Our Research Notes series invites authors to describe their research for a recent book, with “research” defined as broadly as they like. This week, Sarah Gerkensmeyer reveals the method behind the madness of her new collection What You Are Now Enjoying
 from Autumn House Press. + Here’s the mess I got myself into while conducting…

Our Research Notes series invites authors to describe their research for a recent book, with “research” defined as broadly as they like. This week, Melissa Harrison writes about her novel Clay (Bloomsbury Books). + A novel may be meticulously planned and researched, or it may emerge piecemeal from mysterious and invisible depths. There are writers…

Our Research Notes series invites authors to describe their research for a recent book, with “research” defined as broadly as they like. This week, Bryan Furuness writes about The Lost Episodes of Revie Bryson from Black Lawrence Press. + Behind the Book: More Books “The ugly fact,” says Cormac McCarthy, “is that books are made…

Our Research Notes series invites authors to describe their research for a recent book, with “research” defined as broadly as they like. This week, Jon Clinch shows us how he developed his new novel The Thief of Auschwitz. + WHAT TO LEAVE IN, WHAT TO LEAVE OUT Bob Seger got it right in “Against the…

Our Research Notes series invites authors to describe their research for a recent book, with “research” defined as broadly as they like. This week, Brian Sousa writes about his novel-in-stories Almost Gone (Tagus Press). + There are a lot of ways that I could begin this. Almost Gone almost didn’t make it to the page.…

Our Research Notes series invites authors to describe their research for a recent book, with “research” defined as broadly as they like. This week, David Berridge explores Copenhagen with The Fluxus President (Dark Windows Press). + I was in Copenhagen for the COP15 climate change talks in December 2009 when I began writing The Fluxus…

Our Research Notes series invites authors to describe their research for a recent book, with “research” defined as broadly as they like. This week, JP Smith cracks the seal on his novel Airtight (Thomas & Mercer). + I’m of the opinion that writing fiction is about finding a place we haven’t discovered before, and it’s…

Our Research Notes series invites authors to describe their research for a recent book, with “research” defined as broadly as they like. This week, Jared Yates Sexton looks homeward toward the roots of his new collection An End To All Things (Atticus Books). + My grandma used to tell me stories about The Great Depression.…

Our Research Notes series invites authors to describe their research for a recent book, with “research” defined as broadly as they like. This week, Kat Meads writes about For You, Madam Lenin (Livingston Press). + Vladimir Lenin loved to wash dishes (and other discoveries) Quite a few of my North Carolina relatives consider my interest…

Our Research Notes series invites authors to describe their research for a recent book, with “research” defined as broadly as they like. This week, Erica Olson writes about her collection Recapture & Other Stories (Torrey House Press). Recapture’s Artifacts “All over Utah, the pots were unburying themselves.” This line is from “Everything Is Red,” one…

Our Research Notes series invites authors to describe their research for a recent book, with “research” defined as broadly as they like. This week, Jen Michalski writes about Could You Be With Her Now (Dzanc Books). + The two novellas in Could You Be With Her Now are like water and vinegar. One (“I Can Make…

Our Research Notes series invites authors to describe their research for a recent book, with “research” defined as broadly as they like. This week, Eliot Treichel traces the history of “Novitiate Falls,” a bonus story available as an ebook to accompany his recent collection Close To Fine (Ooligan Press). + 1. I’m fourteen years old,…