Ireland Here We Come!
Blog – Irish trip & research
I wrote this blog before we left for research, but security issues being what they are, I’m going to be posting some of the blogs out of order. It’s a shame a few bad apples spoil things, but there it is.
I’m sitting in my office, just after dawn. The sky is still all light and shining with the blue color only now fighting its way through all that LIGHT! The air feels cool and calm, the day stretching ahead full of promise and possibilities, and yet . . . but . . . There’s always an, and yet, or a but, or so it seems of late.
We are supposed to be getting on a plane for Ireland today, yes you read that right. We are headed to the Emerald Isle. We’ll see you all in London in August, but we’re leaving early for research. The book I’m currently working on is mostly set in Ireland, and because I’ve never, ever been there I’d put off this story for years. Wait, I kept telling it, and it waited. Don’t push, I said, and it didn’t push. Other ideas pushed hard and fast and paid no attention to my orders, or my requests, or even my pleading with them, because they were ready to be born, so I wrote them as they clamored to be written. Story ideas for me are like baby birds in a nest, the loudest voice and tallest held mouth gets the worm, and will fledge first, but unlike real life where the tiniest nestling can starve and die while it’s bolder siblings thrive, ideas don’t die for me. They live, they wait, and they bide their time.
This book has found it’s time. It’s eager, excited, demanding to be written, and the damn thing is set in Ireland. It’s set in a specific part of the country that I have never seen or even read about before the book decided it was set mostly there. I’ve only had this happen once before and that was with my book, Obsidian Butterfly. It is set in New Mexico, which I’d never visited. My character, Edward, insisted that he lived in New Mexico. In fact he insisted he lived somewhere between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico. I argued with him. “You’re a fictional character. I made you up. You cannot possibly live in a place that I’ve never seen or even read about. You’re part of me, how can you go some place I’ve never been?”
When I stepped off the plane in New Mexico and saw those low, black mountains, that desolate, near alien landscape, I said, “Well, son of a bitch, you do live here.”
I have no idea how Edward, alias U. S. Marshal Ted Forrester, decided he lived in a place I’d never seen or read much about. He’s always been a character that went off on his own, and then would come back and tell me what he was doing, and some of what he had done. He keeps his secrets, even from me. Which is a very peculiar feeling for a writer, since I’m supposed to be making him up as I go, but somehow he has enough life of his own that he tells me what he’s doing, and surprises the hell out of me, a lot.
I should have known that Edward would be in a book that was insisting on being set in a part of the world I had never seen. I can’t say I haven’t read much about Ireland, because I have been a serious lover of this section of the world for a long time. I’ve read the myths and folklore of Ireland, Scotland, England, and though I know they are part of England now, Cornwall, Wales, and almost every part of these myth-ridden islands. I was a serious Anglophile in my teens and dreamed of visiting all of it someday, though I don’t think I ever believed I’d manage it. Traveling to such far off places was for other people, not for girls living in the middle of farm country, raised below poverty level, so it turned out. I knew we didn’t have money, but I never felt poor in the sense that the word, “poverty”, makes me think. I never felt impoverished, I just knew we didn’t have money. I’m not sure anyone I ever knew as a young child ever traveled out of the country for anything except military service.
I’ve been to England twice. I’ve seen Rome and Milan in Italy. I’ve been to Paris and found it as romantic as advertised, which I didn’t think possible. Admittedly, I was with Jonathon and almost anywhere I go with him is romantic. But we both really enjoyed Paris and look forward to going back and taking Genevieve and Spike with us. I could live for a few months in Rome, or Paris, but strangely didn’t enjoy London all that much. What captured me in England was the countryside. Glastonbury, Avebury, and all the Salisbury Plain area spoke to our heart.
The closest we came to Ireland on that trip was seeing it from the air. I remember thinking, wow, it’s so green. This time we get to see all that verdant green in person. I’m so excited, and a little intimidated. First by the flight, because I’m terrified of flying, and second, by trying to write about a country I’ve never seen before. There’s always a pressure to get it right on paper. I’ve already started making contacts with people I need to help me with researching the book I’m writing, the book you’ll read next summer, and research in England for a book after that. Though both of these books are Anita Blake books, I’ve also had Merry Gentry whispering around in my head, or rather other characters from her books. Merry is silent, content with her new babies and trying to find happiness after grief. But her world is moving around in my head as I look over the books on Ireland that I used for research in her stories. This trip might make the Merry fans get the next story sooner, might, I don’t know yet. All I know for certain is the two books I am absolutely researching while I travel across the pond.
