Info Gems (in nature book research)

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Allegheny River, headwater, nature, non-fiction, research, river, spring, writing process

Near the Allegheny River headwaters.

Lousy title but sometimes that’s what it feels like to come across information that is exactly what you were looking for.

I have a new project about rivers in the eastern U.S. and I wanted to visit the headwaters of a particular river to, you know, start the book from when the river actually begins. My fieldwork last April got me to where the early, shallow stream crosses under the main state road but the spring that forms the stream is far back on private property beyond a large field.

An added glitch was that Turkey Hunting Season began that very day and, since I’d seen a turkey and turkey hunters on the road a few miles to the west, walking into unknown woods didn’t seem like such a good idea, private or not. So I left.

I admit I became a bit obsessed with finding an image of that headwater spring. I needed to see it. Were there rocks? Was the ground around it perpetually muddy? Did someone build a concrete basin around it? A building? Was it trapped in pipe?

Two nights ago, months after my own trip, I finally found the image and description I was looking for in someone’s online kayaking journal. Those that know me won’t be surprised when I note that I came a bit emotional, a bit teary-eyed.

It was as if my writing could now begin – at the beginning. River-wise, at least.

George Washington on a raft

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Allegheny River, Christopher Gist, Crossing the Delaware, George Washington, history, rivers

You never know what you’ll come across when researching information for a nature book…

As a kid, when I first saw the image of “Washington Crossing the Delaware,” I wondered why our future First President wasn’t sitting down – the small boat is full of men, it looks ready to tip over and there are large chunks of ice floating in the river.

The “answer” is in the book The Allegheny by Frederick Way Jr. (The Rivers of America series, Farrar & Rinehart, 1942). It appears that in 1753, when Washington was but 21 years old and a Major, he had delivered a letter to the French forces near present-day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. On the return trip, he and his guide, Christopher Gist, found themselves on the other side of the Allegheny River from where they wanted to be. It was early December and cold. The shore was frozen. Ice floated down the river. They were tired and just wanted this endeavor over with. So, being resourseful young men, they cut down some trees and made a raft.

By now, it was nightfall. But instead of waiting to set out until the next day, impetuous young men that they were, they immediately began poling across the flowing river. Chunks of ice in the water? No matter. We’ll just pole faster. That worked right up until an especially large piece hit the raft and knocked Washington into ten feet of freezing water.

Fortunately, the men were able to make it to the banks of near-by Six-Mile-Island in the middle of the river where they spent the night. But their raft was lost and they still had to cross the main channel of the Allegheny River.

Somehow both men survived the night and when they woke the next day, the river had frozen solid. So they just walked to shore.

My conclusion: Washington was determined that no ice-bearing river will get the better of him again and that risk-taking trumps common sense in the future leader of a new country.

(Image from Wikipedia of a painting by Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze.)

Natural Science book: Heelsplitter Mussel and other Imaginative Names

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animals, aquatic, common names, freshwater, insects, mussels, plants, research, writing

Research for a kid’s nature book is always a bit of an adventure, especially when you come across interesting common names. That’s when those gems, like the freshwater mussel called heelsplitter, show up. Add that to paddlefish, moonseed and frog fruit.

I think heelsplitter is one of my favorites although it makes me cringe to imagine why it’s called that. There’s also a type of giant water bug called toe-biter that’s actually big enough to catch tadpoles and small fish. I may never wade barefoot through streams again.

Many other common names are fun without being quite so scary. Consider the plants duckweed, lizardtail, lamb’s quarters and monkeyflower. Or the animals cricket frog, painted lady and daddy long-legs.

Wouldn’t it be interesting to have kids draw pictures of what they think a plant or animal looks like from just the common name? Or to make up names of their own and illustrate them?

You might want to check out the non-science book, Mixed Beasts, where Wallace Edwards has done just that, illustrating Kenyon Cox’s imaginary plants and animals such as the “bumblebeaver” on the cover. (Cox’s original edition with black and white line art was published in 1904.)

Things get pretty interesting when nature and imagination come together.

Natural Science book: The Idea

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deserts, natural science, publishing, research, writing

My first book, America’s Deserts, Guide to Plants and Animals, began as a plan to create something about local plants and animals. To get kids excited about the nearby foothills, one mile from Mayflower Elementary School where I taught science.

My first thought was rattlesnakes. Proabably because we’d had a few in our backyard. And rattlesnakes got me excited, although not actually in a good way. So I glued together a little booklet, 3 x 4 inches, with computer generated drawings and a simple description of two types of rattlesnakes.

But that didn’t seem broad enough. At least, not to get published. I changed the book to include rattlesnakes within the scope of California deserts. Then, the more I thought about who would read or use the book, the more I realized my audience would likely be limited to California.

An even broader scope was better, hence, America’s Deserts. All of North America. Besides, four of the six deserts on the continent occur in California anyway. And, as a bonus, two deserts were within a couple hours of my home. Easy access for field research.

I also learned that before moving beyond “The Idea,” 3 other elements need to be considered: Resources, Passion and Need/Market. Unlike fiction, you can’t make up facts in natural science as you go along. You need resources: Internet, reference books, people, field work. And you need passion – a lot of interest in your subject since it may take 1-2 years of work to finish your book. Lastly, who cares? Is there a need? A ready audience? You may have to convince a publisher of the market so you better know what it is.

Next post: Resources

My Natural Science Side

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marine biologist, natural science, nature, non-fiction, plants and animals, science educator, SCUBA, writing, writing process

Wearing my wetsuit with my grandmas

When I was about ten years old, I wanted to be a SCUBA diver. Since my parents told me “No,” (although my mother actually said, “Girls don’t SCUBA dive.”), I decided to become a marine biologist so SCUBA diving would be part of my work description and I would have to do it. So there, Mom.

I’d always liked being outdoors, climbing trees, exploring the hills and fields near our home. I may have majored in biology anyway. Still, I thank my mom for helping cement that love of nature by tapping into my rebellious side. And at fifteen, after finally wearing down my parent’s resolve, I got my SCUBA certification.

I ultimately became a science educator and natural science writer and illustrator. My shelves are filled with books on plants and animals, biomes, trail guides and copies of my own books on ecosystems in North America. Even my fiction manuscripts connect with nature in some way. It’s a huge part of what I do and who I am.

Soooo…while I work on my latest non-fiction, natural science book, I’m going to share the process. The manuscript and artwork are due in about 4 months – come with me for the final push toward the finished book.

Next post: “The Idea”