In many an author interview, I get asked how I research my novels. The short answer is that I do it wrong. I’ve been to enough lectures, workshops and classes to know this. But I’m stubborn and refuse to change.
Why?
Because my method works for me.
And I like it.
For lack of a better description, I immerse myself in my subject. Since the Redaction books have been about science and I’m a scientist, this was good and didn’t make me don the freak hat and stand on stage. Not so the case when I was researching the Victorian era.
Those weird words crept into my speech, my writing (which is good) and into my mannerisms.
Not cool.
But they were fun books to write and I’ll be returning to the past next year.
Whoops, off topic.
Okay, so since my friends, family and coworks have been wondering about my reading choices, I thought I’d share some of the novels that went into researching the Redaction novels. (And no one will wonder why our head of security wants me on a terrorists watch list)

Voices from Chernobyl–first hand accounts of radiation sickness and why people are moving back in, plus the social implications assigned to the people who survived this disaster.

The Truth about Chernobyl–more of a technical look at the meltdown, touching on 3 mile island and eeriely almost predicting Fukushima.

The Last Train from Hiroshima-survivors look back–where I learned that burning human flesh smells like charred squid

How to Survive the End of the World as we know it–not really as good as it sounds but I love the title so much I bought 2 copies. DOH!

Natural&Herbal remedies–interesting but so far I haven’t used anything in it.

MiniFarming on 1/4 acre–Some of which will be used in December’s release

The Unthinkable: Who survives when disaster strikes and Why–I love this book. Lots of examples and rational explanations of human behavior.

Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why
Deep survival: Who lives, who dies, and why–More about the author and his ego but has some interesting stories smooshed in.

The Survival Game: How Game Theory Explains Cooperation and Competition. Soulless but interesting (if superficial) view of our species.

When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff you need to survive when disaster strikes. Love, love, love this book. It’s easy to understand and to read.

Emergency Food Storage and Survival Handbook–Lots of good information in here.

SAS Survival Handbook and SAS Urban Survival Handbook–If you are completely clueless this will help you. If you have any common sense, these will be a duh kind of moment and make you hide them from folks you don’t like:-)

The last group raised some eyebrows, but I needed to know how people who are forced to give up everything they’ve know and live in close proximity will act. Who in all of human history has done that? Prisoners of war (minus the torture), refugees from war torn countries, and lastly the Chilean Mine works who were just trapped for 66 days. While they may seem like a disparate group, they had the same behaviors.

German Boy: A Refugee’s Story–An amazing journey of a 10 year old at the end of WWII and what his family did to survive. Kudos to Muttie for her sacrifice and determination.

Miracle in the Mines: One man’s story of strength and survival in the Chilean Mines. Although a little preachy at times, the faith and belief in a higher power is consistent with all the other survivor’s stories.

Faith of My Fathers–Despite wanting to vomit every time I even think of John McCain (yes, I am a naturalized Arizona native and grew up with this man representing my state–hence the vomiting part), Senator McCain was a part of the POW cultures during his imprisonment in the Hanoi Hilton. And I’ll admit it was a good book, especially about military culture.

Voices of the Vietnam POWs: Witnesses to their Flight–more of an overview on how the ‘Return with Honor’ culture developed than on one particular POW (although several have whole chapters about them)

So that’s just some of the stuff floating inside my head. A rather scary place indeed:-)