Jodie Leigh Murray

 

Today, the tool we have in our hands most of the time make it much easier to research anything. All you have to do is Google something on your smartphone and you've got the answer. Whether what we find is correct is the question. Sometimes it's hard to forget that not everything you read on the internet is true.

 

Current Day Research

I will never claim to know everything. In fact, there is a tremendous amount that I don't know that I have to research. Even for my romantic suspense novels. Settings, weather, crime, politics. There are several things I look up before and during the writing process. For The Gangster's Game, which is coming out in a few days, I had to do a substantial amount of research on how to get a license to be a therapist and a license to be a private investigator in the state of California. I also did research on trafficking.

 

Historical Research

Researching history is a lot more complicated than writing in the current day. It can pull you into a rabbit hole like you wouldn't believe. Fascinating things to learn from history, whether it's the beginning of time or 50 years ago. Currently, I'm researching my next book, set in the year 1702. Not a lot of data on this time of period, also known as Stuart England, which was 1603-1714 and began with James I, succeeding Queen Elizabeth I. It was a time of innovation and discovery, when England went through a transition from monarchy to parliament. It was also the Golden Age of Piracy, which is what my book revolves around! I have to research everything from historical dates, to fashion, to landmarks, to everything about pirates. And it. Is. So. Fun!! I love history.

 

The further back in history a person has to research, the harder it becomes because of a lack of data. But this also can be a good thing. Many historical facts have been stretched over the years. My novel, The Duke's Daughter, had real historical figures and I may have added some fictional happenings, but one thing that is not entirely clear is the battle of Hastings (Senlac as some refer to it). Some say King Harold took an arrow to the arrow, while others say that didn't happen. I shrug. Will we ever know?

 

When doing research, I first determine what I need to know before I begin writing and get that out of the way. But there's always something that pops up I might need to look into. What type of gun are they using? Are the ages and school level system the same in Italy as here in the U.S.? What level of crime can get you a prison sentence as opposed to a county jail sentence, or felony vs. misdemeanor? It seems there is always a question to everything, even the smallest detail needs to be accurate.

 

Not being able to continue to produce books to put into readers' hands, especially those who enjoy my books and look forward to the next one. THAT scares me. I was narrowly close to not being able to pay my editor for my book coming out next month. I had to take money out of personal assets to pay for editing, and will need to pay it back. Luckily, I was able to do that.

 

I always said that as long as I make enough money to pay for the expenses of the next book, I'll keep writing. Well . . . that's no longer happening. The economy sucks. People don't want to shell out money for books they can check out at the library, or people tell me their reading list is so long they simply can't buy another book. I understand. Truly, I do. I have a tight budget and a long list of books I want to read. But on the flip side, this is my business I'm fighting for. I want to keep writing. I want to keep publishing my books. I'll do whatever it takes to continue to do it! Ultimately, I'd like to do this full-time, although most authors are not in it for the income.

 

I have so many ideas for books I want to write.

 

So, that scares me the most. Not being able to continue writing books and publish them.

 

Admittedly, I don't take many days off. And by days off, I mean full days off where I don't do any type of work. None at all. Most people know that I have a full-time job in addition to to my writing career.

 

Camping

Most people know that I like to go camping, although I have to admit that it's been a while since we've got camping at an actual camping site. We like to go to state parks like Tetteguche, which is north of Duluth, MN and Willow River just east of Hudson, WI. This is by far my favorite way to spend a day off. My husband will argue that I always take time to write when we're camping, but there are times when I don't. It just hasn't been all that recent. I need to make a more concentrated effort to get back to relaxing when we start going to state parks and other campgrounds again.

 

Reading

Another thing I like to do when I have a day off is read. This is probably the most obvious one. I suppose in a way it can be considered working since I need to read to better my own writing skills, but I read just like the rest of those who enjoy reading. I do it to escape reality, to learn different cultures, history, anything really.

