The value of research

Someone recently asked me how I do my research and how important it is to a book. I think the best way to explain "good" research is by giving an example of "bad" research.
I am sure this author did not do this intentionally, and I have no idea any more who the author was, but the book was "The Irishman." It was a historical romance. It was set on the Minnesota/Wisconsin border. The author said the states were divided by the Red River.

I happen to live in North Dakota, right across the border from Minnesota. What separates the two states? The Red River! It really should not have been that hard to figure out which river separates MN from WI. It is a pretty well-known river. It is--the mighty Missippi!

What difference did that make? I was so disappointed in the seeming lack of research that I almost didn't read the book. And it was a really good book. It had, above all, one completely redeeming quality: she used a line in it that I had never heard anybody say except my father. The line? "I ain't had this much fun since the pigs et my little brother." We would always tell him, "But you don't have any little brother." He would grin and say, "Of course not. The pigs et him."

Why does that come to mind now? I recently taped a radio interview with Connie Gotsch, for her Write On! program. It won't air until Feb. 15th and 17th on NWPR, but after it is on the air, you will be able to hear it on the Internet.
We got to talking about research. I told her about the pigs and my not-so-real uncle. She laughed and said they used to say that, but it was a cat that ate the baby brother. Well, I guess wherever she grew up, it wasn't quite as agricultural an area as it was where my dad grew up. It took a pig to eat what her little kitty cat got away with.

And as for research, I was thrilled beyond words when the curator of Dunnottar Castle, after reading Dunnottar, asked me where the painting of the little girl, Judith Hastings, was. He said he had been to every museum and art gallery he could find in Scotland, and hadn't been able to locate it. I had to weigh my answer carefully. Should I tell him the truth, or leave him wondering.

If you really want to know, add a comment and include your email address and I'll send you the answer. I'd love to get your guess! Make it a great day.