Jan Fields is moderator of this interview/workshop, and Web Editor of the ICL Web Site. Green shows names or usernames of people and the questions they asked of our speaker.

Jan Fields: Hi Kim. Welcome to the Writer's Retreat. I'm so glad you're going to be here to answer questions about Historical Fiction and research for the next three days. I know research is a scary subject for a lot of my students. So I'm going to start the ball rolling by asking you -- what made you fall in love with such a research rich genre as historical fiction?

Kim Cory: I happen to live in a history rich state- Michigan- which lends itself to so many wonderful historical topics- Indian lore (HOME TO MACKINAC), the lumber industry (LILLY'S WAY), and the automobile industry (CHARLIE BOY) and more. We're a lot more than just the coolest looking state- a cozy mitten!

Kim Cory: Plus, I'm a geek. I love researching. I find it amazing to be able to immerse myself in another place and time from long ago. I feel we truly do learn about ourselves by studying our past-as a people and as a country. My most recent book, TENDING BEN'S GARDEN, is set in the Depression era. I watched streaming videos of people who were children on a farm during the Depression era telling about the consequences if they spilled the milk or broke the eggs on the trip into town- no gas money for the truck for the week or no food as milk and eggs were often bartered for dry goods, etc. Wearing clothes made out of flour sacks. Imagine what that must have been like? I saw them talk about it, laugh and sometimes cry about it. What can young readers learn from that? It's all just so amazing to me.

Dmcdline: I've been working on a middle grade historical fiction manuscript based on Major John Andre and I altenate between a chanracter in the past and one in the present. In your opinion is this format too difficult for middle grade?

Kim Cory: My question is, how old is/are the heroines here? Since at least one of them ends up betrothed, it sounds like they would be 18 or so? Rule of thumb, a protagonist should be a year or two older than the age of the intended reader. Mid grade in my book is ages 9-12ish. Grades 4-7. So I guess this is my first question. You say this story is based on a Major John Andre. I'm not sure what that means- is he a main character? It also sounds like there is a fair amount of adult presence with the mothers and the abusive fathers. This tends to make this more adult than child oriented in reading. As a rule, adults should be involved in stories on a limited basis for mid grade. It sounds as though there is some psychic connection between these two girls. That might be a plus as the supernatural is popular these days. I guess my main comments are concern with the adults and the ages of the protagonists. The back and forth of the setting and time frames might be more appropriate for young adult.

Dmcdline: Loran Sloan the betrothed is 16 since the portion of her story is based in the late 1700s. Nicole in present time is 14. Major John Andre attempted delivering the military secrets of West Point to the British, was caught and later hung. Loran Sloan and her betrothed is accussed of assisting MJA, but did not. Even though the adults are seen and heard from in both the past and present they are not as central as Loran and Nicole. Thank you for your questions and response. It certainly helps.

Londy: As far as writing in general, we've always heard "Write what you know". Recently I read you should also write what you don't know, or else how could you ever learn? What is your advice there? I'm trying to research something I don't much about, but how and where can you historically research a place that you will probably never be able to go to?

Kim Cory: I've never been to the city or area of the setting of my work in progress, even though it is in my state. My husband grew up there so he has given me some basic parameters from his childhood memory which is in the timeframe I'm writing in - I don't think things would be as they were in the 1960s were I to visit now. Everything changes, so for the historical aspect, research is essential. We've all revisited past haunts only to find we barely recognize it. So visiting is nice, but will it give us the historical information we desire? Likely not. I knew very little about the Depression era when I started researching for TENDING BEN'S GARDEN, I just was interested in it. I'll never be able to visit that time and place unless I find a 'way back' machine (Fractured Fairytale reference). I immersed myself in the research and photos and primary sources and felt to some extent that I was there, living through my characters, Kate in particular. Start researching and see where it takes you.

Jan Fields: How big a part does the Internet play in your historical research? I know some folks are really just getting started in research and finding things on the net can seem like deep sea fishing with a guppy net. So how do you get started in a research project...can you share some baby steps for the researchphobic?

Kim Cory: On the Internet, primary sources can be difficult to find. When researching, primary sources are a must- info from the horse's mouth, so to speak- not someone now writing about then, but someone back then writing or telling about then. For example, I mentioned this earier, I found Wessel Living Farms- check it out- with streaming videos of Depression era people telling about their youth on farms. Primary source.

Kim Cory: Never use Wiki- sources of any kind. nuf said.

