The seductive stroke of a feathered hand, or velvet fur caressing naked flesh…
Write what you know is sound advice, but how do you write with authenticity if your work is speculative fiction?
For me, the answer is using what you do know (from first-hand experience/research), supplementing it with sensory writing (using all or some of the five senses) and adding your own fantasy elements.
My hero vampire in Shadow’s Embrace drove a red Ferrari (and we all know that red makes a car go faster!), but the heroine had no experience of a Ferrari—neither did the author until… I visited a prestige dealership and asked the salesman if I could inspect the Ferrari on the showroom floor. Much consternation followed my request, followed by relief and amusement when I explained who I was and what I wanted. Of course, I was never going to drive the car, but I did sit in the driver’s seat, then switched to the passenger’s side, where I could take notes, and experience the feel and smell of the leather seats, and the look of the expensive dashboard. In my book I was able to include a sensory description from my heroine’s point of view to give the reader an experience (authenticity) based on my own Ferrari research. Also included in this book was time-travelling where my characters arrived in colonial South Australia to thwart the villain. I was a volunteer at an historic home, where at times we dressed up in high society colonial garb. I used this experience in my book, with the heroine complaining bitterly about the stifling clothes.
I have a scuba diving licence; on several occasions, I have swum underwater with dolphins in their marineland pool. As I swam, I was escorted by 4 dolphins, one in front leading the way, one on either side of me and one behind. I could hear their excited squeaks and sonar pinging. I used this experience for a scene in my Starlight novel.
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| Kapunda reformatory |
What if your heroine is a time-traveller, or she visits a medieval-style world? Have you ever worn period costume? As a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) I have worn numerous styles of garb – ranging from early Norman (12th century) through to Italian Renaissance and Ricardian (mid 15th Century). In the 21st century most Western women take for granted the ease of clothing and the safety of their environment—as it relates to what we wear. All this is lost the moment one dons period garb. Dressed in my 15th century gown, I scorched my bell-shaped velvet sleeve when leaning across the table to reach the wine jug. (I could argue though, that it was my fault. A ‘lady’ never reaches across the table for anything—the servant or her lord should be doing that for her!) Your out-of-time heroine may have a similar accident, so why not use it to create a sensory moment for readers where cultures collide? Add a scene where the hero comes to the rescue and douses the flames (causing flames of another kind to ignite the two). Corsets, too, are a restriction that few of us now endure, but not so long ago ladies could scarcely breathe or move from whalebone corsets and lacings and wooden stomachers. I have worn corsets and I must say that how a vampire slayer can outwit her enemies in such garb is more poetic licence than authenticity.
In period garb, going to the bathroom is a challenge. Those voluminous skirts are cumbersome; you can’t sit down. You learn how to balance above the bowl with the billowing gown bunched indelicately high around your anatomy. But add to this the experience of doing it by candlelight, or moonlight (if one is in a camp, and using the latrine or ‘drop pit’). In your medieval time travel, or backwater world, your heroine will be battling not just the mechanics of the bathroom, but the smell… Again my experience of the above and those 5 senses come into play. And never forget the headdress – this is another balancing act to be overcome: one learns to walk and sit with head held at a certain angle.
I worked at a rural farm fair and one of the organisers convinced me to go aloft on a fire department “cherry picker” (aka boom lift). Prior to my elevation, the firemen harnessed me up, with hard hat, and safety lines, one attached to the cabin of the boom lift. I clambered up the fire truck, into the boom lift, and the senior fireman in charge of me attached my safety lines to the cabin. Finally, the ladder extended to its full height. It was terrifying and exhilarating. My friend safely on the ground was too scared to watch, and someone took a photo of me up there looking down from a great height. I have yet to use this experience in a book.
Warriors, armour and swords… Is your heroine a vampire hunter, or a demon stalker? Does she wear armour, use a sword? Have you ever wielded a sword (or a replica?) I have handled a broadsword and a Japanese katana. Have you ever worn armour, or a mail shirt? When I was dressed in a mail shirt, I was suddenly aware of how heavy it was, how cumbersome – again, if your heroine is new to the garb, then describe her reactions. There are many medieval societies and medieval fairs, so you can get first-hand experience. I have handled numerous weapons in my courtroom days, including wearing a ‘Dirty Harry’ 44 Magnum pistol and holster.
Death. When I read the description: ‘the smell of death hung in the air’ – I am fairly certain that the writer has never experienced the smell of death. I can describe it with authenticity. Even as I am typing this, I am returned to my court days where I handled manky exhibits. The sense of smell is all pervasive, and for my writing is probably the most powerful of the 5 senses.
Medieval food, dancing… again, first-hand experience can be gained from attending medieval events. These can be translated to your story line. The sedate pavanes or the energetic circle dances can create a sense of place and allow your hero and heroine brief moments of calm before the seductive chase is on again. Futuristic settings often use ballrooms and courtly dances and garb. (Firefly comes to mind).
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| Cutting a medieval cake |
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| Medieval dancing |
Many of my shifter stories feature cats. My latest book, Pawprints in our hearts, is a non-fiction story about rescue cats; I ‘know’ cats having been involved with cats for over 65 years, I bring my love and knowledge of cats to my shifter stories, authentic in part, as well as speculative, especially for my Starlight novel.
Angel in Yellow (published in 2015) was a short story I wrote following my experience of the Pinery bushfires: I was forced to evacuate my home. It was a harrowing time and one that still frightens me when I hear the fire sirens. An editor read my story and commented that the fire flames were too high. While I used poetic licence for some of the story (dragons and firefighters!) the actual size and intensity of the fire was authentic, borrowed from a fire in Australia in 2015, and I added my own experiences of fire, smoke and heat and panic to the story.
Always use your experiences to bring authenticity to your writing. Have fun with your research. I have never found an ‘expert’ unwilling to lend assistance to my search for authenticity. At times I think my visits (or phone calls) have been a welcome relief from the sameness of their work day.
Astrid Cooper
Writing professionally since 1998, her work regularly hits best-selling lists. When not writing and reading, she organises writing workshops and conferences, makes medieval/fantasy costumes and accessories, gardens, and rescues animals from abuse or neglect. She is a Reiki practitioner and reads oracle/fortune cards.
She is a qualified English as a Second Language (ESL) tutor, has a tertiary qualification in editing and works as a freelance journalist for her local newspaper
Visit Astrid at: coopercreativeunlimited.com
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