Normally when I write fiction, I am not required to do much research.  A few details need to be cleared up, or I’ll ask a few people about their experiences (if my characters are doing/going through stuff I don’t know much about).  Non-fiction, of course, is different.  Fortunately for the teen nonfiction project I have in the works, I was lucky enough to hook up with Kelly who is really, really great at what she does and who is a great writer.   

But a few weeks ago I was struck with this idea for a fiction work that hit me really hard and has been occupying a lot of space in my brain (and has now infiltrated some space on my laptop - my goal is to be finished by the end of August when I have to use my brain for planning my courses).  It requires that I know a lot about Haight-Ashbury in the ’60’s.  Just a bit before my time.  So I went to the library to dig around and found a smattering of info - mostly historical.  But there’s nothing that tells me what the streets smelled like and how the sun shone through the trees at the park and what everything felt like.  Those are the kinds of very, very minute details that I need.  (& BTW, Jack Kerouac’s On The Road is proving to be beautiful and useful, too).  So.  If you know someone who lived through that era - particularly on Haight-Ashbury - I’d be really, really interested to talk to them.  Leave a comment with a juicy detail or two.

A Bonus Martini Recipe (discovered by accident by my friend Annette):

1 part Sour Puss Green Apple

1 part Raspberry Vodka

2 parts “Sippings” Simple Apple Martini Mix (you can buy it @ the liquor store)

1 martini glass (preferably tinted green with a crooked stem)

1 or more friends

optional: green apple rimmer for the glasses

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 25th, 2007 at 6:41 am. You can leave a comment below.