Kim Cory: I used the Internet the most with TENDING BEN'S GARDEN. I created E-folders for all basic aspects: people, setting, economy, religion, weather, clothes, music, food, slang, gardens, etc. Add as I need to. Then as I find info, I bookmark it to that folder- all the folders are within a major folder of the work in progress.

Kim Cory: It may or may not turn out to be a viable source, but as I'm researching, if it seems reasonable, I'll save it and check it out later. I don't ASSUME (you know the drill) it will be invalid right now.

Kim Cory: Libraries and state pages offer great historical resources. Newspaper archives and historical societies. I've yet to pay for any sites, but many do charge a minimal fee (newspapers usually) and it will likely be worth it. Newspapers are a great resource to gain an overview of a time period.

Kim Cory: Once you find one good resource on a topic- let's say- hobos riding the rails in the Depression- you can dig through the layers and find more. I found great first person testimonials of people's experiences doing this and used them with 12 year old Kate in TENDING BEN'S GARDEN- as I discovered teens, even girls, would ride the rails. I hadn't planned on her doing this, but it worked out great. You can peel away information in layers and just keep the good stuff.

Kim Cory: Baby steps- create the basic E-folders, adding to them as info drives. Save the stuff. When you think you have a good start, review material and delete crap. Crap is something from someone's blog or someone doing their own family history, etc. Legitimate resources like the ones mentioned above are the best place to start. They will drive and open doors to more legitimate resources.

Kim Cory: That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. I must say I LOVE this part of writing HF! (Yes, I'm a geek).

TANIA: You mentioned that primary sources are difficult to find on the net. For those of us concentrating on the history of foreign countries, what would you suggest? My favorite time in history is the Age of Discoveries, especially 14th and 15th century discoveries made by the Portuguese. The Public Library of NYC does have a substantial amount of literature available, however I did find international libraries on the net. Are they acceptable sources of research? Could they be considered primary sources?

Kim Cory: Although primary sources can be difficult to find on the Internet, they are more available today than in the past. Your use of International libaries on the net sounds wonderful. I think when I was warning people about the difficulties in finding primary sources on the Internet, it was more of a 'warning' indeed. Writers need to be careful about the credibility of sources. Sometimes, at first glance, a site looks great! After playing with it a bit, you discover the mother page is by someone doing their family geneology and this means they could be stating a 'find' as fact, when in fact it is an assumption on their part. I think the section of the library and your International sites sound good. But, of course, you will have to make that final determination.

TANIA: You've put me at ease in using international library sites. However, you are right about being careful. I have encountered sites that were not worth taking seriously. Thanks for the advice!

Jan Fields: Just a tiny addition for folks who may be getting confused. Libraries are not primary sources. Libraries are collections of informaton -- but one of the items in the library's collection could be a primary source. Letters, journals of people living at the time who are involved with the situation you're researching, military documents, military reports, government documents, may all still exist -- there are fewer of them for really old itme periods than you'll find for something like the pioneers where a wealth of primary documents exist, but they might still exist and they could be in a library's holdings. Primary documents online would be scans of those letters, copies of those journals and documents. Or for modern sources, videos of interviews, transcripts of interviews, photos taken at the time period -- things that can be copied and put online. So a library isn't a primary source (even as a website) but a library MIGHT scan and post a primary source online...and some do.

Storyteller: While I use the internet for research, usually it's to get 'the lay of land' as to where I want to go in my story. Then I will head to the library and check what they have. I will also use the internet for finding other reference materials that I can get through interlibrary loan if necessay.

Kim Cory: It sounds like you have found a system that works for you. Books make for wonderful primary sources. But don't negate concepts like streaming video interviews and such on the Internet that offer a multisensory approach to the historical facets. For example, on one of these streaming videos about the Depression, a woman who had to be close to 90 was telling about a boy hiding his homemade hootch (Prohibition) behind telephone poles to come back later and find- then he forgot where he hid them. She was with him on his search and it took him forever to find the hootch. I used that in my latest book. It just fit in perfectly and I might not have found that in a book about the time period. I think the more personal insights you can gain about the people who lived during the time period you are writing about, the better. That's why newspapers are so valuable- they give insights into everyday life of the time.

Terri: just to let you know Google News Archives offers a lot of old newspaper articles for free. It is an swesome site!

Londy: From your posts, it seems you are passionate about the history of your state, which I utterly respect. I have an especial fondness for my own state, and I thought maybe you could help as far as research. You've written some historical books about your state? Where did you get your resources? Universities? Courthouses? Where and HOW? What were your resources and how did you get access to them?

