Research

Well my plan for this trip was to gather research in Denver. Now that I'm here in Denver the research is nothing like I could have predicted. I have written the section of the book where my characters are in Denver and when I was done I was not thrilled. It felt flat and forced. So I figured I needed to come to Denver and figure out why that was. A luxury I know.

I went to all the places I had previously figured my characters would go and took pictures, made notes, made friends, and had things happen no amount of my imagination could have dreamt up. Isn't that what research is for - I mean seriously. So here are a few of my favorite happenings and photos (some related to the story and some just crazy enough they needed to be documented).

This photo is hands down my favorite one I've taken since being in Denver. It's a good close-up-can-you-tell-what-this-is type photo. It's the bra and underwear racks at the Ross clothing store in Denver. That's a lot of undergarments!! All bright and colorful too. and yes I got several strange looks while taking this photo, but how could I resist.

Just after that I was sitting outside writing notes down while they were still in my head and this guy comes and says, "You a writer? You are a writer! I need someone to write my life story!" He then proceeded to tell me he was a homeless street musician who calls Denver his home and he's gonna make it big so just all you out there take note, I met the next huge flute player.

But of all the places I stopped and strange encounters I had, the best was the prayer revival that occurred in the middle of a baseball diamond. I'm not sure I can even do the feeling and the sight justice, but I can say I've lived to hear bible readings spoken from a pitcher's mound. A group of folks brought the spirit of the Lord to the inner city baseball field and I 'm not sure what it was all about, but I know it was something to see. Bowing, stamping, and clapping in the great outdoors just must sound better than in a church.