Do I look like the relative of
an infamous man?
Research is
so important, even when you’re writing fiction. There have been many blogs
written about the topic, and they all make sense. I’m going to touch on another
aspect of research.
Double check
your facts if your information is coming from research done on the Internet.
Bartalo (or
Bartolo) Ballerino was my great-great-grandfather. On a whim, I looked him up
on the Internet and found more than I bargained for. He wasn’t a pillar of the
community, and in fact, while he started out as a farmer, he and Theobald
Bauer, an ex-boxer, ended up running the Red Light District in Old Los Angeles.
He was notorious throughout the southwest, but it wasn’t for the reasons I
found in my wanderings.
According to
a few websites he was Italian and a big, bad Italian mob boss. Uh, he wasn’t
Italian and his real name wasn’t Ballerino. He wasn’t part of Little Italy, and
he wasn’t a crime boss for the mob.
Actually, he
arrived from Chile and assumed a new name – Ballerino. No one knows what his true name was,
although I do know what county he was from (in Chile). However, we (family) do
know of his line of work. He inspired the book, A Well-Kept Family Secret,
which is fiction but which includes some facts relating to the time period. He and my
great-great-grandmother eventually became naturalized American citizens.
Am I
defending him? Not really, and yet, in a way I am. He wasn’t a stellar citizen,
but he wasn’t a mob boss either. Yes, there are legends about him, but they don’t
relate to The Mob. There are stories passed down through my family, but again,
they don’t relate to The Mob.
Do I have
documentation about him? You betcha!
By the way,
there is a family legend about him hiding gold in Old Los Angeles. I used that
as part of my storyline. For years, both family and strangers searched Los Angeles
for the gold. It was never found, to the best of my knowledge. If it was found,
no one ever stepped up the plate and held up their index finger, saying, “Yoohoo.
I found the gold.”
So why would
I use this relative as an example of researching? Because what’s been posted
about him isn’t true. It’s one of those rare times when I actually know what I’m
talking about. When you research a subject you might find some really exciting
information on the Internet, but take a deep breath and do a little more
research. Make sure you have the facts, as much as possible, especially if you’re
going to write about an historical figure.
I noticed
that the person(s) who posted information about Ballerino made a point of
saying they didn’t have his date of birth or death. Hmm. I do. I did some honest
research and didn’t make assumptions. I know a lot about him, his life, and his
family.
In Old Murders Never Die I needed to include appliances that were used in the late
1800s. I researched those before writing the book. It sounds like a small
thing, but if a writer gets it wrong, someone will call them on it. I needed a
stove that would have been used around 1880, not 1915, or 1920. I included an
ice box, not a refrigerator. Appliances were just the beginning of the
research.
Sometimes we
need to examine even the smallest things. Just the facts, ma’am, just the
facts. Don’t make things up, which I’ve seen done many times. Know what you’re
talking about. By the way, some readers will take the fictionalized facts as…
Well, fact. Your readers need to trust you.
What are some
of the things you’ve had to research that were different, or odd? What type of
research gave you the most trouble? Did you do your research online or at the
library, using a book? The curious want to know.
Until next
time, visit your local library and look for the facts, ma’am (or sir). And
remember, relatives are just a little drip in the big gene pool of life.
CLICK HERE to
visit Marja McGraw’s website
CLICK HERE
for a quick trip to Amazon.com
What Are the Odds? is based on a real house where I was able to do firsthand research. The
story is fiction, but the house is real and described the way it really was,
including a hidden staircase.
I've researched numerology, Wiccan spells and holidays/special occasions for my work in progress. I also searched online and in the local library. And looked into witch trials, the difference between how accused witches were treated in MA and VA, and why. One of my characters is even loosely based on The Witch of Pungo.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like your research has been very thorough, Lidy. Way to go! Thank you so much for commenting.
ReplyDeleteI've researched how and what people cooked while traveling in covered wagons and on horseback for historical family sagas, ghosts and spirits for lots of books including my Tempe Crabtree series, and of course all sorts of murder methods, and police procedure for both my series.
