…or research ’till your eye balls fall out.
I am working on my second novel, “Wild Violets”. It takes place during a period in 
America’s history that I am somewhat familiar with but not nearly enough as it turns out.
The story is going well, I am happy with the development of my characters. Suddenly I realized my (sketchy) heroine had a bar during the years of prohibition. Ops! So I quickly changed it to a speakeasy with illegal booze, which made the story even more interesting. Now Violet had to dodge the coppers and the Mob!
I have two photographs of Violet in the fashion of the day. Not nearly enough information to write an entire story. With a few clicks, using the Internet, I can research time lines, facts and fashion.
The fashion of the roaring twenties is fascinating. Women were just coming out of being laced up, tied up, strapped up and cinched up so tight that they often fainted from lack of air! The tiny waists (even if you didn’t have one naturally) and the huge bell sleeves were gone. Suddenly fashion dictated sexy, loose soft fabrics, with a suggestion of revealing more, but still covering up the female form.
The feminist women of the 20’s were called ‘flappers‘. They worked all day and danced all night! And Violet certainly did that! Worked a twelve-hour day in her bar and grill, ran upstairs to her apartment, refreshed her makeup, donned her bright red dress with the fringe and piled into a town car to hit her favorite road house. Seeking the coldest gin and the hottest jazz!
