Google Maps Takes the Fun Out of Research

In my work in progress, Vengeance Is Mine, the protagonist travels a lot. To make it easier for me, I only let him go to places I've been. That way I can create better descriptions of the locations. But the other day I wished I was in Albuquerque again to get a bit a detail I needed for a scene. I wanted there to be a house close to the Petroglyph National Monument, but I didn't know if there was one or not. In the old days, such research might require a tax-deductible trip to look around first hand. But, no longer.

Here's all I had to do. I opened Google Maps in my browser and typed in Petroglyph National Monument. Then I clicked on the little orange Google man and moved him to the streets around the park. I found just what I needed. There was a whole neighborhood near the park's parking lot. Close enough to serve my needs.

From Albuquerque, my characters went to Rowe, a small town in Massachusetts I know quite well, but a place where most people don't vacation. My memory of the place was good, but I had not been to a private airport in nearby North Adams that I wanted to use in the story. With Google Maps I was able to start at the airport and follow the road to Rowe. I learned there are many turns along the way. I looked for photos as I made my virtual trip in hopes of finding a winter scene but there were none. Luckily, I went to Rowe this year and a friend there had some photos taken while there was snow on the ground.

So, no longer must we go to a villa in France or spend time on a barge in the Netherlands to absorb details enough for a realistic description. All we have to do is turn on the computer.

BOOK REVIEW: Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

I loved the structure of this book. Perfect for the story that was told. The chapters alternated between Paris 2002 and Paris 1942. The 2002 story was told by Julia Jarmond, an American journalist living in France, married to a French man. The 1942 story was told by a ten year-old Jewish girl ousted from home and separated from her family. Julia's daughter Zoë, is eleven.

The two stories seemed unconnected at first, but the reader knew something would bring them together somehow. And it did. The young Jewish girl searches for safety and for her family. Julia searches for happiness, and eventually, she searches for the girl who would be in her seventies.

When the stories cross each other, the story of the little girl stops. The reader is left wondering what happened to her. As a Kindle reader, I can tell you this happened at the 57 percent read mark.

It is a work of fiction, but the events that happened in France during the 1942 time are based on facts. While this roundup of Jewish people by French police is described, it does not turn the book into a documentary. It remains an interesting story about the people affected by the event.

There is much more I would like to tell you about the story, but I don't want you to miss out on the surprises to come.

Where Love Once Lived Available Internationally

I've been finding Where Love Once Lived listed for sale in some strange places. Unfortunately, none of them seem to be working.

Peg Case sent me her favorite website for finding books: fantasticfiction.co.uk/ and there my book was. Well, if you know the ISBN anyway. Unfortunately, if you know the ISBN you either have the book or know where it's listed on Amazon.com. But, while looking at the website, I notices it showed the book is available at Alibris.

See: http://www.alibris.com/booksearch?isbn=978-1451511819. They will sell the $15.95 book to you for only $88.77. They mention it can be ordered from Warks, UK for only $32.89 plus shipping.

Amazon.com (see: http://www.amazon.com/Where-Love-Lived-Sidney-Frost/dp/1451511817?ie=UTF8&tag=sidwfroboo-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969) now shows there are some used copies available. They give you a choice of $15.95 new or $17.75 used. Wow, that's a tough choice. I think I would go with Amazon, especially if I planned to buy other books totaling $25 or more to save on shipping.

The used dealer any_book has a very good, a like new, and a new copy of the book in stock, all costing more than the new Amazon book.

the_book_depository_ actually beats Amazon's price. They are offering the book for $15.94 plus $3.99 shipping.

brandnewgoodsus is selling the book new for $16.32 plus $3.99.

I found the book listed on the Canadian, United Kingdom, French, German, and Japanese versions of Amazon.

On eBay, I found one copy available from a seller in the United Kingdom for $22.29 plus shipping.

A Google search by ISBN brings up the usual plus two companies in Japan. See: https://bookwebpro.kinokuniya.co.jp/booksea.cgi?ISBN=1451511817

The best deal is at Barnes and Noble online. See: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/books/e/9781451511819/?itm=1&USRI=where+love+once+lived

Here you can buy the book for only $11.48 plus postage. And, if you spend $25 or more, shipping is free. What I like is the part that says customers who bought this book also bought The ShackChristmas JarsThe Screwtape Letters, , , and so forth.

All very interesting. However, I haven't seen any sales statistics to show that any of these book resellers actually have copies of the books in stock.