When you’re a writer, you tend to go down some weird rabbit holes doing research, and sometimes, it’s not even for things that end up in your writing. You might spend an hour and a half researching the worldwide effects of the French Revolution to ensure that a single throw-away phrase said by a character has the underlying meaning that you’re going for. Or, you might spend way too long looking up the exact combination of transportation it takes to get from Mumbai, India to Lhasa, China even though the level of detail included about the trip in the text is simply, “Two taxis, a bus, and a train ride later”.

I think I might have gotten a bit too specific there in the second example, giving away just how particular I get with the details in my writing. But my point is writers carry around a ton of random information in their heads. There’s a reason there are countless memes of people saying things like, “Pay no attention to my browser history. I’m a writer, not a serial killer.”

Unsurprisingly, sometimes this research can lead to new hobbies. If we’re honest, I’ve always been a little witchy. After all, I decided I wanted to be a Hex Girl after Scooby-Doo and the Witch’s Ghost came out and I was 8 then. I still wanna be a Hex Girl, if we’re honest.

But my obsession with all things witchy and weird has matured into something much closer to a real-life Wiccan in no small part thanks to the research I did prior to starting writing my current project (which I’m currently referring to as The Behemoth due to its unwieldy size which only seems to keep growing). For this project, I’ve bought pretty much every modern-day magic book I could get my hands on. I can see at least 12 sitting on my bookshelf as I write this. From a history of witchcraft to spells for everyday use, through reclaiming my feminine power and even guides on collecting plants for medicinal use, I’ve read them all!

This has led to a passion for learning about native plants and creating my own garden constructed primarily of native plants and other objects to encourage pollinators, as well as a passion for nature photography as I explore the beautiful prairies and wooded areas of the driftless area where I live. And it has taken me from simply being interested in the dark and spooky to flat-out collecting “natural curiosities” to decorate my house.

At the very least, my cats a huge fans of the random, interesting-smelling objects I bring home.

And how much of this, exactly, made it into the book?

So far, basically none. The native plant knowledge comes in handy when I need an edible plant that can be found easily in the woods, but the magic system in The Behemoth isn’t based on real witchcraft or modern Wiccan beliefs in any way. That’s all just background knowledge to help guide the choices I make in creating the magic for this universe. It also helps when you’re writing to have decor that gives off the same general vibe you’re going for in your story.

What about you? What’s the most random thing you’ve researched for a story? Do any of your favorite hobbies relate directly to writing?