Down the Rabbit Hole: Authors love research!

Oddly enough, one of the things most authors really do love about crafting a novel is the research we do into the subjects we’re writing about. My fellow writers and I swap stories all the time about the rabbit holes we fall into while researching a fun topic. We joke, too, that it’s often a good thing authorities can’t see our search histories. Imagine what could happen to those of us who Google “what poisons can kill without leaving a trace?” or “where can you buy plutonium?”.

Fortunately, I didn’t have to look into anything too nefarious for my latest release, “Heating Up Paradise.” My biggest research project was learning about the training and lives of smokejumper firefighters, and about the characteristics of wildfires.  I thought I’d share a few of the amazing tidbits I discovered that didn’t make it into the book.  Fun fact: 98% of the information learned on any given subject doesn’t reach the reader—but everything an author learns gives what is in the book its believability. 

At the beginning of "Heating Up Paradise," my hero, Damien Finney, is a rookie smokejumper.  I had a great time learning about everything Damien had to go through in order to make it onto a smokejumper crew--and, boy, was I impressed with these men and women!

We’ve all heard of Hotshots—the amazing firefighters who trek into the heart of wildfires and fight for days at a time. Smokejumpers take wildfire fighting to the next level by parachuting into areas that are burning but are unreachable by foot or vehicle. Currently, there are fewer than 350 certified smokejumpers in the country. Here are a few more smokejumper facts.

“Smokejumping” was pioneered in the United States, and smokejumpers have been active here since 1939. The first women joined the smokejumper program in 1981. 

 Smokejumper training is extremely rigorous, and crew members have to pass the physical tests every year in order to remain on their crews.  The minimum physical training test at one of the biggest bases in the country consists of the following:

            7 pull-ups

45 sit-ups

25 push-ups

Run 1.5 miles in less than 11 minutes

They also must be able to carry 110-pounds of gear a distance of three miles in 90 minutes or less—to prove they can pack out their gear after a fire, sometimes up to 10 miles or more.

In addition to physical fitness, smokejumpers have to have further specialized skills:

Aircraft exiting procedures

Parachute malfunction and emergency procedures

Parachute maneuvering

Parachute and cargo retrieval

Tree climbing

Fire line operations and management.

Smokejumper suits are custom made because they are so specialized—with high collars, heavy padding to cushion landings and friction rings to help them climb up and down trees. Smokejumpers are their own tailors and they also repair all other equipment like parachutes and harnesses.

One of the most important members of a smokejumper crew is a spotter. This is an expert with years of experience who can gauge the fire, wind speed, and geography from the plane so that he or she can coordinate the jumps and make sure the firefighters land safely.

When fire activity nationwide is low, smoke jumpers participate in disaster relief, emergency management, and act as advisors for other fire suppression work. They also help in many situations where parachuting isn’t required—they are the elites of the firefighting world and many have advanced degrees in wildfire management and fire rescue.

One of the things that got me interested in smokejumpers many years ago was reading Nora Roberts’ 2011 book “Chasing Fire.” It's the story of a brilliant female smokejumper wrongfully accused of causing a fellow firefighter’s death. The detail in the book is astounding, and after all my research, I believe it was accurate, too.
That’s one of the reasons writers like research so much—one little thing sparks an interest, takes us “down the rabbit hole” to learn more and, with luck, results in a book we’re proud to share!

I hope you enjoyed sharing a little of my recent research. What books have drawn you in over the years because they contained information on a subject you love or learned to love by reading?

Lizbeth Selvig

Heating Up Paradise -- Book 5 in the Seven Brides for Seven Cowboys series. 

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