Writer’s Passport:
Research Versus Reality
As a
reader my favorite books include adventures where I’m transported
to another world. For that moment, I hear the sounds and smell the
air. The worlds roll into a movie in my mind’s eye. As a writer, my
goal is to create picturesque worlds for my characters to travel
within. To paint places so vivid readers feels the warm sun on their
faces. To have their mouth water at the aroma of the apple pie.
In order
to write specific details required to bring a place to reality or to
evoke an emotion the place must be familiar. This is where I find
myself wading into a discussion about research versus reality.
Writers seem to be of three thoughts on the matter: the best worlds
are created in your imagination; you must research – be there; a
mix will serve you best.
Each of
my books are based in reality. Real places. Real sensory igniters.
Before attending college research, was a daunting task. A dreaded
task. Thanks to an amazing technical writer/ research instructor,
research has a new definition: an exploration and adventure into
creditable possibilities. Finances limit my ability to travel in my
character’s shoes but in the comfort and safety of my office I can
surf down a sand dune in Africa one minute and explore the Nunavut
walruses the next. Still missing is the sand rushing under my surf
board or the frigid
ocean moisture as a
walrus grunts in the foreground.
For me
finding a real place to base the reality of my character’s world is
my adventure. Packing my imagination and ignoring the glare of my
computer screen to study the culture and geography of the outside
world not only provides me perspective, it gives my writing world
richness. Research gives
my world credibility,
but the best destinations I have visited through books have been
created in the writer’s mind. Which do you prefer?
Genre: Young Adult/Mystery/Romance
Publisher: Fireside Publications
Release Date: September 15, 2010
Author | Amazon
About The Book:
Ice Rose — A teenager’s world is turned upside down when an explosion steals her dad and her identity. Entering an exclusive academy that immerses her in the world of secret agents, she must overcome her fears and disabilities to discover the truth about her dad’s mission, his software, and the mystery man stalking her before she ends up like her father — lost.
Publisher: Fireside Publications
Release Date: September 15, 2010
Author | Amazon
About The Book:
Ice Rose — A teenager’s world is turned upside down when an explosion steals her dad and her identity. Entering an exclusive academy that immerses her in the world of secret agents, she must overcome her fears and disabilities to discover the truth about her dad’s mission, his software, and the mystery man stalking her before she ends up like her father — lost.
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Alison Neuman
lives in Alberta, Canada, where she is a freelance writer and lyricist.
Nearing the end of her studies for the Bachelor of Applied
Communications Degree program at Grant MacEwan College, she was inspired
to complete the first draft of Ice Rose. The pace of
secret agent books and movies gave her an unlimited playground for
imagination. Music and performing are passions she was able to bring
into her writing and build into her characters.
Alison’s writing has appeared in “MacEwan Today”, “Westword”, and the “Edmonton Journal” along with three tracks on the CD release Outside The Window. Co-writing the screenplay adaptation of the book Whale Songwith author Cheryl Kaye Tardif exposed her to the world of screenwriting, which she hopes to continue to examine further in the future. Alison also has been writing shorter pieces of non-fiction, one entitled Establishing Roots, that earned a top ten ranking in the Edmonton Stories contest. This past spring she was a winner in The Expressions of Hunger Contest in the Emotional Poetry category. Her piece Undeniable Craving was on display in June and July in various artistic locations across the city of Edmonton. She has completed a final edit of her memoir “Searching For Normal” and is currently writing her next young adult manuscript.
When not writing creatively, Alison is editing or writing for her business, Sandy Tree Communications.
Alison’s writing has appeared in “MacEwan Today”, “Westword”, and the “Edmonton Journal” along with three tracks on the CD release Outside The Window. Co-writing the screenplay adaptation of the book Whale Songwith author Cheryl Kaye Tardif exposed her to the world of screenwriting, which she hopes to continue to examine further in the future. Alison also has been writing shorter pieces of non-fiction, one entitled Establishing Roots, that earned a top ten ranking in the Edmonton Stories contest. This past spring she was a winner in The Expressions of Hunger Contest in the Emotional Poetry category. Her piece Undeniable Craving was on display in June and July in various artistic locations across the city of Edmonton. She has completed a final edit of her memoir “Searching For Normal” and is currently writing her next young adult manuscript.
When not writing creatively, Alison is editing or writing for her business, Sandy Tree Communications.
5 comments:
that winter came early
Pain, despair, maybe death. The beauty of the rose is still seen, even though it seems to be frozen in time. The starkness of the faded rose in contrast to the brilliant, fresh red blood brings about feelings of something in the past that has surfaced in the present to cause pain or despair.
I love those answers Lee & Kimberly :) Thanks for stopping in Alison! :)
Vampires..
Great guest post about fact vs reality. Thanks!
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