Research is a fundamental part of writing. There is an old saying that goes, “Write what you know.”
While writing only what I know would give me a book or three, that would be the end of my career. You can only get so much entertainment out of one person’s experiences and then the well runs dry.
So, when I write anything other than an administrative assistant or a homemaker, I have to research. I have to contact people who have worked the jobs I’m writing about, who have experienced the things I’m having my characters experience, and who have lived lives similar to the lives my characters are living.
When I started writing Valerie’s Verdict, I needed to research a couple of things. She is an architect with a focus on interior design. That is not the same as an interior designer. So I had to research architects who focus on interior design. She was severely beaten by an ex-boyfriend. I had to research what her injuries would look like, what the scars would look like, how a shattered hip that lead to a hip replacement would affect future pregnancies and childbirth, and what kind of prison sentence her abuser would receive because he threw her from a second-story window.
I also had to research the perspective of a black woman in America dating and falling in love with a white man in America. I had to learn what her inner dialogue would sound like, what her feelings might feel like, and what her perspective would be, what the reactions and actions of the people around her would be like.
I took that research as seriously as I take everything I research. I interviewed black women married to white men. I read every single Christian romance I could find that was written by a black woman with a black female character in love with a white man. And I did it that way, so that I could get actual thoughts and feelings that might be present versus my projection of what they may be. I ended up reading 6 or 7 books.
And when I was finished with Valerie’s Verdict, I gave it to all those women I interviewed and asked them to read it, to correct me, to fix any kind of projections I got wrong (and was thrilled to find out that I’d gotten them right!)
And the result was, it became something that I know. I was able to “write what I know”.
In all of my books, I include discussion questions that apply biblical truths to the situations in the book and encourage the reader to apply their lives to those truths and to consider the application. There were a lot of spiritual truths that could be uncovered through Valerie’s verdict because of the faith journey of the character, the background of her childhood through adulthood, and the life experiences she had. But among the discussion questions I was able to come up with, here are three of them.
Acts 17:26 says: “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth….”
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Because all human beings have common ancestors in first Adam then in Noah, is it right to make decisions about people based on skin pigmentation or socio-economic status?
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Phillip worried Buddy might have some personal issues with Brad and Valerie’s relationship. Do you think those issues might be well-founded?
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Women in the bathroom distinguished Valerie by her skin color in a derogatory manner. People often flippantly gossip like that. Have you ever been compelled to correct them? What kind of outcome has resulted from taking a stance?
I often receive emails from readers with the discussion questions answered — which is thrilling for me as someone who writes with the mission statement, “To create modern-day parables that uplift fellow believers and minister to seekers in our fallen world.” And this book generated so much discussion! I wish I could be in a room with book clubs as they read the book and talk about the issues raised, as people think about hard questions and try to discover the truth in their hearts and align it with the truth in God’s word.
I am so broken by the state of the hearts of people in America and around right now. It’s become so fatiguing. But, as a faithful follower of Christ and a believer in the omniscience and omnipresence of Jehovah God, I know that HE knew this was coming and already prepared people to be ministers to the broken and suffering at this time, to be truth-speakers, to be the light. In the meantime, I can pray for those people, stand up for my brothers and sisters in Christ, and teach my children God’s truths.
What can you do in these times? Are you actively involved anywhere?
One commenter will receive an autographed paperback of Valerie’s Verdict. International readers are more than welcome. Giveaway ends June 24th at 5pm EST. I will email the winner.
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
Halle, I really enjoyed your post. It just so happens that I just finished When I Lost my Way by Jenifer Rodewald. It is also about an interracial relationship. But mostly the emphasis of the book was on their relationships to God. I am anxious to read your book now! Thank you for sharing about the ways you researched. It is good to know how authors are striving to make their books authentic.
I loved this book! I’ve also read many books by black women, some with their love interests white, and some with them not. I have many black friends, and honestly, I ignore our skin color. It has no bearing on our friendship. We’re all the same inside, we’re all the same in God’s eyes, and we all need Jesus. We need to seek unity in Him.
Thank you for sharing this post and for the chance to win your book. It sounds really good. I think the first thing we can do is pray for God’s direction and hand upon the situation, and then I think we need to just live out what the Bible says, love people and speak truth, but don’t water things down just to make it more palatable.
I think more than anything we need to pray for unity…no matter skin color. We are all precious in the Lord’s sight and we need to remember that. In my church, we have a married couple of color and we love them just as much as our white congregants. They are the sweetest, most giving people in the world. I’m color blind when it comes to people and don’t treat them any different than I would anyone else.
I love that you do your research when it comes to your books! I can usually tell when an author does or does not by the writing. It really make the story authentic & the characters seem like real people. All your hard work and effort will show! :-)
It’s very important to me to make my characters seem like real people.
Yes! I agree.
Thank you so much.
Yes! Authentic is always my goal. Thank you!
I think we need to humble ourselves before God no matter our skin color and seek His divine wisdom instead of putting up barriers and seeking our own will.
We will ought never be maligned against God’s will. We lack his perfect omniscience!
This is so timely. Thanks for sharing. I love this whole post. The authenticity in which you strive to present characters is exactly 100% my goal and has been from the beginning of my pursuit of publication. Love this!!
I’m looking forward to reading this book. It looks really good.
I am so late but to question 3 in a different situation I did stand up. It was at a cricket match and someone told a joke about a model in South Africa that was killed by her then boyfriend Oscar Pistorius. It happened on Valentine’s day. They make a joke which in other circumstances may have been funny but in this case it wasn’t. I said to the ones next to me who laughed. You know The lady Reeve Steenkamp lost her life and you are laughing at that. Its not funny. Then the guy next to me said that’s right I didn’t think of that its not something to laugh about. So many times we do keep quiet but here in Australia one women a week loses their lives to domestic violence. its not something to joke about. It did help create awareness,
In Australia we see what’s happening, there are marches and protests but I think what would be better as do many is dialogue in this time. With Covid-19 we don’t need more deaths cos of what’s happening. While not actively involved I do delete posts on FB or unfollow people for inflammatory posts.
Dear Father, please hear us. We need you to soften any hardness in our hearts. Take the meager loaves and fishes of our compassion and concern and multiply them so that our communities will know that You are the One Who meets all the needs of our broken hearts. May your Spirit come in mighty power, bringing repentance, compassion, the will to serve one another and peace.
In the name of the One whose awful, violent death made it possible to know that peace with You, our Lord Jesus,
Amen
I can pray for direction and discernment.
I love when an author takes the time to research instead of making up stuff.