A huge part of the authors’ life involves research. Cheryl Adnams shares her process in ‘Talk About It Tuesday’.

I’m not sure how other authors feel about research but I love it. I love the process of beginning a new book by searching out all the information I need to know in order to deliver a believable story. I’m currently researching volcanoes and post-WW2 France. (Not for the same book of course).

Researching a book gives me the opportunity to learn more about something that I was probably already interested in. (Otherwise I probably wouldn’t be writing a book about it.)

My Muller’s Field novels take place in the gorgeous world that is McLaren Vale on the southern Fleurieu Peninsula. Muller’s Field is a fictional winery but it is based on my personal experiences with the myriad cellar doors and vineyards of the region. During my research trips to the wine region (and trust me there were plenty of them) I had the opportunity to interview many cellar door workers about the different aspects of wine making and in particular the harvest which takes place between February and April each year.

I was especially lucky to be involved in the Members Made program with the Yangarra Estate Winery at McLaren Flat. One early, early March morning in 2014, my friend and I drove down to McLaren Vale before sunrise to join a group of keen wine lovers at Yangarra Estate. For several hours we had fun picking Grenache grapes and were given an insight into all aspects of the growing, harvesting and wine making by the vigneron and vineyard workers.

Once our picking time was done we were treated to an amazing brunch and sensational Yangarra Estate wine (naturally) as well as a tour of the winery. The final icing on the wine flavoured cake was the opportunity to roll up our pant legs and foot stomp some of those grapes. It was hilarious fun and those grapes are surprisingly icy on the feet. That fabulous experience led to a particularly fun scene of my third novel in the Muller’s series, hopefully due out later this year.

In late January of this year my friend and I headed back to Yangarra Estate to help bottle and label the wine that we had helped pick. We were asked to sign our bottles and took away a nice collection of Yangarra Estate Small Pot Members Made Grenache. It’s something anyone in the general public can do and I highly recommend it.

This is only one of the many research experiences I have been blessed with since I started writing. There will be so many more to come I am sure and research, while an important part of the writing process, is such a wonderful way to tick off a few bucket list items as well.

 

Check out Cheryl Adnams’ books:

Chasing the Flames

New release - Common Ground