Kim Cory: My books to date have been set in my state, but they are fiction. I've not written books about my state. That being said, one place to start is your state's home webpage. Often it may offer history links. Your state's Historical Society too. And archived state newspapers are awesome. For my first book, LILLY'S WAY, set in Muskegon, when I was researching in my State Library (I live in the capital so close by- another wonderful resource) I found this large paperback book which was a compilation of newspaper articles from Muskegon starting in the 1700s through 1800s. Primary source accounts of everyday life!! Goldmine and boy did I use it!

Kim Cory: I also visited the Library in Muskegon and found wonderful local resources that weren't available in the State Libary. Again, it's layers and layers and layers that we writers peel away.

Kim Cory: Access was only an issue when I was gathering photographs from the Archives in the state Library. Special permissions, appointment, etc. Courthouses could be a good resources too, although I've not used that resource to date. It may be a matter of a phone call, explaining you are researching a book, and making an appointment.

Londy: Wonderful! What you're doing is something I dream of. I live in West Virgina, another history-rich state, just as yours is. Hopefully I'll be able to dig into many of those things you've mentioned. So at the capital is a State Library? You're getting me excited, Kim

Yaya: We also have a state library in South Dakota, but a couple of years ago, they closed local access to it. You'll wanna' find out what access is available. I actually have a better chance at getting information from them, now that I have moved far, far away. I'm still in the state, but not so close that it hinders my efforts. The nice thing is that there are so many ways to acquire information, now that we have the internet.

Londy: How important do you think it is to visit the place which is the focal point in your historical research? I know it's VERY important, but what if it's somewhere far away--maybe nearly inaccessible. Is it an absolute must? And at what point should you visit (especially if when you get a chance to go you can only go once)? Before you begin writing? During? After?

Kim Cory: Good question! Since I write primarily about places within my state, I have visited most of them at one time or another. But when I did, I didn't know I was going to write a book set there, so I wasn't exactly taking notes. I did specifically visit Meijer Gardens in the Grand Rapids area of Michigan where they have a 3/4 size replica of a 1930s farm. It was awesome! I took tons of photos, made them my screensavers, etc. I envisioned it all while I was writing and it proved most helpful to have actually visited there while I was writing TENDING BEN'S GARDEN, where the farm is the primary setting. However, I couldn't see the inside of the farmhouse. So I found a farm on the Internet from that time period, printed the photos, and used that as my interior. So, I guess it is important to a certain extent. If I am writing about Egypt in the 1500s, it's not gonna happen. I don't have $$$ to travel, unfortunately, so I would have to do the best I can, which is what every writer must do. I don't think it is essential, but if at all possible, it can add depth to the story. I'm not sure I answered your question completely. I would visit if I could, but otherwise, use photographs and primary sources as much as possible to gain insights into the setting at that time.

Billie: I am wondering if you start with research and then pull together the plot and characters or do you develop the plot as you research? Is there an order? I have an idea of a girl and a particial story in her time however I am hoping that the story will continue to develop during the research phase. Is there a more efficient way?

Kim Cory: I can only tell you how I write my novels. I have a plot concept: TENDING BEN'S GARDEN- a story of stubborn sibling love. What would 12 year old Kate do to bring her 5 year old brother, Ben, home when the family is split apart during the depression? (Based on my kids, actually).

Kim Cory: I chose the Depression era just out of interest. I start the process of research first once I know the base of the plot. I find the research truly drives the plot. For example, I found out about penny auctions in my research, when neighbors paid a penny for each item at a farm auction then gave everything back to the owners. Never heard of it, but it was perfect for my base plot. I hadn't thought about anyone riding the rails as a hobo, but in research I discovered this element and it was perfect so I had Kate do this. Homeless families living off the good graces of other people - incorporated it.

Kim Cory: Honestly, I do research a great deal before I start writing- I dont' write by chapters- more so by scenes. Since I have to use a strict timeline due to the historical aspect (another reason to research first so you can establish the timeline) I can plug in events as they occur historically.

Kim Cory: Yes, you will find once you have done sufficient research it's time to start writing the story- then I am always researching as I write. Sometimes I'll do nothing but write for a time- then research a bit. I have to take the time to develop the characters fully and allow them to do their thing too.

Kim Cory: I hope that helped a bit. Truly, everyone will do it their own way. Good luck!

