By Elaine Marie Cooper
Although I’m a nurse by
training, I had no idea what was worn by nurses in the 1970s. Were they still
wearing all white and those precipitously-placed caps on their heads? Why yes
they were, I found out. Contacting Redlands Community Hospital where my
fictitious character of Abby worked, I struck a goldmine: They had put together
a hardbound anniversary edition of their hospital’s history. “I can send you a
copy,” offered the public relations contact person. “Yes!” I tried to maintain
my excitement.
That one was fairly
easy. The real challenge came with the actual events that took place during the
commemoration events that spanned over a two-week time period in September and
October of 1977. I found a newspaper reporter who was willing to search the
archives and found an article that described the scene at the event where Tom
Brokaw spoke. Score!!
Other articles revealed
bits and pieces: What songs were sung, who spoke, what events took place. It
was a painstaking process of getting one piece of information at a time. No
Google search would satisfy the details that I needed.
I contacted one
historian in Saratoga Springs who referred me to another in nearby Stillwater.
I was referred to librarians who found details in their archives. All on paper
of course! Again, they were not put into the internet so there was not a record
online.
Then there were the 1977
airport scenes in my book. The differences in travel then vs now are astonishing.
No jet ramps to smoothly guide you onto your flight. You had to walk across the
tarmac and climb stairs to board. So what did the airport look like in Albany,
New York? A wonderful public relations gentleman sent me a photo that he found
from that era and emailed me other info so I could make the scenes accurate for
that time.
The police chief in
Saratoga Springs gave me a few details about uniforms, etc. in the late 1970’s.
I was connected to his email from one of the historians in that town.
It became a network of
wonderful, helpful persons who guided me until I gathered all the facts that I
needed. I mention each and every one of these precious contacts in my
acknowledgment section of Saratoga Letters and I’ve
sent out autographed books of thanks to most. I’m still trying to track down a
couple of addresses to send out all the copies of “thanks.”
I cannot wait until I
visit the Saratoga area next spring. I have on my agenda personally shaking the
hands of all those who patiently answered all my questions and took time out of
their busy schedules to look up information for me.
As writers, it’s so
important to be grateful to those who help us. And I am so very grateful to my
many new friends in Saratoga.
___________________________________________________________________
Award winning author Elaine Marie Cooper is the author of Saratoga Letters, Fields
of the Fatherless, Bethany’s Calendar and the
historical trilogy called the Deer Run Saga. She has been
captivated by the history of the American Revolution since she was young. She
grew up in Massachusetts, the setting for many of her historical novels. Her
upcoming release is Legacy of Deer Run (CrossRiver
Media, Dec, 2016), Book 3 in the Deer Run Saga. Cooper has been
writing since she penned her first short story at age eleven. She began
researching for her first novel in 2007. Her writing has also appeared in Fighting
Fear, Winning the War at Home by Edie Melson and the romance
anthology, I Choose You. She has also written articles for
Prayer Connect Magazine, Splickety Prime Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens,
and Life: Beautiful Magazine. She began her professional writing career as a
newspaper freelancer. You can read more at her
website/ blog, www.elainemariecooper.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/elainemariecooper
Facebook Author Page: www.facebook.com/ElaineMarieCooperAuthor Twitter: @elainemcooper
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