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Mine was on chinese weddings in America in the lated 1800's. No I take that back on the differences between land turtles and water turtles for my granddaughter! Shirley
One way is to learn from other writers who have already done the research. Gordon R. Dickson sprinkled gobs of little factual gems throughout his Fantasy and Science Fiction novels that can save you tons research. I actual took notes when I read his Dragon Knight series. I have to say, though, that the experience of holding a sword in your hand is something you just can’t get from a book. It wasn’t until I held a real sword that I understood there was a heavy weight in pommel to balance the blade. When well balanced, it actually seems lighter and is much easier to control.
I have a scene in my book where the main character is locked inside a very small, very dark place for a few days, so I decided I needed to know how long it would take, in such a situation, to loose all sense of time.It took me about two hours …
(I fell asleep)
A.L. The SCA people are a great group. Most are happy to share information about the SCA, the arts & crafts, and help someone learn more about pre 17th century history. I'm sure you'll have to sign waivers to practice. I'd also check into the making of tunics. It helps to try to blend in. SCA people appreciate the effort. A tunic is very easy to make. I lain out a T shirt on some material, traced an outling of the shirt (I made the outline a couple of inches bigger than the actual shirt so I could sew the two halves together, I also extended the tail about 18" to make sure I had everything covered.) This tunic works very well.
I might also suggest checking out the song books. The songs can give a good look into the lives of the people of any given time peroid. Some of these can be quite risque. "The Moose Song" comes to mind as an example of the down & dirty. One of the best SCA songs about a kingdom is Ansteorra's "The Rising of the Star."
I'm glad my suggestion is helping.
G W Pickle
I just remembered a short story I wrote a while back. I'm posting the opening. If you'd like I can send you the entire story, it's about 8 pages long. Just reply here asking me to send it to you. This story is based on an SCA song, by a friend of mine. It's about a battle, but it's also a kind of a love story. A few people have asked me to expand it into a novel.I stagger across what used to be a wheat field. Now it’s a field of doom. All around me is death and pain. The stench of bloating corpses fills the air. We’ve fought continuously for two days. The fighting has broken down into individual pockets. Both sides are so tired that we can only fight for a few minutes at a time. There has been no time to remove the dead or dying, only fight. The summer heat is as deadly as our enemies, sapping our strength quickly. A lull in the battle has finally come. With no enemy in sight, I drop my sword and shield and fall down gasping for air. Praying for any kind of a breeze. I grasp at the armor straps desperately trying to get free of its hot embrace. Once removed I quickly reach for my water skin and pour some over my head then direct the thin stream of water into my mouth. Protesting, my stomach starts to rumble. With no food left, I reach for a clump of grass to fill my belly. I see movement off to my right. I sit up, reach for my sword, and then see it’s my friend John. He’s holding his side and limping. As he sits beside me, I notice blood oozing between his fingers.
“That doesn’t look good.” I tell John.
“It doesn’t feel too good either. But I’ll get over it. I always have. How about you Logan, any of them buggers cut you?”
“Not yet Johnny boy, not yet, just a few bruises.”
“Does that grass taste any better?” He asks.
Holding out a hand full of the green stuff. “No, want some?”
“I’m not that hungry, yet.” He replies laughing.
I shake my head as I stuff the greens in my mouth and try to wash it down with drink from my water skin. We both lean back and try to rest. My mind drifts back in time when the air was fresh and clean, a time of peace. Back to the first time I saw her.
As I said, I wrote this using a friend's song as a guide and also from personal experience of wearing armor and fighting in SCA combat.
G W Pickle
My strangest research was when I was looking for quotations by ex-Vice President Dan Quayle for ... um, can't remember if it was for my first book or my second ... for ridiculous comments he was prone to making, like this beauty:"The Holocaust was an obscene period in our nation's history. I mean in this century's history. But we all lived in this century. I didn't live in this century." Dan Quayle, 9/15/88
Anyway, the problem was that there were tons of quotes but there were also a bunch of quotes that people said Quayle WOULD have said if he had THOUGHT of it. It was hard to separate the two.