Mikki: In writing this kind of novel for kids, how much of the historical facts need to be in it? In my first question to you, I mentioned doing research about clothing, food, housing and so on. Besides the factual information about the Underground Railroad and the system of people and safe houses that made up the "railroad," how much information is too much? I've included things like how Ben ( MC) dresses, the kind of food the family eats at mealtime, the kind and amount of food given to the slaves, and so on...not as descriptive narration, but most of it comes with both dialogue and action. My intent has been to give kids a look into the past where clothing didn't consist of designer jeans and T shirts, food was wholesome and not burgers and fries, kids over age 10 worked the fields and only went to school a few months out of the year, etc. So far, I think I've managed to work this in with the story and not as an "information dump,", but is this the kind of research that should go into an historical novel, rather than just the factual parts about the Underground Railraod?

Kim Cory: Thank you for not INFO DUMPING!! I have read, honestly, award winning historical fiction where I thought the primary intent of the author was to 'teach' the reader about the time period. Then write NF is my response to that. Thanks, I feel better now. Yes, I incorporate slang, dress, how people cooked, songs, etc, of the day, but it has to be part of the story. I don't stick it in to show the reader something- my intent is to tell a story, and by rite of passage, the reader travels with my hopefully real and empathetic main character, and learns about all this. It is a fine line. I'm sure I didn't do this as well in my first novel as I did in my last two. It is hard when researching to find all this fascinating information about a time or place and then not be able to use it. As Horror writer, Stephen King, says about words and phrases writers love in his wonderful book ON WRITING, sometimes we have to shove the darlings off the cliff (I"m paraphrasing), but you get the picture.

Kim Cory: Here is where editing, revising, editing, revising, editing, revising and editing and revising come in. Did I mention the importance of editing and revising? If it doesn't add to the story by moving plot forward or revealing character , trung it out. Too much info will detract from the true story voice and bog down plot. I'm done now.

Fancy: Hi Kim - thanks for this particular post, to me this is really the essence of HF - as a reader I want to be immersed in a story with characters I care about in a time and place I can imagine, not flooded with details like there's going to be a test at the end - so do you start with an idea or a character and then immerse yourself in the research? Or do the research and then discover the story?

Mikki: The novel is set in pre-Civil War days and is about a white boy leading slaves to freedom via the Underground Railroad. Prior to beginning to write it, I had spent over 2 years doing library and Internet research on such things as location ( Kentucky), dress, housing...both plantations and slave quarters...vocabulary...colloquialisms and phrasology...food, mannerisms, schooling for kids, weather, and Underground conductors, signals, stations, and the various ways in which slaves were hidden, how they escaped over the Ohio River, and how they were treated both by the abolitionists who helped them and the slave hunters who caught them. In addition, my husband and I took a barge trip down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, and visted Civil War sites and Underground Railroad safe houses which have been preserved as National Historical Sites. I have probably about 12 bulging files of notes and material that I have collected. Is this "overkill?" I've read historical novels in the past where I've had questions about some of the "factual" material, and in doing some research of my own, have found the information to be wrong. I didn't want that to happen with this novel, but at the same time, I don't know if I have caused myself a lot of needless work or not. The fact that the novel is for about 11 to 13 year olds doesn't really matter, I feel that the actual historical part needs to be correct.

Kim Cory: Wow, you are the research queen! Writing your third novel. Huzzah! I'm glad you decided to pick the historical novel back up. You may use only 20% of what you have gathered for your book- I find that to be the case in my research. But there is so much more you gain than information when you research as you have. You gain a sense of the time and place and agonies people endured. I've found that when we write historical fiction, we are not really writing about one time and place- we are writing about the time before these people lived and the time afterward as well. We can't write history in a 'silo'. So I think all your experiences (what fun taking the barge down the Mississippi) and insights gained from your research will serve you well. You have certainly immersed yourself!

ColoradoKate: I'm piggybacking on one of Mikki's here, in asking about how much is too much! Specifically, I've had a Vietnam-era novel on the back burner for several years, and it just stays there simmering because I'm not sure how absolutely rigorous I need to be. It begins with the first draft lottery, so I know I need to be accurate there, and I found a transcript (if I can find it again... urgh... ). But then there will be mention of news reports, and letters from the front describing the war, and news from Canada, and so on. But every time I start researching, I find myself with more questions than answers: how much were they allowed to put in letters? Should I use a real army unit or whatever for the fictional big brother, and follow that unit's actual historical time-line? And so on, and so on. You see how I get myself all tangled up in too many loose ends? Do you think keeping a notebook would fix that, or is there some way I can figure out just how much depth I need?

