I had forgotten to publish this it seems. This is from late October.
The 1950 book finally has a working title: Goodnight, Irene.
Research over the past week has included:
- Locating the FBI offices in NYC in 1949-1950
- Pictures of Foley Square and the walk from there towards the old Radio Row
- Two books on the FBI to be written up
- Multiple downloads from the FBI website of forms and agent dossiers
- Start of research on Chinatown
- Start of research on Newark
Issues stemming from research:
Originally, I had thought of the protagonist as living in Newark. This would make the FBI’s presence more feasible as well, as it would mean the crime crossed state lines (NY-NJ).
However, the problem is that… well, what do I know from Newark? Is it really worth it for the story to force this, and the six additional months of research it would require for me to understand the area enough to write about it intelligently? Most importantly, would it even make sense for the story?
I feel like the venues need to be tighter. This is NOT a sprawling story like the others. The locations are small and well-defined. Hopping between Newark, Manhattan and New Jersey doesn’t quite make sense.
Perhaps I could consolidate to northern NJ (Newark? Add Montclair?) and lower Manhattan? May make sense to add NJ what with Free Acres in the other book and all.
Edited to add: found out there was an FBI branch office in Newark so it would not have made sense for agents to come from NYC anyway. Scene stays set in Manhattan. Part of me is saddened by this. I like them being ordinary people–and NY has such an aura of fantasy around it. I prefer in many ways thinking of them as outside that orbit. Close, but not touching. It’s a strange dynamic that people outside–people that come to NY from outside the suburban area–don’t understand. You feel as though you are a part of it, you feel the pull of it’s gravity, but you are not part of New York. Not really, no matter how much you think you are. Being there is different. And I’m not quite sure that’s what I want to reveal–being in NY.