By day, I’ve been in education since I joined the workforce, and so one of my favorite things about writing is how I get to teach and learn through storytelling. For example, in one omegaverse romance, my journalist FMC writes about alarming statistics for omega health and safety, but all the stats I used actually apply to Black women in the United States. In another vein entirely, later in that same book I got to write a rope play scene that required lots of fun research. Thank the gods for the internet, and the detailed videos rope play practitioners are willing to share with the rest of us!
I’d say that research probably made the FBI agent monitoring my computer blush, but since I’d already searched “human composting” prior to that, they might just be extremely concerned about my intentions at this point. (In my defense, it was just because I wanted to explore the feasibility of a world where the dead aren’t buried. The concept of burial freaks me out. Did I mention that the book in question and the rest of the Knotty Omegas books are available on audio?)
Honestly, the research rabbit holes are the best. I’ve learned so much world mythology while writing the Aegis Saga, as well as tidbits about the cultures behind the myths. While it is very natural for me to create inclusive worlds, I strive to do so authentically and respectfully. Though I know I can never capture the fullness of cultures other than my own, it’s always my hope that someone will feel seen in a small way when I include references to sayings, foods, stories, or other aspects of my characters’ backgrounds.
For example, I imagine that the Aegis Saga takes place in a far future, where they’ve maintained some of the ways of us, their ancestors. Macella’s adopted family has Creole roots, so as I worked on A Saga of Smoke and Sacrifice, I made sure to look into the folklore and language. When she refers to her sister as “cher” or her mother as “maman”, or when she has a *very* intense association with a certain monster she encounters, that’s an intentional nod to those roots.
Anyway, that’s just a glimpse of my research shenanigans but I hope to share more in future blogs. Did you catch any references in my books? Did you run across anything that made you curious about its origin or meaning? What other parts of my process are you wondering about now? I’m always happy to gab about writing, so ask away!
P.S. In case you were curious about those stats I mentioned earlier, here are the facts Genesis included in her fictional article “Disrespected and Unprotected: The Plight of Omegas in Modern Society.” And, yes, that title is a reference to Malcolm X’s famous quote about Black women in the U.S.
- Black women have higher rates of maternal mortality than our white counterparts and are 3 to 4 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. The specific condition I explored is one such complication. Black women are at twice the risk of peripartum cardiomyopathy as white women, take twice as long to recover, are twice as likely to worsen before getting better after diagnosis, and twice as likely to fail to recover altogether.
- Black women are at higher risk for chronic diseases, less likely to have access to quality care, and are less likely to receive appropriate diagnoses and treatment for reported ailments. Doctors often don’t believe our pain (studies show that half of medical trainees believe Black people have thicker skin and/or less sensitive nerve endings), and are more likely to label Black women as drug seeking than white women.
- Black women are six times more likely to be killed than white women. In some states, that number is as high as twenty times more likely. Last year, Black women faced the highest rates of victimization of any race: 27.2 violent crimes per 1,000 women.