Kim Cory: I could research for years and be happy. It's so much easier than writing. Is this not true? It is a matter of self defeating behavior on my end. "Write the Damn Story" is scrawled across the whiteboard in my office. Yes, I amble past it every day. Start writing your story. Use an outline if you use outlines, otherwise determine a general timeline. The story is the thing. Write the story and THEN determine what you need in research since you said you have done so much research all ready. You might have enough, you might need more. Determine a deadline for yourself- in writing. If you need more research as you write, dig it up, then keep writing the story. All I can share is how it works for me. The story is the thing- don't get kidnapped by the research.

Beth: I have an interest in the Civil War era (and WWII, to some extent). I have found some books that contain diary entries or letters written by people during these times. How valuable are they as primary sources? I guess what I am digging at is this: I know these items show us a lot about people - their emotions, thoughts, even daily activities. But are these resources also valuable for researching specific events? For example, would a woman's letter to a friend across the state be of any use if you are researching the surrender at Appomatox Courthouse? I am thinking of a woman who may live in town where the last days of the war took place in VA. What if she knew someone who was present at the surrender and was able to relay his side of the story? We can all look at history books and read who signed the surrender agreement, what negotiations were made, etc. But that seems so...impersonal to me.

Kim Cory: Let me see if I can address your comment and questions. I think the 'peripheral' information gained from research is just as valuable, if not more valuable, than the facts. I think one without the other makes for thin writing. Like making soup with one ingredient. The layers of historical writing are essential, otherwise we are writing nonfiction. I think your insights into what this kind of diary and primary source information might add are important. Not only might it add another element to the story, her daily writings might enlighten you as to daily life in that time which, integrated into the story, will add credibility.

Yaya: Thinking about things like letters and old documents, how much of information from those types of records can be used? For instance, can a letter be quoted? Or, can an historic document be quoted?

Jan Fields: This is an area where copyright comes into play. If the letter is more recent than...I think it's 1920, there may be copyright issues and since it's an "unpublished" item, the copyright laws are enforced more tightly than for published works. If it's old enough to be out of copyright...then quoting freely from it is not a problem. So if it's recent...quote really really sparingly, while if it's older...you can have a freer hand...keeping in mind how quickly that kind of thing can bore the reader. Government documents and publications (by the way) are never protected by copyright and can be quoted from freely no matter what their age.

Storyteller: do you have a favorite period in time? Some era that you remember well for some reason. Or one you are drawn to when reading fiction? My taste change with time, depending what I am writing about. What about you?

Kim Cory: Do I have a favorite time period? Usually the one I'm writing about. My first three novels were set in the late 1800s. Then my most recent book, TENDING BEN'S GARDEN, I chose to set in the Depression era because that time period always fascinated me. I had the story in mind, a story of stubborn sibling love, and set it there. The period also drives the story. During that time, not be seem insensitive to our curren t financial dilemma, people committed suicide because of money issues, families were broken up because of money problems, farms were sold at auction, etc. I integrated these aspects of the time into my story and they actually drove the story more than I would have initially imagined. My current work in progress is set in the mid 1960s.

Kim Cory: I don't read mid grade fiction when I'm writing it. Intereferes with my brain waives. Koontz and Sanford are my favorites in adult fare, but I also read a great deal of biographies of historical figures- Letters between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson (gift from my son), two bios of Jefferson, one of Adams, 1776, etc. I usually have themed reading for the Michigan winter months.

Kim Cory: I guess my tastes are so broadranging to begin with, they don't really change, but I may shift gears about my topic. I'll read a bio, then Koontz, another bio, a Sanford, etc. Hope that answers your question.

Chippy: Historical in any form is not something I can get into. Do you have any suggestions for lighting that fire for this subject?

Kim Cory: I guess my first question to you is why are you determined to write historical fiction if you don't like it? I have toyed with writing a picture book, I love them, but I just can't get myself there. Maybe if this is a genre you want to employ, start the research process. I find I become embedded in the time period I am researching and the creative elements take over. You may find some fascinating aspects of an era that you decide to develop into a plot. Or a magnificent character you want young readers to know about. These can all add to the spark of writing historical fiction.

Chippy: Thank you for your reply Kim. I think in answer to your question. I like to keep my options open when I write. So far I haven't had a preference regarding genre. Having said that I suppose my questions stems from - if, for whatever reason, I get the inspiration to write anything historical, would I be able to do as good a job as good as maybe another genre. I do have a time I have considered writing about, but don't really know where to start. So, I may be able to get that spark by researching? Hmm, I must definitely give that a try.

