Two months since the last post. Something must be going on. Or maybe not.
Last time I talked about research, how difficult it can be. It takes time. I mentioned I'd decided to set the story in the middle ages in Galicia.
'But I've never been to Galicia so I think I'll stick with Britain,' I said to a trusted editor.
'You've never been to the middle ages either,' she replied.
Brilliant answer.
So, I changed it back (to Castile-Leon in the end) and off I went. Two months later, I'm nearly ten thousand words in. I love the concept of the book and although plotting is not a strength, I think I'm developing a plausible mystery story. But every time a thousand words spark through the keyboard to the screen, a historical point crops up and I can spend half an hour trying to find the answer.
So it's slow, slow, quick, quick, slow.
Today I got bold and emailed a university expert. And I got a reply on my first question. The floor in a 13th century abbey would have been earth, except around the high altar / chancel area where it might have been ornately tiled. And I can ask him more, he says.
I suppose the other option is to write the story and then do the research afterwards. Maybe next time I'll try that.