Norm
A.L.You can also find patterns at the SCA website. I might suggest that you use fussion tape to hold the 2 pieces of the tunic then sew the tunic sides together. I made several tunics and ended selling all but 2. If you go to Cloth World or some other store that sells material you can usually find short (1 - 3 yrds in length) pieces of cloth sold at reduced prices. Another hint about pants. Jogging pants and blue jeans can be worn under the tunic.
G W Pickle
Weird research...How quantum physics explains GOD as a "collective consciousness" . Dare I even mention inter-dimensional travel by way of the "Zero Point". How it may relate to creation myths & Zep Tepi aka the "First Time" in Egyptian mythology. This is when the 'gods' moved through the Zero Point & created various grid programs called "reality". It's interesting to see how Quantum physics & science can be linked to ancient mythologies.
Lynn
A.L.Glad to be of help. I usually suggest that the first event you attend should be a smaller one. My wife's 1st event was a crown coronation and it blew her away. A smaller event is less formal and lets you have more time to visit and get the feel of things. Tell your DH that lots of men wear kilts and most of the wear it in the proper fashion. In my case, the more clothing the better. I weigh in at just over 400lbs. I don't go to the beach because I can just hear someone shout there she blows or beached whale.
Anyway, have a great trip and I know you'll enjoy your first SCA event.
G W Pickle
Gary,Malleus Maleficarum is a very famous document. Sad, but that's what they believed. I don't think any religion is logical. However, I do believe religions have similar truths that, if compiled together, would make a much better religion as a whole. I do a lot of paranormal research so feel free to send me a message if you run into any speed bumps in your research; maybe I can help out.
Lynn
I've done a bit of research on the physical effects of close lightning strikes, snowstorms (or "thundersnow"), Russian mythology, Russian epic poetry, body decomp., and lots of weapon, armor, and general mythology research. I don't know if any of it was "weird", well, not to me anyway. :)
James wrote:I've done a bit of research on the physical effects of close lightning strikes, snowstorms (or "thundersnow"), Russian mythology, Russian epic poetry, body decomp., and lots of weapon, armor, and general mythology research. I don't know if any of it was "weird", well, not to me anyway. :)
Check out some of the GURPS game books. they have several that cover some of the topics you listed. While it is a RPG, it's usually very acurate, when such things actually did exist, such as weapons data. The website is either www.SteveJacksongames.com or www.SJgames.com.
G W Pickle
Thought I would wade back in to this discussion by offering up a wonderful source of factual information for the Fantasy or Science Fiction writer. Did you know that in most cases sucking out snake poison would kill you faster than actually getting bit, or that cutting the bite area would only spread the toxin faster? From treating snake bites, to fabricating makeshift weapons, to finding editable food, to surviving inhospitable places, the US Army Survival Guide has the answer.
David wrote:"From treating snake bites, to fabricating makeshift weapons, to finding editable food, to surviving inhospitable places, the US Army Survival Guide has the answer."
Second that. Excellent book to have on hand.
Where can one get the US Army Survival Guide? I'd really love to add it to my reference library.
Mod
I'm just contemplating "editable" food. Food that can be edited would be a wonderful invention for a fantasy. With the swipe of a red pen, the wizard could leave in the taste, cut out the calories, and insert extra vitamins. It is those little typos that make the day whizz by faster. Like the friend who decorated a corridor of a dungeon with burning tapirs instead of burning tapers. Tough on the anteaters, but a great image!
:) Rosemary
I think you can order various military survival books through amazon.com, but I don't think they are either edible or editable. :)
"It is those little typos that make the day whizz by faster. Like the friend who decorated a corridor of a dungeon with burning tapirs instead of burning tapers. Tough on the anteaters, but a great image!"I like it, set up a slow burn and you get some spooky sounds echoing through there as well... ;)
As for the US Army Survival Manual, I've seen it almost every holiday season at Barnes and Noble in the Bargain section. At approx. 7.98, it's a steal. Those holiday shipments usually start arriving 2nd or 3rd week of September, so keep an eye out and happy hunting!
