by Joanne Rock
One of the real joys of writing is the research. Sometimes
it can slow us down when we need to check and recheck mundane points to be sure
we haven’t made an error. But for the most part, writers choose settings,
historical periods, and concepts that intrigue them so that researching a book
winds up being really fun.
When I wrote historical romance, I always chose the time periods
that appealed to me. I am fascinated by all things medieval and could have
gladly spent decades researching castles, gowns, and court intrigue. These
days, as I write more contemporary stories, I still choose to set the books in
places and within professional realms that interest me. Never has this been
more true than for my current release, The Magnate’s Mail-Order Bride, set in
the world of professional dance.
What beauty and grace! There is so much talent, work and
fierce competitiveness here. And on occasion, a sort of “court intrigue” all
its own. Take for example the scandal in the Bolshoi Ballet four years ago when
a bitter soloist dancer conspired in an attack on the ballet’s artistic
director. The director lost most sight in one eye when acid was thrown in his
face by an assailant in dark parking lot. Those stories are, of course, well
outside the norm for dance. But they hint at the passionate commitment and
emotion behind the most successful companies.
I watched one beautiful dance clip after another on You Tube
for the sake of breathing life into my
 |
| The Rose Adagio |
Another important facet for the book was discovering what a
dancer’s day to day life is like. For this, I was very grateful for the video
content on the New York City Ballet’s website. In addition to dance clips and
rehearsal clips, there are snippets of
dancers talking about their tours, pre-show rituals, falls, aspirations and
much more. If you visit, just click on some of the individual dancer names and
look for their “Screen Test” video. Very fun.
But sooner or later, the research must come to an end and
all the new knowledge needs to funnel into a book. It’s difficult to turn off
the information-gathering quest, but when we begin to use it to bring to life
the world we’ve learned about, it becomes really rewarding. With any luck, the
writer brings to life the research for the reader in a newly enjoyable way.
***What’s your favorite dance scene in a movie? I’m partial
to Danny Kaye and Vera Ellen’s “The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing” in
White Christmas! Share yours on the blog and I’ll give one random poster an
advance copy of my upcoming Harlequin Desire, His Accidental Heir.
