Writing the Modern Thriller: Research

Lesson Two of Rob Parnell's Writing the Modern Thriller focuses on research. The following is what i turned in for the exercise for this course.

Thriller – Lesson 2 – Research

Well I know I flunk this one right from the start.. but I think I can work through the fact that my “thriller” takes place in late 10th century Winchester, England. First of all, I know this era almost as well as I know my own. As I wrote my first novel, AN INVOLUNTARY KING, I corrected a great many assumptions about early medieval England – such as they did not have castles – and learned a great deal about the society. I have been researching this time and place for two years already. Before I got my Plustek BookReader and could start actually reading any book or article I wished, I did some creative networking that would meet your approval I suspect. I met and have called on the generosity of a city councilman in Winchester and picked the brain of a scholar at what used to be called King Alfred College. I also know that there is a great deal of wiggle room as there are so few existing records of the time and place. I can fake it, that is. Finally I read lots and lots of novels about the general era in order to soak up what other historical novelists have l earned.

So I will include research I have started as well as need to do. I have already done or started #’s 1-5.

Research List

1. The layout of the city of Winchester in 985. DONE
2. The Old English names for everything on the map. DONE
3. The events in the year(s) I intend to cover. DONE
4. Facts about the town of East Wellow and Romsey Abbey. DONE
5. Authentic names for the period. DONE
6. The particularly prominent personages of the era.
7. Some details of the nature of the priesthood in late tenth century England.
8. The duties and equipment of a reeve’s man.
9. The armourer’s craft.
10. The status of bards in 10th century Ireland. lOW PRIORITY.
11. General life in Anglo Saxon England. DONE

For my next few posts, I will concern myself with these undone topics:

6. The particularly prominent personages of the era.
7. Some details of the nature of the priesthood in late tenth century England.
8. The duties and equipment of a reeve’s man.
9. The armourer’s craft.