Jumping Into Historical Research by Carrie Turansky

Do you want to write an historical novel, but you’re not sure how to tackle the research? Come along with me and I’ll give you some of my best research tips! I enjoy history and traveling, so doing research for my English historical novels is a fun task for me. I can easily get lost in a stack of books when I’m gathering background information and plotting out a new story.

Getting Started

I begin by looking at the big picture to get general background information about the time period and location, and then I focus in on the exact time, place, and social circles of my main characters. This is where I do my detailed research. I want to get to know my characters' corner of the world so well that I can move around there in my imagination. I can picture my character walking down a street or sitting at a table and know exactly what the character would see, hear, feel, and smell. I want to research until the historical part of my novel becomes almost second nature and I can focus on the story.

The Difference Between Primary and Secondary Sources

History books and biographies can be very useful in research, but they are what are known as “secondary sources.” I always try to track down “primary sources” when possible. A primary source is something that was created during the time period itself, such as a newspaper, magazine, journal, diary, historical document, movie, radio broadcast, or a firsthand account from someone who actually lived through the moment and recorded an oral history, interview, or autobiography. Historians and biographers build their works by examining primary sources. As an author of historical novels, I try to go directly to the source whenever possible, so I get an unfiltered view.

In my latest novel, Across the Blue, I focused the story around the development of early aviation and the pilots who were preparing to be the first to fly across the English Channel to France. I came up with the idea when I visited the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC and saw an exhibit about the Wright Brothers. I noticed a poster for the First International Air Meet in Reims, France, in 1909. I love the Edwardian era, so I jumped in and started my research. That led me to the newspaper owner who was offering the prize for the first cross-channel flight, and that sparked the ideas for the heroine and her family. I wanted to give her a dream and goal that was as worthy and inspiring as the hero’s, so I made her long to become a journalist in a time when that kind of work was rare for women.

I read some wonderful books to give me background information for this story including The Wright Brothers by David McCullough; Northcliffe: Press Baron in Politics by J. Lee Thompson; and Aviation Century: The Early Years by Ron Dick and Dan Patterson. I watched YouTube videos about early airplanes, reenactment flights, and drone movies of the Cliffs of Dover and Kent where the story takes place. Pinterest and Google image searches were also a great help. I saved all these images on my Pinterest Board for Across the Blue. Take a look at this link: https://www.pinterest.com/carrieturansky/across-the-blue/

Take a Research trip!

I've traveled to England twice to research my novels set there, once with my husband Scott, and another time with fellow author Cathy Gohlke. Seeing the settings for my books, meeting people living there, and taking in the countryside were a wonderful ways to absorb the atmosphere and settings for my novels. But if you can’t travel to the location of your story you can always watch movies and documentaries describing the era, places, and people.

So jump in! The water is fine! You’ll find your best story just below the surface in your research!

What sources have you found to be most valuable in your research, whether historical or contemporary?

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Carrie Turansky has loved reading since she first visited the library as a young child and checked out a tall stack of picture books. Her love for writing began when she penned her first novel at age twelve. She is now the award-winning author of nineteen inspirational romance novels and novellas. Carrie and her husband, Scott, who is a pastor, author, and speaker, have been married for more than thirty years and make their home in New Jersey. They often travel together on ministry trips and to visit their five adult children and five grandchildren. Carrie leads women’s ministry at her church, and when she is not writing she enjoys spending time working in her flower gardens and cooking healthy meals for friends and family. She loves to connect with reading friends through her website, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. 

Website and Social Media links:

Carrie’s website, blog, and email newsletter: http://carrieturansky.com/

Carrie’s Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Carrie-Turansky/e/B001H6SNK0/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2

Carrie’s BookBub Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/carrie-turansky

Follow Carrie’s GoodReads Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/247470.Carrie_Turansky

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorcarrieturansky/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/carrieturansky?

