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The wonderful web
Whatever did we do in the days before the Web?
I've been researching the 1812 war between America and Canada and I know there is absolutely no way I could have found the relevent information without the web. My local library has no books at all on Canadian history and the main books on the subject aren't available in any library in Dorset - well, it is a pretty obscure subject.
But using the web, not only can I find all the details, I can explore those details further. Thanks to the dedication of people who put even the most obscure of historical documents on the net I can find the exact wording (extremely useful to me) of a letter written in 1812 by a man who fought a duel with the man I'm researching. An absolute gift to a writer.
I thought this kind of thing only happened in fiction, but my guy, John MacDonell, actually refused to raise his gun, and allowed the other man a free shot. (not being a stock villain, his opponent chose to shoot wide)
Add in unrequited love, a charismatic general with a head for tactics (attacked supply lines when he didn't have the troops for an out and out fight), a talented Shawnee commander (took his men through the same clearing three times so as to make the enemy overestimate the numbers of his men)and it's got the makings of a great story.
I've no idea if CBC will buy it, but I'm having fun doing the research. It's a great way of distracting myself from things that are too painful to think about for long (Rosalie is in and out of hospital every few days and the tumour has blocked the exit from her stomach so she can't digest any food at all)
In the process I'm also learning the art of thinking in audio terms. Plot construction, thank goodness, comes relatively easy after so many years of writing fan fic, but there are some things that need to be built up differently.
I've written half the outline now - I have to finish it in the next five days and then wait until September to see if they want me to write it in full.
I'm just getting to the American capture of Sandwich which will shortly be followed by their surrender of Fort Detroit. After Detroit comes the Battle of Queenston Heights, which as any Stan Rogers's fan will know (shame on you if you've never heard of him - he was Canada's greatest folk singer/songwriter) is where MacDonall dies heroically trying to retake a gun emplacement that commanded the river crossing.
Find a recording of 'MacDonnell on the heights'. Listen to it. It's a great song. Makes you proud to be Canadian - even when you aren't.
I've been researching the 1812 war between America and Canada and I know there is absolutely no way I could have found the relevent information without the web. My local library has no books at all on Canadian history and the main books on the subject aren't available in any library in Dorset - well, it is a pretty obscure subject.
But using the web, not only can I find all the details, I can explore those details further. Thanks to the dedication of people who put even the most obscure of historical documents on the net I can find the exact wording (extremely useful to me) of a letter written in 1812 by a man who fought a duel with the man I'm researching. An absolute gift to a writer.
I thought this kind of thing only happened in fiction, but my guy, John MacDonell, actually refused to raise his gun, and allowed the other man a free shot. (not being a stock villain, his opponent chose to shoot wide)
Add in unrequited love, a charismatic general with a head for tactics (attacked supply lines when he didn't have the troops for an out and out fight), a talented Shawnee commander (took his men through the same clearing three times so as to make the enemy overestimate the numbers of his men)and it's got the makings of a great story.
I've no idea if CBC will buy it, but I'm having fun doing the research. It's a great way of distracting myself from things that are too painful to think about for long (Rosalie is in and out of hospital every few days and the tumour has blocked the exit from her stomach so she can't digest any food at all)
In the process I'm also learning the art of thinking in audio terms. Plot construction, thank goodness, comes relatively easy after so many years of writing fan fic, but there are some things that need to be built up differently.
I've written half the outline now - I have to finish it in the next five days and then wait until September to see if they want me to write it in full.
I'm just getting to the American capture of Sandwich which will shortly be followed by their surrender of Fort Detroit. After Detroit comes the Battle of Queenston Heights, which as any Stan Rogers's fan will know (shame on you if you've never heard of him - he was Canada's greatest folk singer/songwriter) is where MacDonall dies heroically trying to retake a gun emplacement that commanded the river crossing.
Find a recording of 'MacDonnell on the heights'. Listen to it. It's a great song. Makes you proud to be Canadian - even when you aren't.