 

Traveling

Traveling, like camping, is a great way to spend a day off. Even if it's just a day trip somewhere. I like road trips. It's probably one of the places I do my best daydreaming. I've seen a lot of places, and a lot of things with road trips, although I haven't road tripped too far to the west and I have yet to do an east coast road trip. They're on my bucket list, though. Oh, the things you see when you're traveling.

 

Relaxing

Sometimes I just like to sit on our deck or on our patio, visiting with neighbors or family. This happens few and far between, but it does happen from time to time.

 

What is your favorite way to spend a day off?

 

This proved harder than I thought it would be when I first plucked this from my list of ideas to blog. There are so many wonderful romance novels written since I started reading way back in the day. There are far more than ten novels, so I'll give it my best shot!

 

The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss

An oldie, but a goodie. Unfortunately, Ms. Woodiwiss is no longer with us but every single book she every wrote was an excellent read. This one was by far the best. The Wolf and the Dove came in a close second. These may be a little outdated (this one was published in 1972) since times have changed so much since written, but the story is memorable and that's what matters.

 

True Betrayals by Nora Roberts

Another one that was published long ago, but not quite as long-1995. Roberts has written hundreds of memorable stories, but this one stuck out to me and still remains one of my favorites. There are several others that I love, such as Carolina Moon, Montana Sky, and Sanctuary.

 

The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

This one caught me by surprise. My daughter had to read it in her lit class for senior year, and the ending shocked me-to say the least. Not at all what I'd expected, but the actual romance of the story was well-written and it stayed with me. I judge books by whether I can remember the story line, and this one I remember well.

 

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

A book that remains in my all-time favorites, this is one of the most colorful stories I've ever read. It was so colorful. Well written and poignant.

 

Without Merit by Colleen Hoover

One of the first books I read by this author, who incidentally used to be an independent author like me and others I know. A lot of books written by Colleen Hoover have stuck with me. I can see how she got picked up by a traditional publisher. Her stories resonate and her characters are memorable. A few others that stuck were Verity, Too Late, Confess, Heart Bones, and, of course, It Ends With Us.

 

Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, and Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

I give you fair warning that there are two more books coming, but it will be a while before that happens. And when you are done with these three, you will want the next one immediately. Rebecca Yarros definitely knows how to end her books on a giant cliffhanger. This is romantasy and heavy on the spice, just a word of caution. It's not in abundance, but what there is of it . . . whew.

 

The Lion's Bride by Connie Mason

Another oldie, but goodie. On the spicy side for a long time ago, but it was a great romance novel.

 

A Court of Thorns and Roses (and the rest of the series) by Sarah J. Maas

Another romantasy series, but an extremely good one. The first book was very tame compared to the rest of them, but I read through them with super speed and after the first one, they got very heavy on the spicy scenes. But as far as romance goes, I put it in my top ten for a reason. Spicy scenes aside, we're talking romance stories here, and these books were memorable in that alone. Not at all what I expected when I started with the first one.

 

One Dark Window and Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig

These were not what I expected, either, but I was pleasantly surprised and glad I picked them up. Wonderfully written and engaging. Again, I'm judging on the love story itself. Romance, but not really descriptive sex scenes-and that's okay. To some, it might not be.

 

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Last, but certainly not least, Outlander. If you can stick with it, I know she is extremely detailed in her writing, but the story itself is wonderful. And I don't mean watching it on Starz or DVD/Bluray. I mean actually reading the book. You get so much more when you read the book! I still have two more of this series to read, but you have to have some serious time on your hands to concentrate on the reading of one of these tomes.

 

There you have it. These are my top ten, but there are so many more that I can mention! And I'm sure I'll read many more, and hopefully write some to make your top ten!

 

Jodie Leigh Murray

 

This blog is rather lengthy, but I hope it helps anyone who is looking to get started in publishing a book. Traditional publishing or self-publishing, these books are what I consider being in the top of my list of the most helpful books. The exception is The Self-Publisher's Legal Handbook by Helen Sedwick, for obvious reasons that would be for anyone looking to self-publish.

