Tuesday, October 26, 2010

In the Name of Research

So I went to my local Ace Hardware this morning.

In the paint/electrical/plumbing section of the store, I walked right up to the big burly guy who worked there and said, “I’m doing research. What if a boy wanted to make a brand new toilet plunger look disgustingly used? What could he pour on it?”

He blinked at me.

“I’m writing a children’s book. Is there something in here that he could quickly pour on the plunger to make it, you know, gross?”

The burly guy’s serious face cracked into a grin.

“It’s a boy’s book,” I clarified.

He laughed out loud. “Come with me. I’ve got just the thing.”

And sure enough, he did.

The next time you are reading a book that has lots of wonderful details try to imagine what that author went through to make the writing realistic. Oh and if you see me in Ace Hardware don't be surprised if I am swinging a toilet plunger around, or pretending to throw rolls of duck tape, or anything that might be construed as mental instability. I'm fine. Really. It's research.

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