Some books are easier to research than others. Beyond the normal research into the time period, the customs, etc., I will research the town’s topography to get a town map. Depending on what’s available, it’s the main reason I prefer to use a fictional town. I don’t have to worry about someone telling me Joe didn’t have a hardware store on that street. However, I decided to set two of my Georgia Magnolias series books in my hometown, Sugar Hill.
For general research on the Great Depression, I had no problem. But when it came to Sugar Hill, I had plenty. The City of Sugar Hill was incorporated in 1939, nine years after my books take place. There is no official history since Sugar Hill was merely a militia district and part of the county of Gwinnett.
The closest town is Buford. I spent quite a bit of time in the Buford history museum and bought a couple of books, but all the documented history is within Buford. The county documents from the era contain Sugar Hill’s roads and schools, but even there I found different accounts of to where those might have been placed.
The City of Sugar Hill recently placed a historical marker on a piece of land that used to belong to our church (the church burned down in 2000, and the land was subsequently purchased by the city). It states that on this site the Sugar Hill School was built in 1915. But I knew the church’s constitution was written in 1885 and the building was placed in that spot. Now what? Was the school held in the church during the week? Was it attached to the church? Fortunately, I met a woman who knew the school was built on land that became the church’s cemetery. One mystery solved.
Sugar Hill has a book that documents its history since 1939. I wanted to include some of the stores and businesses I knew were there. I only had to discover their location. Again, most of my successful research came from oral stories. I learned about Rocky Venable from his great grandniece. Rocky was a grocer, although by his own confession, it was more of a general store. He carried a little bit of everything from nuts and bolts to bananas to gold mining equipment.
Yes, there were thirteen gold mines in Sugar Hill. By the time of my novels, most were yielding only small amounts, although my heroine, Cora Fitzgerald in On Sugar Hill, gives it a try. Her results were quite dramatic.
Most of the roads in Sugar Hill were dirt, and I learned very few homes had electricity. That came to rural Georgia in the 1950s. That was a gob-smacker. A few people had their homes wired, but they either had money or power. That nugget fit into my story well. But after searching for months, I needed to get the book written.
So, what’s an author to do?
In this case, I talked to residents whose families have lived here for generations. I got the best information I could, but after ninety-one years, several generations have passed. Memories fade or fail. Finally, after exhausting every avenue open to me, I took literary license. I have an author’s note in the book, documenting where and how. That’s about all one can do. I hope you read the author’s notes in historical novels. Many interesting tidbits are revealed within them.
Sugar Hill has a book that documents its history since 1939. I wanted to include some of the stores and businesses I knew were there. I only had to discover their location. Again, most of my successful research came from oral stories. I learned about Rocky Venable from his great grandniece. Rocky was a grocer, although by his own confession, it was more of a general store. He carried a little bit of everything from nuts and bolts to bananas to gold mining equipment.
Yes, there were thirteen gold mines in Sugar Hill. By the time of my novels, most were yielding only small amounts, although my heroine, Cora Fitzgerald in On Sugar Hill, gives it a try. Her results were quite dramatic.
Most of the roads in Sugar Hill were dirt, and I learned very few homes had electricity. That came to rural Georgia in the 1950s. That was a gob-smacker. A few people had their homes wired, but they either had money or power. That nugget fit into my story well. But after searching for months, I needed to get the book written.
So, what’s an author to do?
In this case, I talked to residents whose families have lived here for generations. I got the best information I could, but after ninety-one years, several generations have passed. Memories fade or fail. Finally, after exhausting every avenue open to me, I took literary license. I have an author’s note in the book, documenting where and how. That’s about all one can do. I hope you read the author’s notes in historical novels. Many interesting tidbits are revealed within them.
Ane Mulligan has been a voracious reader ever since her mom instilled within her a love of reading at age three, escaping into worlds otherwise unknown. But when Ane saw PETER PAN on stage, she was struck with a fever from which she never recovered—stage fever. She submerged herself in drama through high school and college. One day, her two loves collided, and a bestselling, award-winning novelist emerged. She lives in Sugar Hill, GA, with her artist husband and a rascally Rottweiler. Find Ane on her website, Amazon Author page, Facebook, BookBub, Goodreads, Pinterest, Twitter, and The Write Conversation.
On Sugar Hill
She traded Sugar Hill for Vaudeville. Now she’s back.
The day Cora Fitzgerald turned sixteen, she fled Sugar Hill for the bright lights of Vaudeville, leaving behind her senator-father’s verbal abuse. But just as her career takes off, she’s summoned back home. And everything changes.
The stock market crashes. The senator is dead. Her mother is delusional, and her mute Aunt Clara pens novels that have people talking. Then there’s Boone Robertson, who never knew she was alive back in high school, but now manages to be around whenever she needs help. Will the people of her past keep her from a brilliant future?
Thank you, Patty, for hosting me!
ReplyDeleteHey! (You said to do that) lol
ReplyDeleteGREAT ARTICLE, ANE!
Jerry and I would LOVE a trip to that museum!
Hey is a Georgia hello! And I'd LOVE to have y'all come to our museum.
DeleteWelcome to HHH! Great post, and I enjoy hearing about what authors go through as they try to authenticate their settings with the time periods they are writing about. I appreciate that as a reader.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Connie. And when it's in your hometown, it's especially sweet to hear form readers who tell you they visited that drugstore or whatever.
DeleteWelcome today. Oh this is a wonderful post. I love research also. And like you I can get so engrossed that time just slips away. How cool to talk to people who may remember things from the past like that. I once worked in a retirement home, and the stories some of these people have from the past are amazing. One gentleman talked about world war 2 and that time period. Ohhhhhh so cool. I love reading the authors historical notes. I love it when they put in what was truth.
ReplyDeletequilting dash lady at comcast dot net
Thanks, Lori. Several of the little side stories in my books are real. And several of the people are too. I love to honor them that way when I can.
DeleteHello Ane, we are kindred spirits with the researching for stories. I wrote my great-grandmother's story. I'm fortunate to live in the very area where my families lived and they left a wonderful paper trail, photographs, and records! I've visited all the libraries, historical societies, and talked to many old timers, then knowing a lot of grandma's life, I pieced a timeline together. While writing I took liberties to imagine what might have happened. I love history! But, it will take over your time if you let it and won't get anything else done. Congratulations on your newest novel! jenningskaren at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Karen. How neat you were able to piece together a good story based on your great-grandmother. That's especially sweet. It's true what you say about research taking over your life. But some of it is really fun - the little road trips are my favorite.
DeleteHey, Ane. Welcome back to HHH! I hosted Ane a couple of years ago on my "fourth of the month" slot. Great article. I'm reading On Sugar Hill right now and you've hit it out of the park again! It's been very fun to watch you rise to the top in your writing career. Keep it up, girlfriend! Hugs from afar.
ReplyDeleteYou did indeed and I've followed the site ever since. I love it! Thank you for your sweet words about On Sugar Hill, Pam. Hugs back!!
DeleteGreat to have you on HHH, Ane! Thank you for sharing your process for researching your stories. Interesting!
ReplyDelete