Behind the Scenes: Writer Tools Generator Pack

From the research I've been doing, a lot of fiction story ideas have risen up in my whacky mind. This is the software I use to create characters and their world. Hope you enjoy it! If you want to check those stories out, head over to: http://ko-fi.com/yochanacolemanauthor  

How Research Leads to More Stories

 A story can begin from something that pops into your mind. It can happen while reading. While watching TV or a movie. A certain smell that brings back a memory. It can happen while overhearing a conversation. There's a million and one ways stories are triggered.

One story that I'm working on right now for Kindle Vella, began from a conversation with a woman who was like a second mother to me. She was helping me with my research on the "Unsung Heroes" book. But, there was something that she said that triggered a story. In the course of the conversation, she said she'd lived in a house that was part of the underground railroad. The first blog posts back in May all deal with the house.

Next thing I knew, I was creating characters for a new historical fiction of sorts book, and contacting the kid who designed the cover for my book, "The Ghosts of Springhollow" to see if she wanted to do another cover design.

I began doing side research on the house, and came across a book I mentioned in the last blog post about quilts and coded messages. I knew I had to call Dorothy and ask her if she knew anything about them. But I kept putting it off and diving into other areas of the book. The next thing I knew - her son Mike posted that she died suddenly. 

I was gutted, and still am. I lost someone I loved like a second mom. I lost a good friend. She was a very special woman who was loved by so many. She and my mom were the last of the parents in our neighbourhood. Mom is now the last one standing. It must be a weird feeling. 

There's a couple lessons learned from this moment - stop putting off calling people who come to mind. It may be your last chance to talk to them. 

The second, is this - talk to your elders and record what they say. Some day, you'll wish you had. Once the older generation is gone, their wisdom and the history they've known go with them. It's lost forever. Record it now while you have the chance.

Oral History: Is it reliable?

I came across a really interesting book at the library. It's called, "Hidden in Plain View: A Secret Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad," by Jacqueline L. Tobin and Raymond G. Dobard. 

That same day, I came across an article that butchered the book. A lot of accusations were made. They even insulted the author because she's white, and basically because she was white she didn't understand what she was researching, and had researched it poorly. The truth is - the author of the article was firmly against oral history. In fact, very antagonistic toward it. And since the story is based on oral history - the writer didn't like it.

To me, that's just sheer ignorance. Perhaps it's because I'm Jewish and oral history is a part of my culture. But, reality is this - Africa, Asia, South America, the US, Canada, tribes all over the world have always relied on oral history to remember the past. The best minds of each generation transferred that knowledge to the next generation. And yes, it was accurate, because accuracy was essential. History was important.

The same can be said for the Africans who were captured and brought here. They brought their oral history with them. Just as we Jews took our oral history with us into the Diaspora. They took theirs. They cherished it. They found ways of recording it so they didn't forget where they came from.

When the underground railroad formed, they used that tradition, those symbols that were known to each tribe, and found ways to communicate escape routes. 

I'm really looking forward to reading this book over the weekend. And you can bet, there will be a lot of information that will make the stories I'm writing rock.  :) 

Slave Owners and Arrogance: Patrick Henry

A few weeks ago, I was reading Patrick Henry's, "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death."  Here's some excerpts from the text:

For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; 

 Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? 

There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable—and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.

 Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

Is it not fascinating to read these quotes, seeing his passion for freedom? Henry saw England as a slave master. He hated it. He defied it. Which is why I find it laughable, in some ways, because Henry was a slave owner!  

Henry's arrogance was like so many others of his time. Freedom for me, but not for you. Truth be told - Henry was really no different than the very things he despised regarding England. Chains are fine for you, but not for me.

What are your thoughts? And by the way, if you want to read the whole thing, follow this link: Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death

 

 

 

Rutland Ohio: The Underground Railroad and the KKK

While researching the "Unsung Heroes" of Meigs County, I discovered something I would have preferred to have left buried in the anus of time. (Yes, I said "anus," not "annals," because of whom I'm about to talk about.) I discovered that the KKK was pretty big in Rutland. I was gobsmacked. How on earth do you go from being a village of abolitionists who risked it all to help runaways, to the KKK?

Obviously, those who were abolitionists didn't become members. (At least I hope not.)  But, what strikes me odd though, is that none of those who became KKK members ratted on the abolitionists when they were actively helping runaways. So, why the change of heart? 

What are your thoughts?

The Real Captain of the 7th Ohio Battery

 In doing research for "Unsung Heroes", I've had to read a lot of local history. Thankfully, I've been quite skeptical about a lot of stuff I've read, which lead me to  research things I found either questionable or wanted to learn more about.

For instance, as I've mentioned in an earlier post, one local Union soldier in the Civil War claimed he spent 19 months in the Andersonville Prison. An impossibility since the prison was only open 14 months.

Today, I was reading, "The Pioneer History of Meigs County." The book claimed a guy named McNaughton was captain of the 7th Ohio Battery. No, he wasn't. The captain was Silas Burnap. When I did a search through the book on Burnap, it said he was a "captain of an Ohio battery."

Interesting! Burnap was a "respected" lawyer. The first to enlist when the war broke out, and had returned to Meigs to recruit for the 7th Ohio Battery. Yet, the author of the book somehow forgot where he served. 

Now, I'm no big fan of Burnap. Actually, I'm pretty close to hating him. As a captain? He was a putz. Perhaps that's why the author intentionally forgot he was captain of the 7th. He despised him as well. 

Anyway, I'll get to him being a putz in a minute. When Burnap came back to Meigs to enlist more soldiers, those here wrote to the Governor and insisted Burnap be made their captain. The Gov agreed to their demand. So! Burnap became captain of the 7th Ohio Battery. 

As for Burnap being a putz! My great, great, great grandfather, Henry Wehrung, was a Sergeant in the 7th. He was made sergeant because he had just a few months under 10 years military experience in the French army, and had been a sergeant in a battery there.

Grandpa was used to discipline. But, the guys under him were just a bunch of yahoo's who didn't believe in discipline and believed he had no right to try and inflict it on them. A lot of generals felt the same way my grandfather did. They also got the same response.

Anywho! Grandpa went to Burnap and explained the situation. Burnap demoted him to Private. Yeah. Instead of standing by him - he turned his back on him and demoted him. Therefore, Silas Burnap is a putz. 

Burnap must have known how hated he was because he didn't return to Meigs. Instead, he went to California. Perhaps that's why he isn't credited in the book as being captain of the 7th. We'll never know. But, when you're recording history, whether you like the person or not - you have to give proper credit.  

Jobs in the 1800's

1860 Census Ohio

 

Researching through census records lets you know just how boring today's jobs are. Most people today work in plants or some sort of fast food or box store. In other words, you're indoors with little chance of fresh air.

In rural Ohio, 1800's, some of your options of indoor/outdoor jobs were:

1. wagon maker
2. peddler
3. tanner
4. chairmaker
5. farm worker
6. reed peddler
7. saddler
8. cotton spinner
9. wheel right

Some of these jobs were done indoors, but the difference was - they had the doors and windows open - big doors, in the case of the wagon and wheel maker.

Cotton spinner? You can put the spinning wheel on a porch and have at it, or they may have also used a drop spindle, which again can be used indoors or out. 

Thanks to my love of knitting and crochet - I think I would have enjoyed being a cotton spinner.