Over the past week or so I've been researching more than rewriting. The setting of my novel was a recent addition in the revision process, and putting a fantasy novel into a real place and time in history necessitates some research--even if it is a place where I've lived before. It's not like I lived in Romania under Ceausescu, and a lot had changed when I was there. 


So I've been reading some great books (my favorite right now is The Hole in the Flag by Andrei Codrescu), learning about the history of Romania in 1989 and the events of the real revolution. I'm trying to get as much as I can into the mindset of Romanians of the time. And, of course, that will also mean getting into the mindset of a communist--because not all of my characters are good guys. 


So today, when I saw some men handing out propaganda fliers for the American Communist Party at the East Atlanta Strut festival, I actually wanted one. Of course, getting one wasn't hard, since they were handing them to everyone. All my friends were obviously uncomfortable, not sure how to politely refuse the paper but reluctant even to touch it. As though the words might make their hands dirty. I, on the other hand, accepted it eagerly and immediately started reading it. 


One of my friends looked at me sidelong, a bit discomfited by my eagerness. "This will be great for my novel," I told her, and she looked relieved. I skimmed through it eagerly, looking for catch phrases and ideas that might help my story. 


Later, I was still reading it when I saw a police officer walk by. He looked at me suspiciously as he passed, and for a minute I felt afraid. But no, this is America, not Romania in 1989. We have free speech here. Nobody's going to arrest me or even start spying on me for reading anything I want. I didn't even need to defend myself, to explain to him that my interest was purely academic. 


But I'll probably get a bit more defensive and explanatory about my research if I ever start writing crime thrillers.