ReplyDeleteMentioning "murder methods" made me chuckle, Marilyn. Who but mystery writers would be researching that, except maybe murders? I've never found anything in your books to question. Good researching! Thank you for commenting today.
DeleteExcellent post, Marja. I spent many years researching Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch before I attempted my first novel, Escape on the Wind, later resold as Escape, a Wyoming Historical Novel, which has outsold all my later books. I also knew nothing about horses and read countless books about them. I've must have gotten it right because a reader wrote asking which horse ranch I grew up on. (I was born and raised in Los Angeles.)
ReplyDeleteYou're another great researcher, Jean. Your books show it. I do love the Old West, too. Thank you so much for commenting today!
DeleteA lot of my books are based on or inspired by my own experiences. However, I did extensive research for my Vv Tiger books although I'm still not sure I got everything right. In one of the Tiger books, the sisters all know how to ride horses and one is a rodeo performer. Luckily, my best friend in Texas was once a rodeo performer and gave me a lot of information and corrected mistakes I made. The Tiger sisters' father is a Choctaw Indian, inspired by a boy I had a crush on in high school. Since I grew up in the Creek Nation area of Oklahoma, I had to do a lot of Choctaw research, some of it conflicting. The most interesting was the bone house. The elders grew long fingernails to scrape the skeletons clean before putting them there. I found conflicting info even on that and settled on a description that didn't go into much detail.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting research, Pat. Sometimes personal experience and having the right friends who know from their own experiences are better than reading about things in books. Thank you so much for commenting today!
DeleteSometimes research can change events that you've already written about in your work in progress.That happened to me when I was researching Bariloche, Argentina for my novel, Masterpiece of Murder.That taught me to do the research first, and write about it later.
ReplyDeleteGood lesson, Evelyn. I'm glad you found out before it was too late. I have a feeling you did a lot of research for that book because it showed it. Thank you so much for commenting today!
DeleteFantastic post, Marja!
ReplyDeleteI do a lot of research for the books in my Malone Mystery series. Here's an example of something I came across this morning as I was working on my WIP. I wanted to know which trees in a certain section of South Carolina lose their leaves in winter.
I went to numerous online sites but I didn't feel comfortable with what I was reading. What did I do? I went to the horse's mouth, so to speak. I called a nursery in that area and spoke to a staff member who knew all about the trees that were indigenous to the area. And, he gave me the information I needed. :)
Thank you, Pat. I think people are more than happy to help a writer get their facts straight. You probably made his day, as he made yours. I went to an archaeologist for information for Family Secret and he sent me a CD with things I couldn't believe on it. Thank you so much for commenting today!
DeleteExcellent post, Marja. I've researched Hindu rituals and holidays, antiques, gardening and plants, languages, drugs, and loan sharking. The world is a fascinating place. I've also done some research into family history, and some old family stories and myths die very fast when the facts are uncovered.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susan. You've covered quite a range of topics in your research, and I know it shows in your writing. Facts, like you said, can really change your outlook when you get past the legends. : ) Thank you so much for commenting today!
DeleteNow folks know why I am a big fan of your writings. You do the work so we readers know a quality read is behind your writing. Great post as usual.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jake! You've made my day with your comments. Thank you so much for joining in today!
DeleteI'm writing western historical romance besides my cozy mysteries and lighting in the 1800s and appliances like Marja said. Oops, I got it wrong and called on tissue and zippers not invented yet in 1875. If that's the least of my worries I'm doing just fine. I had a horrible time researching how a lumber mill was powered in 1890 and still not positive if it was steam or water wheel. Interesting stuff I know. Thanks again Marja for such a wonderful post.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Madison. Research can be tricky and sometimes it's pretty difficult to find the answers. Depending on what we're researching, sometimes it can actually turn out to be fun. : ) Thank you so much for commenting!
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