 

The Anatomy of Genres: How Story Forms Explain the Way the World Works; and

The Anatomy of a Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller by John Truby

These two gems hit the nail on the head when you are trying to figure how to structure your novel and where it fits as far as genre. I had a heck of a time trying to decipher what type of book I had with The Gangster's Daughter, until an editor pointed it out.

 

The Rural Setting Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Personal and Natural Places;

The Urban Setting Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to City Spaces;

The Conflict Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Obstacles, Adversaries, and Inner Struggles Volume 1;

The Conflict Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Obstacles, Adversaries, and Inner Struggles Volume 2;

The Positive Trait Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Attributes;

The Negative Trait Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Flaws;

The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression;

The Emotion Amplifier Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Stress and Volatility (A Companion to The Emotion Thesaurus);

The Emotional Wound Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Psychological Trauma;

The Occupation Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Jobs, Vocations, and Careers by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi

All of these books are a lifesaver when you are fine-tuning details in your novel. Trying to figure out what your characters do for a living, take a look at The Occupation Thesaurus? Trying to find the fine details in a specific scene setting, take a look at the Urban or Rural Setting Thesaurus? I recommend ALL of these suckers.

 

Make a Scene: Crafting a Powerful Story One Scene at a Time by Jordan Rosenfeld

You should never have a scene in your novel just for the sake of having a scene. When editing and having to cut a scene that provokes specific emotions as a writing sometimes hurts, but scenes need a purpose. Jordan Rosenfeld helps spell it out with scene types, elements and architecture. A must-have.

 

Between The Lines: Master the Subtle Elements of Fiction Writing by Jessica Page Morrell

This is an all-around good one on all the elements of the novel, from backstory to foreshadowing to pacing to theme. Jessica Page Morrell touches on all of these in this book to turn your novel into a fantastic one.

 

Dynamic Characters: How to Create Personalities That Keep Readers Captivated by Nancy Kress

Anyone who knows me, and who has read my books, knows that I put a lot into my characters. This is just one of the many books I have used as a guide to breaking down my characters. Nancy Kress provides insight into what I need to know about each and everyone from basic statistics to physical descriptions to inner life.

 

Bullies, Bastards & Bitches: How to Writer The Bad Guys Of Fiction by Jessica Page Morrell

Again, characters. Everyone loves a villain. Don't they? Okay, maybe not. But we have to have them to make the story work. Sometimes, they don't need to be a person. It can be a character against the weather or society in general. But this is a good one to help shape your bully, bastard or bitch, likeable or not.

 

Self-Publisher's Legal Handbook by Helen Sedwick

If you are embarking on a self-publishing journey, I definitely recommend this one! Do not move forward with self-publishing without purchasing this book. There is some good advice in here. Copyrights, taxes, marketing, good advice, but don't think you have to follow it all. Not all of it will apply. Some of it is good to ask other published authors what they do!

 

Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success by K.M. Weiland

I'm a fan of outlining until it doesn't work for me. I did not outline the book I just finished. At all. It just didn't work that way. If you are a plotter, this is a good book to help guide you through a good outlining process. K.M. Weiland is a mastermind behind outlining, and she has some good tips.

 

The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them) by Jack M. Bickham

We all make mistakes, and we're going to do it as writers! Jack M. Bickham gives practical advice in this book about how to avoid our most common writing mistakes.

 

Master Lists for Writers: Thesauruses, Plots, Character Traits, Names, and More by Bryn Donovan

Bryn Donovan has pulled together a master list of plots, character traits, names, emotional descriptions, physical descriptions, and more. A handy tool.

 

Which books I don't recommend and why:

The 5 Day Novel by Scott King

First Draft in 30 Days by Karen S. Wiesner

Book in a Month by Victoria Lynn Schmidt PhD

 

There are some good things to pull from each of thesem, but I don't recommend trying to write a book in 5-30 days. You want to write quality, not quantity. I mean, if you can do it – good for you. I just don't recommend it.

 

Happy writing, and if you ever need help or just a bit of advice, please send a message through my the contact me on my website. I'd be happy to help.

 

Jodie Leigh Murray