Jan Fields: I wonder if you would kind of "map out" the research plan you used for any one of your books. Can you walk us through the process of gathering information for the book? I think folks would find that helpful when looking at how to find the info they need for their own work.

Kim Cory: Okay- I was commissioned to write my third novel, HOME TO MACKINAC, through a competitive process. Anyway, I was thrilled when I was informed that I had received the honor, but they gave me 3 frickin' months to write the first draft. I do work a 'real' job too. So this forced me to organize- I created electronic files for each area as they occurred- setting, characters, events, timelines, etc. I also bought a "Weekly Planner" just for this book and detailed what I wanted to have accomplished by the end of each week. Then I went back and assigned myself daily tasks that would allow me to reach that goal. I believe in writing down goals!

Kim Cory: I bought several photographic books of Mackinac Island during the time I was writing about and poured over them, jotting notes, writing down important page numbers in a notebook, etc. I allowed myself a certain date up until when I could research- then I had to start writing. I explored some historical Internet sites dedicated to this time and place, printed and bookmarked them. I coordinated the printed materials in a 3 ring binder notebook. I might not have printed as much as I did had I not been under such a time crunch- (plus they were paying me a pretty penny, so...).

Kim Cory: I do love Index cards and white boards. They can be color coded ( I am a geek) and easily manipulated/erased. I used these for info as well as plot development. I created a chapter per index card, for example, write a succinct rendering of the event of the chapter, pinned it on a bulletin board. I can stand across the room and see it all progress this way- throw something out, add something, see where there is dead air, etc. White boards similar activity. Timeline is of primary importance here, of course, so I could check on this as well.

Kim Cory: Ultimately, I sit around with all my materials and hope for the best! No, actually, by the time I have immersed myself in all these materials, I am so familiar with them I can find them w/o difficulty. Keep track of resources always!! I photo copied copyright pages of all books used as some of them were library books- Created the bibliography as I wrote.

Kim Cory: That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Writing HF is not for the faint of heart but it is very rewarding.

Jan Fields: I know your books are set in spots local to you -- in terms of the research, do you feel like it's an advantage to use a setting close to you? Does it offer more research opportunities, or does it make it harder since sometimes the past of specific places is a little less documented than say...the history of Gettysburg?

Kim Cory: To date, I have written historical fiction based in my state, Michigan. It started when I was doing genealogical research about my mother's side of the family-found these great events in an old newspaper that had occurred in my birth town, and I was off! I've not written about places outside of my state, but I have drawn from resources outside my state to write my historical novels. For example, I found an amazing primary source on farmlife in the 1930s on the Internet based on a farm in another Midwest state. It offered streaming video with interviews of people who lived then, etc. Well researched stuff. lots of photos. So I incorporated that into events and the setting of Tending Ben's Garden, which is set on a farm in 1931 in my state. But the universal experience of farmers during the Depression lent itself to this usage I thought.

Billie: Now that I have all these books and sticky notes everywhere I realize I need an organizational system for this. How do you keep your research organized?

Kim Cory: I learned a great deal from when I wrote my first historical novel in the late 90s to my most recent novel published Dec 09. I use many Internet sources, so I use bookmarks and folders here. I may start folders for certain areas of each book- Character info, Setting, Events, etc. Then when I find info online I bookmark it to that folder. For using books, which I use alot, especially photographic books, I use idiot tabs- the colorful sticky tabs you can write on- and this helps. When it gets to where I am writing more than researching, I pull my sources close to me and keep them there.

Kim Cory: Index cards help too. When I was researching Fort Mackinac for my book, Home to Mackinac, I color coded info by colored index card (the bigger the better!). Solider info one color, buildings and the fort itself another, etc. I think a combination of all these help. Ultimately, I create a notebook, a hefty 3 ring binder, with printed info and typed resources, etc. Sometimes I create an index- This way I have info at hand when I'm writing. It sure beats looking for that blue paper like I used to do! That will make for a bad writing day!

Yaya: I've seen on a couple of threads where you mentioned the videos you were able to watch for the research for your book. What I'd like to know is will you share that link with us? I would very much like to watch it, also. Thank you.

Kim Cory: Here is the link of which I spoke. I used the 1920s and 30s farming info. There are awesome primary sources. http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/

Jan Fields: Thanks so much for doing a workshop with us and for your words of researchy wisdom. We really appreciate it.