Hi Rosemary,Sorry to be such a pissy little pedant, but a tapir is not an anteater, but a type of wild pig-like beast. Their closest relatives are rhinos and horses. They are native to central and s.America and also Malaysia, and they are herbivores. Sadly, like a lot of wildlife, they are endangered throughout their range. There's actually a tapir preservation fund. You can check it out at http://www.tapirback.com
LOL!! That's probably waaaaaaay more than you ever wanted to know about tapirs!
;-)
For the first book in my Arthurian Legend's series, I was granted permission to visit the inner-circle of Stonehenge. Walking among, and touching, the mystical Dancing Stones and exploring the surrounding countryside, was mesmerizing.The best part of the research...I was able to incorporate my Stonehenge experience into the novel's storyline.
Dee Marie
How wonderful for you, Dee!The two times I've visited Stonehenge, I felt both awestruck and frustrated that it's because some people simply can't behave themselves that the rest of us are barred from experiencing the circle as it's meant to be...inside, and with reverence and humility.
I have visited the tapirs at our local zoo (usually napping when I walk by), but my earliest knowledge of tapirs came from the quite fictional appearances in children's books. For some reason they have remained firmly mixed up with anteaters in my head. Good to know that people are working to save them in the wild!As for Stonehenge, it is a wonderful place. And how terrific that you got to spend extra time there. There are smaller stone circles in Wales, some of which are quite open to exploration. I went through Wales with a friend who wanted to visit as many as possible. She was less enthusiastic about Norman castles, but we indulged each other and had a fine (if damp) time walking through amazing bits of history.
The charm of fantasy writing is that you can mix castles, stone circles, and tapirs into your own particular word stew. And, with a little help from the U.S. Army, have it seem realistic.
I've never been to Stonehenge, but the place fascinates me; I once tried to build a version on a California beach using sand and driftwood. I agree with you about the behavior of those who spoil it for others.
Hi Everyone,I agree, the research of Stonehenge for my novel was a once in a lifetime experience. It is one thing to admire the circle from a distance...but walking among the stones was mystical, and it added to the realism of my storyline.
Diane ...I like the idea of creating your own circle. I can envision the waves lapping upon your "ancient" wooden structure.
A.L. ... Stonehenge is all about the "within" feeling while experiencing the stones, and connecting to the environment of the structure. I am sure you agree, that the most important part of your hiking adventure is that it stimulated your storytelling imagination.
Rosemary...I love your comment, "The charm of fantasy writing is that you can mix castles, stone circles, and tapirs into your own particular word stew."
Leslie...I agree with you totally. It is a shame that the British government was forced to close the ancient structure to the public, due to a small disrespectful group defacing this significant historical monument. I felt honored to be granted permission to walk upon the ground where legends were made.
The comment below about Amazon.com is right on target.FM 21-76
There are 3 versions available there (1970, 2002, 2007) Seems like the 2007 got low marks from readers.
I've only ever seen the 1970 version, and it had useful information in it, but remember that this really should be called a hint guide. It always seemed to me that information given and trying to do it in the real world never quite were the same.
Good Luck & Good Hunting
Pakka
As for Survival foodRanger Saying....
If it Moves Its Edible..
If it Doesn't Move its Probability Edible..
Good Luck & Good Hunting
Pakka
My weird research was asking a builder about all the funny and not so funny things he got up to on a job and how he would react to a client and the problems they placed in front of them.After reading the finished product, my book, he said, ‘I hit the nail on the head’. He was impressed.
CJ
I would also like to know what it *really* feels like to use a sword, or just have to haul one around all the time (and a bow, daggers, etc), so I'm trying to figure a way to experience that too.
I'd suggest checking out the SCA. A non-profit, historical research & education group from the mid 16th centure back. I believe the web addy is www.sca.org. They have groups all over the US. The website can give you a group near you. They can tesach you not only how to sword fight with light & heavy weapons, but how to make them & armor. They also have camping events almost every weekend. You're expected to at least wear a tunic and try to blend in. Yes some of the garb includes wearing a sword & dagger. They also teach quite a bit of other things. The SCA is IMHO the best research source around. Be careful you might even learn a barding skill or two.
G W Pickle