Research: Johnstown Flood

One of my delights as an author is research. I know. Call me crazy, but delving into a pile of books to bring shape and texture to a proposed idea is FUN. My secret is that I generally do quick snatches of broad-based research for a location or event that captures my interest first. Only after the proposal has been selected do I invest substantial time and money. I can't affored to do it any other way.

What sparked my interest in the Johnstown flood of 1889 was my visit to the museum and the fact that, while there are several nonfiction books on the subject, I didn't recall ever reading a work of fiction that used that tragedy as the background and setting for a story.

My theme in Promise of Tomorrow--people are more important than things--makes this disaster in itself a living lesson. Indeed, what disaster has ever occurred that has not reined in our sometimes materialistic-skewed minds. Right. Can't think of one.

If you've read Promise of Tomorrow in Promise Brides, you can see that the Johnstown flood was crucial to character devlopment. Jack grew because of the disaster. Robert's dilemma became Jack's epiphany.

So, a short list to gauge the worth of an event or locale to story:

A. Does it add to the drama?
B. Does the event impact character development?
C. Are there enough research sources available to support your research? (if the event or location is not well-documented, finding you're information can become a real headache! Something you don't want to discover once you are bound by a contract!)