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/carrieturansky/boards/

Across the Blue:

Love soars to new heights in this Edwardian romance filled with adventure, faith, and

inspiration, but how much will it cost Bella and James to follow their dreams?

Isabella Grayson, the eldest daughter of a wealthy, English newspaper magnate, longs to become a journalist, but her parents don't approve. They want her to marry well and help them gain a higher standing in society. After she writes an anonymous letter to the editor that impresses her father, her parents reluctantly agree she can write a series of articles about aviation and the race to be the first to fly across the English Channel, but only if she promises to accept a marriage proposal within the year. When James Drake, an aspiring aviator, crashes his flying machine at the Grayson's new estate, Bella is intrigued. James is determined to win that race across the Channel and gain the prize Mr. Grayson's newspaper is offering. He hopes it will help him secure a government contract to build airplanes and redeem a terrible family secret. James wants to win Bella's heart, but his background and lack of social standing make it unlikely her parents would approve. If he fails to achieve his dream, how will he win the love and respect he is seeking? Will Bella's faith and support help him find the strength and courage he needs when unexpected events turn their world upside down?

Pinterest 101 For Authors by Carrie Turansky

Carrie Turansky has some wonderful Pinterest boards and shares her insight into using them as an author. -- Sandy

Carrie: Pinterest is one of the fastest growing social media networks in the world. It’s now number three behind Facebook and Twitter. So it makes sense for authors to learn the basics and take advantage of Pinterest to connect with readers and promote their books and author brand.

So what is Pinterest? It’s a visual discovery tool that people use to collect, organize, and share ideas for projects and interests. People create and share collections (called boards) of images (called pins). Any time you find an image on the web that you like, you can pin that image to one of your boards to save, view later, or share with others. You can also download images from your computer to Pinterest, but the first method is better because it links back to the place you found the image.

How can authors use Pinterest? Kimberley Grabas, author of Your Writer Platform Blog says, “Your goal should be to teach, entertain and inspire your audience on Pinterest. In return, Pinterest will grant you the ability to increase awareness of your author brand, drive more relevant traffic to your website, and increase your book sales.”

People head to Pinterest to find solutions, get ideas, and be inspired. Plus pinners are buyers….so authors can use Pinterest as a marketing tool. But like all social media, it’s important to avoid too much self-promotion. Pinterest is a quieter platform where you are mainly sharing images and connecting with readers who share similar interests.

Here are some specific ideas for authors. Create boards for each of your books and feature the cover, characters, setting, clothing, and events that happen in the story. Link those images back to your website and blog to help readers connect with you and purchase your books. These boards can be a great help to the artists who designs your covers. Here’s a link to my next book, The Daughter of Highland Hall: http://www.pinterest.com/carrieturansky/daughter-of-highland-hall/

Since I write historical novels I have boards for different time periods with clothing, cars, people, and events from those eras. Those boards are a good place to keep images that link back to research articles. Authors who do this exceptionally well are Lori Benton and Laura Frantz. Check out their book boards! http://www.pinterest.com/lorilbenton/

http://www.pinterest.com/laurafrantz/

My current series is set in the same era as Downton Abbey, and one of my marketing goals is to reach out to fans of that show. So I have a board for Downton Abbey and another for Highclere Castle, where Downton is filmed. Those are my two most popular boards with the highest number of repins. They have helped me connect with many Downton Fans and introduce them to my books.

http://www.pinterest.com/carrieturansky/downton-abbey/

http://www.pinterest.com/carrieturansky/highclere-castle-downton-abbey/

You can pin images from your blog posts or author email newsletters and link people back to your website. Pin images that lead readers to 5-star reviews and blog interviews. When it’s time for a cover reveal, launch week, or a special promotion, pin those images and share them with those who follow you on Pinterest.