22 thoughts on “Ireland Here We Come!”
Comments are closed.
As a fellow mid-west native (NE KS) I too have always dreamed of visiting Ireland, and have many times – through many different books and stories. Some day I WILL see it in person – I maybe 83 and toothless by that time – but I WILL see it! Enjoy your trip and PLEASE continue to expand the mind of your readers with the stories that visit you!!
I wish you all safe travels! I am excited to see what gems you find across the pond, and your trip fuels my excitement over my trip this autumn~!
I hope you enjoy Ireland ! As a Dubliner I should say there is no where better than the capital but I love the west coast the small towns and the people but its the land that will hold your attention, the mountainous areas of corkkerry are beautiful as are the inland plains, city’s are not my this as much as I live in one but out side of it so much better
I, too, am an anglophile and dream of the day I can visit Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, and all the other interesting spots in the British Isles. I am so looking forward to your next book set in lovely Ireland.
Ireland. How wonderful. The home of the Sullivan’s, Hallinan’s, O”Connors….my ancestors. I am so excited to read this next book (or two). Much happiness on your journey. “Erin Go Bragh”.
Myself and two of my close girlfriends when to Ireland a few years back. We rented a cottage and a car and toured on our own. It was the best trip of my life. The people were wonderful, the countryside amazing and even greener than the photographs can capture. The roads were a nightmare and if you rent a car, get insurance!!!! The drivers are really bad and we saw a bus side swipe 4 cars parked on street and keep going. If there’s a soccer game scheduled, allow an extra hour for travel time. The cemeteries have graves stacked atop each other so are almost all on hills. The only thing that disappointed me was the lack of Celtic history sites. It was like they wanted to ignore that part of their history.
Hello Carma, glad you enjoyed your visit to Ireland and I hope you will find the driving somewhat improved next time you visit! Just in case you do come back, or in case someone else reads this who would like to visit some sites of celtic interest, I can recommend the following : Newgrange of course is our most famous neolithic site, and the focal point of many celtic legends, but other important sites include the hill of Tara, Rathcroghan in Roscommon, and Lough Gur in Limerick. In addition the countryside is littered with ancient tombs, ogham stones and early Christian (still celtic) sites, all of which are protected by the state and of which the Irish are very proud. You’ll appreciate of course that much has been lost over the course of 2000 and more years but what remains is in no sense ignored
The cottage we rented was not to far from Roscommon and I loved the castle ruins there. I was impressed by the burial mounds and the preservation of the sites. The one thing that fascinated me most was a stone “neo gothic” archway that was sitting in a field all by itself with no other signs of ruins. The possibilites of stories behind it fired my imagination. I can’t imagine how great it would be to live in a place with so much heritage and history that you can visit, touch and be inspired by. In our 10 day stay, we took enough pictures to fill up 4 700 mb cd discs.
Actually southern Ireland is independent, northern Ireland is still part of England which adds to the tensions. My husband moved here from Ireland 6months ago and he has opened my eyes to how little most Americans know about the world outside.
Ooh, it’s a truly magical place! I got married over there in southern island , took the whole wedding , the
cake and even our own alter over in a horse box. Lock stock and 3 dogs. Cloghan castle in loughrea, co Galway . You will never want to leave, Ireland captures your heart and Never lets go !! Have a creative ,magical , romantic time .
Just so nobody inadvertently gets themselves into hot water while visiting Ireland, or indeed Scotland and Wales, can I point out that being an anglophile means you have a love of England and things English. The history of the region is such that while the Irish, Welsh and Scots get along fine with the English nowadays, they don’t appreciate being lumped in with them, anymore than a French person would enjoy being described as Germanic!
