I thought I’d share with y’all a little about my Memphis, TN research trip. I needed to make the trip to put the finishing setting touches on my Memphis barbecue mystery (book one’s deadline is September 1.)
First of all, some handy tips if you’re writing a book set in a place you’re not living in:
It’s very helpful to have a friend in the town to drive you around and explain what you’re looking at. I was lucky enough to have friends of my husband’s family in Memphis. They were able to give me some interesting background on the city and even provided some newspaper clippings they’d kept for me on the street flipper phenomenon (something I knew nothing about.)
Remember to research small things as well as big. I had to do quite a bit of fact-checking. Some of my research even bored me: if residential neighborhoods were within walking distance of Beale Street, if a particular park had playground equipment or if it were simply an entertainment venue-type, etc. This is detail-oriented stuff, but if someone from Memphis reads my book and throws it across the room in disgust….well, that wouldn’t be a good thing.
Call the local Chamber of Commerce. Explain you’re a writer, basing a series in their town. See if they can arrange discounts for you.
Bring your business cards. When I walked into the very elegant Peabody hotel and talked to the manager there, handing them my business card made me look a little more legitimate. Especially since I was rambling on about murders.
Keep those receipts. This is just smart business sense. Keep track of your mileage, your food costs, ticket costs for attractions, etc.
Bring a camera. I looked like a major tourist and took about 400 pictures in Memphis. No, I’m not kidding. But digital cameras make that easy and I’ve got 2 more books (at least) based in Memphis after this one. I took pictures of even the most random things. Who knows what I might need for material later on?
The Good the Bad and the Ugly: Personal Notes from Memphis
The Good: My inlaws’ friends were wonderful guides. They asked me what information I needed for my book. I had a backstage pass for the ducks at the Peabody, I had free food at the Rendezvous restaurant…they were awesome! In addition, my husband’s dad and his wife watched the kids for me and the kids had a wonderful time in Memphis—fishing, shopping, etc. Oh…and Graceland? Oddly peaceful.
The Bad: It was a long drive to Memphis from Charlotte—10.5 hours of driving. That’s at the upper limit of what we’ll drive as a family. But at least the drive was pretty. In addition, although we stayed at a very fancy hotel, we all stayed in the same room. I now realize that my 12 year old son snores and my daughter talks in her sleep all night. Did I mention I’m an insomniac even in good conditions?
The Ugly: When you ask a 7 year old if she thinks she might throw up and she says no……just head for the toilet right then. Do not believe her. Because she’ll just upchuck all over you…..and I know. It’s like they’re in denial or something: “If I say I’m not going to throw up, then I won’t throw up….”
One more note: I know readers will ask why I’ve set a book in a location that I’m not as familiar with. The answer: Berkley Prime Crime asked me to set it in Memphis. I’m nothing if not amiable! :) And it’s a lovely city….I had a great time discovering it.
I’ll be in Memphis later this week. Spend a year and half there in Grad school. Should make a great location for a novel.
Memphis is a funky town. A great place to set a mystery series.
Is that a photo from the Gibson Guitar factory? Pretty cool.
It’s a tough way to learn a lesson, but when it comes to kids barfing, never believe them when they say they don’t need to. As soon as their faces turn pale (or green), it’s time to find the rest room.
What great insights! I think Memphis’ history would, indeed,make it a great setting for a series. You have some wonderful advice here for your “up close and personal” research. I particularly ike the idea of bringing your camera to help keep the pictures fresh in your mind – particularly for a series. Great idea about contacting the Chamber of Commerce! Ummmm…what’s the “street flipper phenomenon”?
Nancy, from Realms of Thought…
HI Elizabeth,
I’ve never been to Memphis, or much of the South at all (except Florida). Your tips are so helpful, especially bringing a camera. And your poor little one. You sound like you have a wonderful, supportive, loving family.
Karen
Good morning, Nancy! Thanks for the comments. The street flippers in Memphis are these kids from underprivileged backgrounds who do back flips almost all the way down Beale Street. It’s unbelievable–their muscles are absolutely huge and it’s such a graceful thing. There’s now an organized club of these kids, headed by adults. It keeps them out of trouble after school is out and they’re basically performers in the evenings–tourists put dollars in a bucket and the money helps fund their future. People were lining the streets at night to see them.
Lovely tips on research and a little tour of Memphis as well – two for one!
I believe research on locations is crucial and try to have all my senses awake while I’m completing the trip. I have found recalling a certain smell will bring the entire scene back before my eyes.
My mysteries take place in fictional locations but you still need to know the topography!
