Monthly Archives: November 2017

FACTS I’VE LEARNED BY WRITING FICTION – BOOK TWO

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Continuing with the topic from my previous post, I’m sharing more of the facts I’ve learned by writing fiction, and in particular, researching the Aimee Machado Mysteries, featuring a health sciences librarian.

Librarians are trained researchers. If they’re curious, they look things up. Here are facts I came across while my protagonist searched for the solution to the mystery in CHECKED OUT, the second book in the Aimee Machado Mystery series.

BOOK TWO: CHECKED OUT

QUESTION ONE:
How many people in the U.S. get Lyme disease within a given year?

FACT: The Center for Disease Control estimates 300,000 cases per year.

In the U.S., Lyme disease is spread through the bite of a tiny blacklegged tick.

Most infections occur in three principal areas:

  • Northeast and mid-Atlantic, from northeastern Virginia to Maine
  • North central states, mostly in Wisconsin and Minnesota
  • West Coast, particularly northern California

The areas listed are based on where people live, not necessarily where they became infected. Cases diagnosed and reported from an area where Lyme disease is not expected are almost always travel-related.      

A national survey found that nearly 20 percent of people surveyed where Lyme disease is common were unaware that it was a risk. Half the people interviewed in another study did nothing to protect themselves against tick bites during warm weather.

For more complete information on Lyme disease, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.  https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/index.html
Image courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

BOOK TWO – QUESTION TWO:
How much can a champion cutting horse earn in one year?

FACT: A three-year-old cutting horse taking first place at a National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) event can win as much as $250,000. By competing in several events during a given year, the same horse can earn as much as a million dollars. Worldwide, total cutting horse event winnings in one year average more that 30 million dollars.

For more complete information on cutting horses, visit http://www.nchacutting.com/

To contact a cutting horse trainer, call 530-945-6079, or visit https://www.facebook.com/RandyBrooksCuttingHorses
Cutting horse photo courtesy of Randy Brooks.

Visit www.sharonstgeorge.com again soon for facts I learned by writing Book Three of the Aimee Machado Mysteries.

Books in the hospital-based Aimee Machado Mysteries, published by Camel Press, are available for purchase from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and from your local bookstore in trade paperback and as ebooks.

FACTS I’VE LEARNED BY WRITING FICTION

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As a fiction writer, it always surprises me when people say they don’t read fiction because it isn’t real. They read only nonfiction, because they’re more interested in facts.

After hearing yet another nonfiction reader express that notion, I found myself thinking of the many interesting facts I’ve learned by writing fiction, and in particular, researching my mystery series featuring a health sciences librarian.

Librarians are trained researchers. If they’re curious, they look things up. I’d like to share some of the notable facts I’ve come across while my protagonist searched for the solutions to mysteries in the first four books in the Aimee Machado Mystery series.

To keep the list brief, I’ll offer only a small sampling from each book, serving them up one book at a time.

BOOK ONE –  DUE FOR DISCARD

QUESTION ONE:
How many professional journalists are killed in the line of duty within a given year?
FACT:  Thirty-four journalists have been killed so far in 2017. The deadliest countries are:

 

1 – Iraq                         8
2 – Syria                       7
3 – Mexico                    5
4 – Yemen                    2
5 – Somalia                  2
6 – Russia                    2
7 – Afghanistan            1
8 – South Sudan          1
9 – Philippines             1

BOOK ONE – QUESTION TWO:
How much does it cost to have a pet preserved cryogenically?

FACT:  According to the website of one pet cloning and cryogenics company, the cost of cryopreserving a cat is $5,800. For a dog, cryopreservation cost is $5,800 up to fifteen pounds in weight plus $150 per pound for every pound above fifteen. For a pet bird of typical size, the charge is $1,000.

Disclaimer: While the cost is a fact, this author does not vouch for the legitimacy of the service being offered.

Visit www.sharonstgeorge.com again soon for facts I learned by writing Book Two of the Aimee Machado Mysteries.

The hospital-based Aimee Machado Mysteries, published by Camel Press, are available for purchase from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and from your local bookstore in trade paperback and as ebooks.