SEASHELL SECRETS

One of the great parts of writing is the research needed for every new novel. The search for knowledge, while challenging, is invigorating. It's why I became a researcher to begin with, and why I worked as a researcher in both early child development and youth corrections. During the difficult and often frustrating tasks of developing believable characters and interesting plots, the research keeps your mind busy learning about different cultures, personalities, relationships, and the world around you.

I recently completed revisions to my tween novel, SEASHELL SECRETS, about a twelve-year-old girl growing up during the Civil Rights Movement. She carries a dark secret in her heart for a whole year: while her pastor father was away at a pastors' conference, her white mother gave birth to a baby with black features. Despite a cross in the woods marking the baby's grave, CASSIE believes the baby is alive and living somewhere in their coastal town of Calico Beach, Florida. She's determined to learn who the father is, and what happened to the baby.

The research for this book was fascinating. I read extensively on the Civil Rights Movement, and even took a trip down the coast of Florida to help me describe the countryside. To my delight, I found the little town of Fernandina Beach which was strikingly similar to my fictional town of Calico Beach. I learned about segregation and housing in the 1960's, and paid close attention to the foliage, birds and scenery, all of which helped build the story. There's a certain sadness that goes with completing a novel. But there's a rejuvenation that comes with starting something new requiring a whole new cast of characters, wildly different scenery and times, not to mention a whole new quest for knowledge to make the story come alive.