* * I'm learning how emergency rooms work.

Y’all,

In recent weeks, I have been working simultaneously to finish The Spine of the Virginias and to start my new book, Union, WV.

With regards to the former, I have planned a trip to the far Southwest corner of the Spine, the junction point where Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky come together.  I will depart for this trip tomorrow.  My friend Benton Ward who I have met through the process of writing this book, will be my escort.  The junction happens to be in the middle of the Tug Fork River (Wet feet, anyone?).  I plan to spend the night with Benton and his wife Frances at their home in the community of Yukon, near War.  Benton, a retired coal miner, is a colorful character and I always enjoy my conversations with him.

With regards to the latter, I’m trying to learn as much as I can about the fictional situations that will happen in the life of my protagonist.  On his way from his home in Washington, DC area to Union, West Virginia, he suffers a serious motorcycle accident.  I spent an hour last week talking with a local emergency room doctor here in Blacksburg named Jane Weiseman who helped me understand the process of saving the life of an accident victim.  She invited me to see the emergency room at our local hospital, Montgomery Regional.  On Friday, I met her again at the emergency room and she showed me some of the equipment she uses.  I also had a conversation with a woman named Jennifer Redd who has split time in her career between being an emergency room nurse and an emergency medical technician in the field.  She was helpful as well.  I always appreciate the willingness of the people I meet to assist me in my understanding of their work and interests.

Much of the fun of writing these books is meeting new people and learning new things.  With their help, my novel will be more accurate and plausible.

Back on the road,

Michael