Research Trip

ByDeborah Raney
24 Comments

As you read this, Ken and I are waking up six hours from home in a campground in Alabama. We are on our way to Saint Simons Island on a research trip for the novel I’m working on.

I mentioned the upcoming trip in THIS post back in January.

Time has flown since then, and we are headed to Saint Simons Island (and Jekyll Island) in Georgia where my new novel, Who Stirs Up the Sea, is set. We’re taking several days to get there though, and last night, we had a beautiful campsite in Joe Wheeler State Park in Alabama overlooking Wheeler Lake.

The weather was perfect for opening up the camper, pulling down the screens, enjoying the views, getting started on our next book club novel, (and taking a lazy Sunday afternoon nap!)

One of the things I’ll be researching is what flowers grow on Saint Simons, and which ones are blooming this time of year. Does anyone know what these pretty wildflowers are? A garden app I have says maybe Crimson Clover?

Research isn’t usually one of my favorite parts of the writing life, but when it involves walks on the beach, researching flowers, trying area restaurants and coffee shops, and time spent with my best friend (and ace camper), I’m in!

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DEBORAH RANEY's first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title and launched Deb’s writing career. Forty books later, she's still creating stories that touch hearts and lives. Her novels have won RWA's RITA Award, the ACFW Carol Award, the National Readers Choice Award, and the HOLT Medallion. She is also a four-time Christy Award finalist. Deb is on faculty for several national writers’ conferences and served on the executive board of the 2,500-member American Christian Fiction Writers organization for 18 years before retiring in 2022. She is a recent transplant to Missouri, having moved with her husband, Ken Raney, from their native Kansas to be closer to kids and grandkids. They love road trips, e-biking, Friday garage sale dates, and breakfast on the screened porch overlooking their wooded backyard.

24 Comments

  2. Grok seems to confirm the flowers. The answer: “The flowers in the image are likely Crimson Clover (Trifolium incarnatum). They have distinctive bright red to magenta flower heads and are commonly found in Alabama, especially in spring months like April. Crimson Clover is often used as a cover crop and can be seen in fields, meadows, and along roadsides. The trifoliate leaves and the shape of the flower heads match the characteristics of this species.”

  3. Have a fabulous, productive and relaxing time away!!! Can’t wait to hear about the adventures and hunting you’ll be having and doing!!! Wonder what treasures you’ll find at some Southern sales and shops😂💕. Good thing KW likes the searches almost as much as you do!! Xo Mel

    1. He is definitely a good sport! And since this is a shorter trip, I left plenty of room in the camper to bring home some treasures! 🙂 Maybe some giveaway items for readers! Thanks, Mel!

  5. I loved “Who Touches the Mountains.” I laughed, cried, and celebrated this novel. I suspect I’ll feel the same about “Who Stirs Up the Sea,” especially knowing the author makes special trips to her settings to smell the flowers.

  8. Beautiful, Deb! Praying for a fabulous trip and lots of yummy food, great walks on the beach, and ideas for the story to abound!

  10. Welcome to Georgia! Even in the rain, the Georgia and South Carolina coasts are special places to be. If you ever have the time, take a trip to Cumberland Island. You start in St. Mary’s and take a ferry to the island. Visitors are restricted but it’s not too difficult to get a reservation. The ruins and that coastline are spectacular, but beware of ticks if you hike into the wilderness area. However, the rest of the experience makes up for that ickiness. After my first visit I wanted to set a story there and may do so yet. The setting could be a major character in the story.
    Enjoy your trip!

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