In The Beginning

I am writing my first book.  I still find that statement to be rather pretentious.  To get over this idea my husband suggested that I blog about what I am doing.  Although I think he is crazy I have my whiskey sour and am going to give it a whorl.  I am writing my first book and this blog is intended as a way to practice writing as well as give me an outlet to explore the things I find and stop driving my family crazy talking about all the things I find fascinating.  I mostly started writing my book to release the creative energy that had built up since I finished grad school.  I have found that this is a wonderful way to utilize all the research skills I developed in school, while at the same time the freedom to write and research what I want rather than have it dictated to me by my professor is amazing.  My book is set in turn of the century Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.  The last century that is.  I picked Pgh (for so the locals abbreviate it Pittsburgh being rather cumbersome for continued writing) for two reasons.  First it hasn’t been over done.  The last thing the world needs is yet another book about vampires.  Secondly I live here.  I moved here five years ago immediately after I got married.  Literally the day after we returned from our Hawaiian cruse we put all our stuff in a truck and moved across the country to Pgh.  It is a truly beautiful place whether the hills are covered in green leaves or snow, for a girl from Orange County California it is an almost magical place of seasons and weather. 

           

            As for the time period there was really only one choice.  It had to be some time during the heyday of Pgh.  As a trained historian I have always been attracted to earlier times.  I am thankful for modern medical care and can not go more than 20 minutes with out checking my cell but love the perceived glamor of so called earlier times.  I have mentally divided the history of Pgh into 4 periods.  The beginning, the discovery of Pgh by George Washington to the end of the Civil War, Industrialization, the time of Andrew Carnegie and Henry Clay Frick among others, the rust belt years and rebirth i.e. the last 15 years.  For me the choice of the industrial age didn’t even require thought there is so much going on in the period that the options are almost unlimited.  While I am working on my first book really it’s a series of books.  Mysteries to be specific.  Mysteries are my favorite kind of relaxation reading.  I love the puzzles and the unlimited possibilities available to the mystery author.  So far I have solid plot lines for 3 books and ideas for 4 more.  The more research I do into the area and the period the more ideas come to me.  

            So now I spend my free time thinking about writing and researching.  It has been a great distraction from my every day job and if some day it is published great, but really I am doing it for myself.  It is my intention to blog about what I learn and anything else I find that interests me weekly.  Check back for more to come.