There is a saying that goes, “Write what you know.”
As much as that’s helpful, that would be a very short-lived career. I am an army wife, the ex-wife of a drug addict, a cook, a mother, a special needs mother, and…that’s what I know. All of my characters who are anything but those things, I had to learn. I have an entire series for four books where all of the main characters are musicians — one plays violin, one plays piano, and two sing. I honestly am completely tone def and wrote those characters with the intent of using my writing and letting my characters come alive so that I could somehow learn to understand music.
Write what you know, in my opinion, includes research. It takes research for me to write anyone who doesn’t fit into my personal “this is me” boxes.
I am celebrating the release of my 30th book today! It’s called Valerie’s Verdict, and is book 2 in the Dixon Brothers Series. (Book 1, Courting Calla, is free through this Wednesday). Valerie is an architect, and her love interest Brad, is the president of Dixon Contracting, a large contracting company. I had to research what those jobs meant, what those days looked like, their education, how they might think and therefore act/react.
Valerie is also African-American. I am not. Brad isn’t, either. As much as I’d be able to guess how a white woman would think and perceive the world dating a black man, I didn’t know what that would look like the other way around. So, I felt like it was important to research that as well. I live on a military installation. In the military, interracial marriages are very common and I have several friends who are married to white men. I talked to them, had them beta read my finished book, got great feedback. But I also wanted more. I wanted internal thoughts and feelings that a non-writer may not be able to give me the way I needed them.
I turned to books. I found several inspirational romances written by black women where the woman was black and the man was white, and spent a good week immersing myself in their worlds. One of my inspyauthor writers was one of them! Toni Shiloh! One of the books I read of hers was Finding Love in her Maple Run series. I enjoyed it so much! Highly recommend it!
The fact is, I didn’t write what I knew. But I did learn about what I wrote and it became part of my arsenal of what I know. It was a wonderful experience and I truly came to love the characters in this book. Early reviews from beta readers are pouring in, and the consensus is wonderful! This is a very exciting day for me as I celebrate the release of a very special book.
VALERIE FLYNN grew up with the Dixon brothers, never differentiating one more than the other. When she leaves for college, she puts Atlanta and her childhood behind her, ready to make a life for herself somewhere else. An abusive relationship almost destroys her physically and emotionally, and manages to wipe out her relationship with God.
Since boyhood days, BRAD DIXON has always carried a flame for VALERIE. Her engagement to another man shattered his dreams. When she comes home, battered and bruised, recovering from a nearly fatal relationship, he prays God will use him to help her heal.
VALERIE returns to Atlanta seeking a fresh start, but she finds herself in a strange place. Not only is BRAD now her boss, she starts to develop feelings for him. Is it possible she can overcome the past and open herself up to another relationship, or did the damage done to her body and soul permanently take away any chance of happiness and love?
Can you tell when an author hasn’t done enough research? Does it throw you out of the story, or are you able to just ignore and keep reading? One commentor will receive an autographed paperback of Courting Calla and a Dixon Contracting coffee mug!
With over half a million sales, Hallee Bridgeman is a best-selling Christian author who writes action-packed romantic suspense focusing on realistic characters who face real-world problems. Her work has been described as everything from refreshing to heart-stopping exciting and edgy. Hallee loves coffee, campy action movies, and regular date nights with her husband. Above all else, she loves God with all of her heart, soul, mind, and strength; has been redeemed by the blood of Christ; and relies on the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide her. Subscribers to Hallee's newsletter get her bestselling contemporary romance COURTING CALLA for free! Sign up by clicking the newsletter icon below or going here: http://www.halleebridgeman.com/newsletter
Congrats on book 30. Yes I can tell in some cases when an author hasn’t done the research. One of the worst was in a Historical where the author put one town in Australia 2 hours from Sydney when in fact it was more like 24 hours back in the time frame she wrote. I also remember a teen book set in Australia by an American author who also got so many facts wrong. An American wouldn’t known it but an Aussie would see it.
I can also see when an author had done a lot of research to get the book right it really shows. I was a beta reader for a couple of authors who either set the book in Australia with an American or a book with An aussie hero and wanted to make sure they got sayings etc correct.
Hi Hallee, congratulations:) How exciting to celebrate the release of another book- Valerie’s Verdict auto downloaded this morning and is waiting for me to begin reading- this weekend!!
I definitely can tell when a book is not well researched- and it can be very off putting. Like Ausjenny, I can recall plenty of books set in Australia that are so way off I cannot finish the book- or just cannot take it seriously. In saying that, I have read some great books by non-Australian authors who clearly spent time researching.
Blessings:)
A marvelous achievement.
I appreciate it when an author does do the research.
I have read too many books where I knew for a fact that the author had it all wrong. Very easy to be taken out of the story by the jarring evidence.
Congrats on your 30th book. It definitely throws me off when writer hasn’t done their research. I probably wouldn’t read another book by them. I love when an author takes the time to explain in author notes at the end of a book where they have taken poetic license with the facts.
Hi Hallee! Congrats on your 30th Book Birthday! I appreciate authors that pay attention to detail and research their books. As a reader, I am more forgiving with independent published authors than a so called best seller. If I pay $10 or more for a paper back or Kindle edition, the book should be properly researched. Best wished.
Congratulations! I’m so excited to read this series!
