Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Geared Steam Locomotives

Dear Readers,

Yes, I am still researching the perfect train for my character to ride on. I am having fun looking at different kinds of trains in our country's history.

I love this Shay Geared Locomotive.  It's haunting whistle echoes through the countryside bringing the listener back to an earlier era.  I can just picture this train in one of my novels.

"In the Cass Scenic Railroad in West Virginia, some Shay Geared Locomotives are still in use in excellent condition. Everyone must be impressed by enjoyable train and scenic beauty." Click here to learn more.


It is worth the hop over to the site just to hear the whistle.

Donna

NaNoWriMo Tips


Dear Readers,
In the month of November, I plan on participating in NaNoWriMo for writers.
 
So, you plan to engage in NaNoWriMo this year. Good for you! Might I offer a few tips to lead you to succeed in this noble novel endeavor?
Each day, we’ll post a tip to help you complete the task.
On or before Oct 31: come up with an idea for the book. Figure out who your characters are. You don’t need their entire backstory. Leave yourself some leeway to learn about them. Look at your calendar and honestly decide how much time each day you can give to writing. Just because you can’t sit and write for eight hours or two hours or even one hour is no excuse to not sit and write something.
Happy writing,
Donna

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Steam Locomotives in Denver

Good Day,

I have enjoyed watching videos on steam locomotives. I am trying to pinpoint an exact train for one of my characters to ride to a certain destination in one of my novels.

I found this link that shows a historical steam locomotive in Denver.

Click here to view.

Enjoy,
Donna

Monday, October 29, 2012

Union Pacific Steam Locomotive

Hello,

The Union Pacific Railroad used steam locomotives in it rich history. I found this link and video fascinating. I can imagine some of the characters in my novels riding trains like these.

"Departure of Union Pacific Steam Locomotive No. 844 from the Great Overland Station in Topeka, Kansas. Easter Sunday, April 4, 2010. Steam Locomotive No. 844 is the last steam locomotive built for Union Pacific Railroad. It was delivered in 1944. A high-speed passenger engine, it pulled such widely known trains as the Overland Limited, Los Angeles Limited, Portland Rose and Challenger.

Hailed as Union Pacific's "Living Legend," the engine is widely known among railroad enthusiasts for its excursion runs, especially over Union Pacific's fabled crossing of Sherman Hill between Cheyenne and Laramie, Wyoming."


Click here to read the article and watch the video.

Donna

 


Sunday, October 28, 2012

1925 Ford

Good Day to You,

One of my novels is set in the 1920's. In order to write my story better, I needed to research what the cars were like during the mid-twenties. I found this link that shows a beauty of a car that has been preserved in all of its vehicle glory.

It is sure a beauty.

Click here to view.

Donna

Photo Technology

Good afternoon,

The advancement of photo technology can enhance a writer's research. Today's featured link depicts President Lincoln in three portraits. The first in each series shows the presidential photo with color enhancement. The second photo shows the original.

One thing I noticed is how the style of the clothing had changed. One photo shows the president wearing a narrower lapel on his suit jacket and the last series, President Lincoln is wearing a much wider lapel.

Click here to view the series.

Donna

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Tips for Writing Historical Fiction

Dear Readers,

Today's post will feature tips on how to write historical fiction. Some of the ideas included in the linked article include: characters, historical era, fashion, architecture, warfare, economic status, and dialogue. It is worth a hop over to the website to read the full feature.

"The hardest part of writing historical fiction is authenticity. These tips on how to write a book set in the past will help you write a historical novel that readers (and editors!) love.
Before the tips, a quip:
“It’s not a documentary. It’s a historical fiction. But we have attempted to make the world, the background, the detail of that world as authentic as possible.” ~ Jonathan Stamp."

Click here to read more.


Donna