Writing Historical Romance and Historical Mysteries, I do a great deal of research trying to get the period details correct. Most of the time I find this enjoyable. I chalk it up to a love of learning in general, especially for any subject pertaining to history. I also have a drive to get things just right—the period costumes, the social etiquette, the etymology of a word or phrase. Nothing thrills me more than discovering a historical event, the less well known the better, and finding I’m able to weave it into my plot or characterization in some way. Research fires my imagination and excites me. Most of the time. 

There are those tedious moments when I realize I need to come up with a food dish that I haven’t already used in my writing twenty times, or locate a flowering plant that will bloom in northern England in the autumn. (Food and flora are not my fortes.) I’ve also recently stumbled upon another subject that does not excite me—jewels. At first the study I began making of gemstones seemed fascinating, but I quickly discovered how tedious it could be. You would think every woman would enjoy studying jewels from alexandrite to zircon, but not me. Apparently, rocks and minerals are also not my strength, no matter how shiny they are. 

However, I persevere. Because the reason I’m even researching them in the first place is intriguing enough to sustain me. And who knows? Maybe this practical knowledge will come in handy later, like when I’m trying to convince my husband to buy me something pretty.