You can also create boards that allow you to share your interests with others on Pinterest. I have boards for Tea Time, English Country Gardens, People I admire, Favorite Authors, Romance, Books Worth Reading, Favorite Recipes, To Your Good Health, Childhood Memories, Kids, Favorite Movies, Doors, Christmas, Favorite Verses and Quotes, Places I’d Like to Go, Scotland, England. These kind of boards give readers a taste of who you are and offer added value. Here’s a link to my boards: http://www.pinterest.com/carrieturansky/

I have a background in art and I’m a very visual person. I’ve always collected photos for my characters and settings, so when I discovered Pinterest…it was love at first sight! For me, it’s a great way to take a break, relax, and see some beautiful images . . . as well as build connections with readers.   

For a great step by step tutorial on how to set up a Pinterest account, get started, and use Pinterest visit: http://www.yourwriterplatform.com/use-pinterest-to-market-book-and-author-brand/

Have you set up Pinterest boards for your books or WIPs? How do you use Pinterest for marketing?

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Carrie Turansky has loved reading since she first visited the library as a young child and checked out a stack of picture books. Her love for writing began when she penned her first novel at age twelve. She is now the award-winning author of more than a dozen inspirational romance novels and novellas. Carrie and her husband, Scott, who is a pastor, author, and speaker, have been married for more than thirty-five years and make their home in New Jersey. They often travel together on ministry trips and to visit their five adult children and four grandchildren. Carrie leads the women’s ministry at her church, and when she’s not writing she enjoys spending time working in her flower gardens and cooking healthy meals for friends and family.  Carrie loves to connect with reading friends through her website, 

www.carrieturansky.com and through Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

This Writer's Thanksgivings by Carrie Turansky

Over the years I have received many blessings on my writing journey. God has used the process of learning to write fiction and working toward publication to help me grow in my faith and become a stronger person, and that has helped me in other areas of my life. I remember when I first started writing I was very hesitant to speak up and call myself a writer. Just saying it aloud seemed audacious. Who was I to claim to be a writer when all I had was some very rough skills and a dream of someday being published? But over the years He has helped me develop my skills and increase my confidence and trust in Him. I have been blessed to see ten books published and more contracted. I’ve learned to see my writing as a gift from God that I can develop and use to bless and encourage others.

Getting to know other writers and those in the publishing industry has also been a wonderful blessing. This past September I attended the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Conference for the eleventh time. Each year as I reunite with many dear ACFW friends my heart is warmed by their accounts of how God has been working in their lives and through their writing. We writers usually work alone, and those few days together are so exciting and inspiring. Their thoughtful advice, words of encouragement, and heartfelt prayers are such a gift. I treasure those times!

I feel blessed to have a new book out this month, Snowflake Sweethearts. And I’m also thankful to have a new contract with Waterbook Multnomah. I will be writing a three-book historical romance series set in England in the Edwardian period, 1910 – 1919. It’s been my heart’s desire for several years to write longer historical novels, so I am very grateful and excited! The first book, The Governess of Highland Hall, will release in the fall of 2013.  

How about you? As you look back over this past year what is one special blessing you’ve enjoyed on your journey?

Annie Romano, a warm and caring personal chef with a history of heartbreak, returns to her hometown to raise her young daughter, Emma. She hopes to start her own business and give her daughter the happy childhood she never had. Then Alex Jameson, the man she secretly admired in high school, hires her to cook for his ailing grandmother, and their friendship begins to blossoms into romance. But when Alex is offered a new job that would take him away from Fairhaven, Annie's old fears of abandonment resurface and threaten their relationship. Trouble is brewing in Fairhaven for Annie and Alex.

Carrie Turansky lives in New Jersey with her husband Scott. They have been married for over thirty years and have five young adult children and three grandchildren. Carrie leads women's ministry at their church and teaches Bible studies. She also enjoys reading, gardening, and walking around the lake near their home. Carrie and her family spent time in Kenya as missionaries, giving them a passion for what God is doing around the world.

  

Connect with Carrie at her website: www.carrieturansky.com

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