Lisa asked Jennifer McMahon:

When researching for a new book, do you mainly work from home, or do you get out and go to libraries or visit the places in which the stories are set?

Jennifer McMahon Thanks for the question, Lisa! The research I do depends on the book. Some research I’ve done for past books: calling the Vermont State Police to ask particulars on how they’d handle a certain crime, exploring the bogs of Vermont, visiting old New England mills and mill towns, and interviewing a friend who grew up in a family run hotel. I definitely take advantage of my beloved local libraries, too, looking at old newspapers on microfiche, finding collections of old letters and diaries, and reading tons of books and articles on everything from early Vermont farming to necromancy. For my next book, The Drowning Kind, I did a lot of research on Vermont in the late 20s and early 30s and on early hotels and spas in New England. I find research very inspiring – when I start down the research path I never know what I’ll find or where I’ll end up (very much like the process of writing!) and it always helps to expand and shape the story in sometimes unexpected ways.

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