Very little fiction goes from your mind to the computer screen without some real thought and perhaps some research. I like to read about America of the past -- the present is fine, but I like to think about how we got to be who we are. So, when I start a new book I think about what I want to learn. With "Rekindling Motives," I picked the Prohibition era and created an old-time mystery with a current twist. When I started I didn't know the difference between a bootlegger and a rum runner. After reading a number of articles and a couple books, I knew enough to merge history with the mystery. I'm not too interested in clothes, so I would not set a story in New York's garment industry. The point is, unless your story takes place inside one character's head, you'll need to create an environment and set of circumstances that can interest a reader. Make sure you want to spend time with the topic.  (First published today on Squiddo.)