tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post7906343724296227282..comments2024-03-27T18:06:04.484-04:00Comments on Murder by 4: The Facts of FictionMarta Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126647102399666578noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-63856011433702400702009-06-21T11:32:54.662-04:002009-06-21T11:32:54.662-04:00Your post contains excellent points. My current WI...Your post contains excellent points. My current WIP is completely set in Egypt and even though have been there, it's been a few years. So, a lot of research is taking place.<br /><br />Eric, good luck with your new novel. I admire your work and look forward to reading this one.<br /><br />Betty Gordon<br />www.bettygordon.comBetty Gordonhttp://www.bettygordon.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-60987496741464330132009-06-20T19:04:31.087-04:002009-06-20T19:04:31.087-04:00"even when you're making it up, get it ri..."even when you're making it up, get it right." Love this!!Kim Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13933746166088034102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-37428176664457279692009-06-20T11:25:13.569-04:002009-06-20T11:25:13.569-04:00Fiction is made up, but it's made up within th...<i>Fiction is made up, but it's made up within the context of the world that we all live in.</i><br /><br />I completely agree with this, Eric, and extensive research such as yours makes for the most enjoyable fiction. Best of luck with your new book.KLR Literaryhttp://www.klrliterary.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-70352189906226910232009-06-20T10:48:18.352-04:002009-06-20T10:48:18.352-04:00Excellent post, Eric, with fine points. I agree wi...Excellent post, Eric, with fine points. I agree with you and Marta. I did a lot of research on Chopin for Mazurka (my European mystery with a historical twist). Although I'd been to Paris, I also researched it again before bringing my hero to the city. You can't remember everything from one week's stay. <br /><br />Thank you. I hope you'll come back again to share a piece with us.Aaron Paul Lazarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06117814221437165664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-67090568927164134362009-06-19T12:05:22.204-04:002009-06-19T12:05:22.204-04:00Thanks Marta. I do think it's vital to get thi...Thanks Marta. I do think it's vital to get things right. When you get them wrong it takes the reader, at least the readers who see that, out of the book. At the very least, something that doesn't ring true, or logical disrupts the flow of the book.<br /><br />Sure fiction is made up, but it's made up within the context of the world that we all live in. I've written articles for magazines and newspapers where I can back up the truth that is stranger than fiction with my research, but in a novel you don't get cut that same slack. <br /><br />People will read a news story and tell themselves, "that is really strange, it just doesn't make sense, but I guess it happened that way." If I read something in a novel that doesn't make sense, or that I know is wrong, I lose patience with the book.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12159273255443369708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-1284948714931703392009-06-19T10:56:24.303-04:002009-06-19T10:56:24.303-04:00A while back someone in an author’s forum asked if...A while back someone in an author’s forum asked if it was important to do research when writing fiction, like you, most said yes. Of course there’s always one person in every group who insists on being contrary and that because it’s fiction (i.e., made up) it didn’t have to be factual. The discussion/dispute went on for days. We finally rode him out of town. LOL. <br /><br />But seriously, I couldn’t agree more with your post. I can’t tell you how much I research the topics for my crime fiction and in the end, no glowing review (and I too have received a few) could top the comments I received from professionals in the field who said I nailed the role of the detective and the investigation. <br /><br />Fiction or not, it has to ring true to the reader. Thanks so much for visiting MB4!<br /><br />All the best with your book. :)Marta Stephenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14126647102399666578noreply@blogger.com