Security issues??? Tell the idiotsto shut the *(^% up. You should not need to botherwith this sort of thing! That said enjoy your trip. If you get to Scotlandbe sure to see the fairy road on Mc Intosh land. It is said that if you walk this road at the right time you will go to or end up in Fairyland. They have a flag that if they fly it in battle they cannot lose. It is much smaller than it started out as various Lairds have carried a piece of it when on service. The Myths are omnipresent and many believe them even now. Its the same in Ireland. One problem Jon my have in Ireland is that the beer actually has taste unlike 99% of North American crap. Tell him to start with Smithwicks ( my favourite ) and expand from there. If you need Gaelic research I suggest you lookto Cape BretonIsland in Canada. They have the largest Gaelic University in the world there. Even the street names there are in both English and Gaelic. Have a great trip and enjoy wherever you wind up.
Firstly, I know what it is for characters to stubbornly dictate things. I have one who likes to treat my plot like a jump rope. But the paths they push us down do lead to such interesting places.
Secondly, I hope you enjoy your stay on our fair island, and that it brings you inspiration, I know it has inspired my stories. Whether it’s the bustle of our cities, the darkness of our wilds or the strength of our history that you’re looking to explore, I know that what you seek is waiting for you.
Kristen is right- there’s a big difference between Northern & Southern Ireland! You’ll be needing to try a proper pint of Guiness while you’re there, and it’s worth asking locals about their family history/local myths if you’ve the time… The Irish are famously wonderful storytellers! Enjoy and remember to toast people with ‘Slainte!’ at the Pub!
I await your thoughts on my beautiful and intriguing country of Ireland and am anticipating your new books (especially Merry’s) will be influenced positively by your trip here. Hope you enjoy the atmosphere and weather.
Enjoy your trip. I hope it’s everything you want it to be and serves up some pleasant surprises, as well. I’m heading there in October, so am very interested in hearing what you have to say about it. Funny that as soon as I read you were going there for research, I thought of Merry. Miss her.
Wales is a separate country, that connects to England, its not actually part of England. whereas Cornwall is actually a part of England. Ireland is a funny place as its split into two, the republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. only northern Ireland is part of the UK, but not part of Great Britain. One uses euros and the other pound sterling. Hope you have a nice trip, there’s lots of great sites to see and places to visit, remember to wrap up warm its getting colder at nights, and that any pounds sterling you changed for London you can use in Northern Ireland but you might need some euros if your visiting The republic of Ireland. Hope we get a new Merry book soon, her story needs told. 🙂
I just wish all countries over the world would stop saying Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are part of England. We are part of the UK, or Great Britain. We are not part of England. The Islands aren’t England split up into sections. It is split up into different countries that have there own parliaments, and the British Parliament is in London. Scottish Laws, Schools, Health systems, different national flags etc are totally different from English ones. We are separates countries, separate cultures, separate money (try spending a Scottish note in England), so please everyone don’t clump us all together as English or as part of England.
Have a wonderful time. Am so wishing I was going with. Never been but hope to some day.
There are days I think I am as fascinated by the processes you use to write your books as I am by the finished products! I cannot wait to see what this trip inspires! Enjoy and be safe!
One of my life goals is to visit Ireland. My name means Ireland in Gaelic, so it would be a shame if I never made a trip there! My aunt and uncle go every year to visit family and I am insanely jealous! I can’t wait to see how the book turns out! I’m sure it will be fantastic as always. Research makes all the difference between good writers and great writers. Have a wonderful time and safe, uneventful flights!
Ireland was the first place I traveled to on my own when I decided that the world was huge and I wanted to see as much as I could. Why Ireland first? To get my feet wet travelling alone, to go where I would understand the language, and people looked like me. Also my ancestors are much from Ireland Just a start.
I LOVED Ireland – Ireland is green like I’ve never seen green before. All the shades of green you can imagine and some you can’t. The countryside is beautiful, the people kind and welcoming and surprisingly to me – the food was amazing.
I love the history (being American we don’t have much compared to other countries) – so I loved loved loved the history. I loved passing by a ruin of a fort just right out there to see – or stumbling across an Ogham stone.
I hope you enjoy/enjoyed your trip and it fuels your soul.