First of all, congratulations on your 30th book! I am proud to say I have read every single one of them, and you still continue to amaze me with your insight. As an avid reader, I do see where an author has either experienced or researched very well, and where they have come up lacking. You have never come up lacking in my experiences of reading your stories.
Thank you for such a a beautiful story in Valerie’s Verdict, you had me experiencing “all the feels” and re-examining some of my own past issues, with a new light to them these 30 years later.
30 books! That’s an accomplishment!
Yes, I can tell when an author doesn’t do their research. The story feels “surfacy”. What’s even more frustrating is if I know about the subject and the author hasn’t done adequate research…argh.
Happily, I’ve never found that with your books.
Congratulations on this launch- it’s a terrific book,
Thank you so much. I’m thrilled that Valerie gave you all the feels! Yay! God is very good!
Thank you, Toni! I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed yours!
Thank you so much, Renate!
Thank you so much!
I have been known to take artistic license. :-) But I’m super careful.
It is jarring! It’s called being pulled from a “suspension of disbelief”.
It’s why I can’t watch military movies with my special forces husband. LOL
I’m so excited you have it ready to read! I pray you enjoy it!
Not taking it seriously is a great way to word it.
Thank you!
I remember visiting my brother in Berowra. There’s a big National park there that I went into. About fifty yards in, I lost my phone’s signal and then another 50 or so yards, I heard some rustling in the bushes. It suddenly occurred to me that I knew NOTHING about Australia and maybe I should have at least left a note saying where I was going. LOL. You never know what you don’t know until you don’t know it.
Thank you so much, Julie!
Congratulations on another amazing story. I started the book and was finished within two days could not put it down. A lot of things to think about but truly forgiveness was the one that was constant. I believe that The Lord is speaking in these last days so loud about true forgiveness and allowing our hearts to heal the way only He can do it. Again thanks for allowing the Lord to use you.
Happy Book Birthday 🎂. I can sometimes tell, but I continue to read as it is only a make believe escape after all.
I totally envy your ability to do that!
Thank you!
Thank you, Angela. This means so much to me!
I think you can tell when the author hasn’t done enough research. It’s one of the reasons I don’t read historical fiction much any more. I used to read all I could get my hands on but I also read a lot of biographies, so when the timelines don’t match or the characters are in the wrong time or place it bugs me.
I truly appreciate authors who do their homework!
I really appreciate when I can tell that an author has done research, especially if it’s about something I know about. However, I don’t think “write what you know” is really about the details of stuff like vocation or setting. I think it pertains more to what you know about people–how they react, their motivations and fears. As the ex-wife of a drug addict and a mom of special needs kids, you have a unique insight into the human experience and how people act, both well and poorly.
Congratulations on the 30th book!!! It’s just as good as your Jewel series, which is how I found you. Yes, I can tell if a book isn’t well researched, and while I’ll finish it, it throws me a bit. I try to just tell myself that it’s only make believe and go on. It really bugs me if it’s a major thing, like a Holiday, that you can’t change, and then I tell myself maybe they just didn’t realize it. Doesn’t work sometimes, though! I have never found that with your books, though! Yours are very well written!
Hi,
How I do like well researched books, that take you on a journey to an unknown place and time. Laura Frantz is a master in that and I so delight in her books.
Nevertheless, a conference by french “PRIX GONCOURT” author Pierre Lemaître was astonishing about his way of not being picky about details such as the colour of buttons or whatever tiny stuff what is not the point. What matters is who your characters are and what they go through… so as to inwardly change for the best of their external condition.
As a french novelist, I do a lot of research beforehand… and relax at the writing while looking to be as accurate as possible.
Perfection isn’t… of this world anyway. And lavishing grace is required for and to all !
Cheers.
I’m pretty strict with historical, too! It’s so easy to check, especially now with everything at our fingertips.
This is very true, Lila. And by nature I am a people observer. I probably glean more insight in humanity than a lot of people simply because I’ve observed extreme circumstances with extreme people.
Thank you so much, Trudy! If you ever do find it in my books, always reach out. I’d hate to inadvertently throw someone out of a story.
So excited for your 30th book !! Thats an amazing accomplishment.
I can tell when an author hasn’t done research when the book doesn’t line up or ive read books where you can tell that the author did not have a good editer as the main characters names where wrong half way through the book.
I usually push through even if the author doesn’t get all the facts right, however, sometimes it is hard when I know that if they had actually put the effort in to researching their plot it could have been so much better.
Can’t wait to read more from you Hallee, and again congrats on your 30th book being published :)
Thank you!
I actually have a tendency to swap names halfway through a story. I have two professional editors. Both of them know to look for it – lol.
Beautifully said! Thank you!
if i feel the author hasn’t done enough research, it does throw e off. i feel cheated and like they don;t value us as readers, to take the time for researching the parts of the book. it is a total turn off for me, and i quit reading it.
I totally understand!
Congrats on your milestone book!
Yes you never know when a drop bear will fall on you (an Aussie joke they were in a commercial). But we do have snakes in national parks and also kangaroos etc. I am actually scared of them in the wild. Don’t mind if they are at a distance but know they can be dangerous like any animal. (Like cougars in America). When I was in BC Canada I was going to a waterfall and my friend said watch out for bears. I ended up walking with another couple and felt so much safer. We didn’t see bears but my friend who was waiting for me did at the picnic area.
Thank you!
Congratulations on your 30th Book so amazing!
Thank you!
Congratulations Hallee on publishing 30 books! A fabulous achievement! 😊