for all the
excellent liar info yesterday. I'm now halfway through Paul Ekman's Emotions Revealed: Recognising Faces and Feelings to Improve Communication and Emotional Life and finding it extraordinarily useful. Thanks to Gwenda Bond, Jenny Davidson and Malcolm Tredinnick for suggesting him. I'll be chasing down all the other leads as well. You are all the best research assistants ever!
Since you were all so amazingly helpful on yesterday's research question I have another:
Last year (I think) I read at least two articles about DNA testing being used in a classroom (or possibly classrooms) in California (but I may have the state wrong) to demonstrate that no one is racially "pure" and, indeed, to promote discussion ...
Posted by Justine at 10:55, February 20th, 2008 under Liar, Research |
Have any of you ever taken a lie detection test of any kind? (Polygraph or written q & a or some other kind of test I have not read about yet.) If so would you care to tell me about it? Feel free to be anonymous in the comments if you'd prefer.
And more generally: for those of you who have told lies and gotten away with it---what's your method?
Do any of you believe you have the ability to tell when someone else is lying? Is it a general ability or just with people you know well?
Can any of you recommend any good non-fiction articles and books about lying? Most of what I've found so far has been deeply underwhelming.
Thanks!
And thanks ...
Posted by Justine at 11:33, February 19th, 2008 under How To Ditch Your Fairy, Liar, Research |
Posted by Justine at 10:28, February 15th, 2008 under Research, Young Adult literature, Zombies |
I'm spending the weekend in upstate New York catching up with friends and researching snow for my next novel.
My research involved sitting in a rocking chair and staring out the window:
12:01PM
12:16PM
12:36PM (Can you see the red squirrel?)
1:33PM
Sadly, there is still not enough snow for snow shoeing, cross country skiing, or tobogganing. None of which I have ever done before even though my characters (pesky annoying things) have. But I have high hopes for tomorrow.
We went out for a walk. It were pretty and not scary cold (about 1C or 34F):
I was taught how to make snow balls, snow men, as well as snow angels. All of it fairly wet-making. But, I ...
Posted by Justine at 17:04, February 9th, 2008 under Research, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 10:01, February 2nd, 2008 under Frippery, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Research, Words & Language, Young Adult literature |
For research purposes, I am going to drastically increase my zombie culture consumption.
Thus far I've been reading and loving The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman. (I read the trades not the skinnies---so no spoilers for the latest issues!)
I also plan to read World War Z, An Oral History Of The Zombie War by Max Brooks. So no spoilers, people!
Update: Forgot to mention I have read the entire and very excellent Kelly Link zombie oeuvre.
What other zombie books and graphic novels should I be reading?
And there's the movies---because really the whole zombie thing is very movie driven.
Obviously I've seen and loved all the George Romero zombie films. Yum. My faves. Yes, even the recent Land of the Dead that I've ...
Posted by Justine at 12:11, July 27th, 2007 under Reading, Research, Viewing, Zombies |
Posted by Justine at 12:52, March 31st, 2007 under Bloggery/Internetty Stuff, Cons & Other Gatherings, Cricket, Listening, Praising, Ranting, Reading, Research, Sport, Viewing, Words & Language |
Remember
way back when I asked you to help me to decide what to write next? You all told me the fairy book, which I dutifully wrote, but now I'm feeling all indecisive again. Can you help me out?
Here are the options:
The great Australian feminist monkey knife-fighting cricket Elvis mangosteen fairy novel . This one is written.
The compulsive liar book narrated by a---you guessed it---compulsive liar. Downside: will involve lots of outlining. I hates outlining. Plus it's going to be so hard! Upside: whenever I mention this one folks get very excited.
The beginnings of cricket historical romance. Downside: lots of research and all my cricket history books are in storage in Sydney. Upside: yumminess. I am besotted ...
Posted by Justine at 8:07, March 16th, 2007 under Liar, Manga, Research, What to write next, Writing goals & milestones |
Posted by Justine at 0:01, October 1st, 2006 under 1930s NYC novel, New York City/USA, Praising, Research, Viewing |
My intensive google research has revealed that there is no biography of Fredi Washington. I demand that one of you get off your arse and write one immediately! (Or use your better research skills to find me one.)
Who is Fredi Washington, you ask? Why, let me tell you:
Fredi Washington was a light-skinned black actor and dancer. She largely starred in movies for the Jim Crow circuit and often with her skin darkened. She was such a compelling screen presence that the Hollywood bigwigs in the thirties offered to make her a big star if she'd pass as white. She told 'em all where to go. Yay, Fredi! (I also ...
Posted by Justine at 0:07, September 27th, 2006 under 1930s NYC novel, Research, State of the World, Viewing |
I don't have the page numbers for the following stories. If anyone out there has them I'd sure appreciate your sharing said knowledge with me. And, yes, please pass this along to anyone you think might be able to help.
Your reward for helping me out? You get your name in the acknowledgments for Daughters of Earth.
Asimov, Isaac. "Profession," Astounding Science Fiction, (July 1957):
---. "The Mule," Astounding Science Fiction, (Nov-Dec 1945):
Hamilton, Edmond, "The Man Who Evolved," Wonder Stories (April 1931):
Piper, H. Beam. "Omnilingual," Astounding Science Fiction, (Feb 1957):
Reed, Kit. "To Lift a Ship," The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, (April 1962):
Sheldon, Raccoona. "The Screwfly Solution." Analog (June 1977):
Tuttle, Lisa, and George R. R. Martin. "The Storms ...
Posted by Justine at 16:30, June 20th, 2005 under Daughters of Earth, Research |
a partial account of Justine's research into Judith Merril and co. in New York City in the 1940s and 1950s
Posted by Justine at 21:59, November 28th, 2002 under Battle of the Sexes in Science Fiction, Musings, New York City/USA, Research |
all about the excellence of archives, libraries, librarians and archivists
Posted by Justine at 17:39, August 19th, 2002 under Battle of the Sexes in Science Fiction, Musings, New York City/USA, Reading, Research, Sydney/Australia |