Wow! Who knew? This is what I thought street flippers were – very savvy real estate tycoons who came in and saw the potential in a rundown street, bought the whole thing cheap, fixed it up and flipped it! I think that might be fun too but I like yours better.
As to location writing – I set The Rock Walker in my neck of the woods (ok – dip of the ocean) for once. My first novel (gathering no cred in a drawer) was set in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Montreal, Calgary, Havana, Dublin and The Dingle Peninsuala, Ireland. The second one, which is half done was set here but then my main characters up and moved to southern Alberta causing me no end of problems – that would be a three day drive easy and too much dough for me right now. So…I’ve got the next two in the Kitty MacDonald series set in Nova Scotia. I still have to go and hang out but these are places I know really well. I also feel they are places underappreciated so that is fun too. Travelling always makes me want to write novels about wherever I go to and I’ll get back to that when my income affords it!
Sounds like you had a good time researching and good for you for being a detail freak.
Labanan–I’d love to read some books set in your area. As for the detail stuff…well, I probably bored everyone to tears in the car, but it needed to get done. Luckily the kids were with their grandparents.
Warren–Have a good trip there! I know you’ll be eating well when you’re in Memphis.
Alan–Actually, that picture is from Lansky’s shop in the Peabody hotel (he was the clothier for Elvis. There’s a large collection of signed guitars hanging on his shop’s walls. He was great to talk to.
You’re soooo right about the barfing. She was looking so pale, but SWORE to me….
I was just reading some of William Faulkners writings and he used Memhpis in his story set at the beginning of World War II. Memphis would be a great place for a setting and a fun place to visit, although I wouldn’t want to live there.
Stephen Tremp
Hi Stephen,
Trying to remember that one. Is that Absalom, Absalom? No…thinking that was set during Civil War.
Memphis is a really exciting town–I think it would be a fun place if one were single.
Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
Hi, Elizabeth, very useful and informative post. Good mix of things you can use and tips I woulda never thought about. Nice job of sharing. Is it okay if I tweet this?…much as I dislike Twitter.
Best Regards, Galen
Imagineering Fiction Blog
I’ve been to Memphis several times and really enjoyed it though I don’t remember any flippers. That must mean it’s time to go back! Thanks for the research tips.
Galen, Please do. I’m coming around to liking Twitter….got a good group there that I’m connected with. I just have to go through every day and block the spammers and porn people that use Twitter.
Jane–The flippers are wonderful! Except that the parent part of me was so worried about them cracking their heads open on the street. But I shouldn’t have worried: they were pros.
Karen–Thanks! Well, Florida qualifies as the South (at least some parts.) Glad you liked the tips. Yes, my poor baby. She was fine after that, though. Apparently when she gets too excited, this type thing happens. It was like that at Disney World, too. To this day, when she sees a picture of the Cinderella castle, she says, “That’s where I threw up!” Sigh…
Wow–I’ve never read an account of how to go about doing the research in a strange town. You sound like you covered all the bases:) I would be hesitant to write about a town I didn’t know but if a publisher asked, you bet I would be on the next plane:)
Even though people say you should write what you know, I like the idea that you wrote about a city you didn’t know. You did your research and discovered the city – and, in turn, can let your readers discover the city through your eyes and words.
Helen
Straight From Hel
Good points. I’ve not yet written a book that takes place in a specific real town but if and when I do, this kind of insight and suggestion is most helpful.
The Old silly
Terri–Yes, it’s not something I’d have done without them asking me to. But it was possible to write the book, sticking in asterisks where I needed setting to go. Seemed to work out pretty well.
Helen–Thanks. I tried to take a journalist’s approach to it, since Memphis is new to me. I hope the readers will find I did my homework.
Marvin–My Myrtle Clover series is in a fictitious town. Much easier that way!
Thanks Elspeth!
That’s a great point about the sense of smell. Certain smells can take me back to many different places–the local pool when I was a kid, my grandmother’s attic, etc. Good idea for us to keep our senses engaged while we research.
Sounds like you got a lot figured out! Great tips, Elizabeth!
A very useful insight in the exciting life of a crime fiction writer!
But really, how should a seven-year-old know she is going to throw up until it comes?
Wow, what a great time you seem to have had. I loved the picture I got in my mind of you mentioning murder around town!
Great post, thanks for sharing.
Katie–Thanks for stopping by!
Dorte–Good point. Maybe she’ll know next time, though. Let’s hope!
Glynis–I’m sure Memphis had some sort of alert out on me! Crazy lady wandering around, talking about murder. :)