RESEARCH NOTES

Research for writing is a delightful journey of discovery. Below, I’ve included some of what I learned along the way.

The idea for this book came from my oldest son. He told me about a dream he’d had of a sorcerer who stole half a princess’s heart. I used that idea seed with his permission and combined it with the fairy tale “The Princess Who Never Laughed”. The result was Heartless Hette.

Can you find nods to these tales?

Names and Their Meanings

When writing a story, I choose names first based on nationality (in this case, German) then on name meaning. (See also the pronunciation guide at the beginning)

German Inventions and Discoveries

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_German_inventions_and_discoveries

Sextant:

“A common use of the sextant is to sight the sun at noon to find one's latitude. Held horizontally, the sextant can be used to measure the angle between any two objects, such as between two lighthouses, which will, similarly, allow for calculation of a line of position on a chart.”

https://www.naturepl.com/stock-photo-bluegreen-nature-image08129221.html

Erasmus Habermehl helped invent the sextant. Thus another reason for Erasmus’ name. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erasmus_Habermehl

Black Forest

“As deep, dark and delicious as its famous cherry gateau, the Black Forest gets its name from its canopy of evergreens. With deeply carved valleys, thick woodlands, luscious meadows, stout timber farmhouses and wispy waterfalls, it looks freshly minted for a kids' bedtime story.”

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/a/nar/688bf7f3-0556-4787-aff0-edfaea162660/1324973

Rowan tree: “The European rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) has a long tradition in European mythology and folklore. It was thought to be a magical tree and give protection against malevolent beings. The tree was also called ‘wayfarer's tree’ or ‘traveler's tree’ because it supposedly prevents those on a journey from getting lost.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowan#Folk_magic

For more about the Black Forest and some beautiful pictures:

A Court Fool

Germany kept the position of court fool long after he disappeared from other world courts. The court fool’s position was a contradiction with the scientific advancements and logical thought process of Germany, yet the rulers saw the value of his contradictions and his ability to see things from a different angle.

“And who but fools … was able to tell the truth to the great ones of the earth? Priests and pastors are too timid, and cameralists (German scientists) too bound up with the projects of the ruler.” Four Fools in the Age of Reason by Dorinda Outram.

Sapa

For part of Heartless Hette I wanted to use the example of an ancient poison that was also sweet. In my search for such an item, I discovered the ancient Roman sweetener sapa. It was perfect, with characteristics which increased the depth and breadth of the story. If you want to learn more about the history and effects of sapa: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/sugar-of-lead-a-deadly-sweetener-89984487/

Kobolds

Kobolds are very much like the kitsune of Japan. They attach themselves to a house or family and sometimes help them, while other times they play tricks on them. A person has to be very careful not to offend the household kobold. (If you want to learn more about kitsune, read my novel Fourth Sister).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobold

German Lullaby

The lullaby Hette sings for Konrad when he is fevered is a traditional German Lullaby, “Sleep, My little Prince, Sleep”, written by Friedrich Wilheml Gotter.

https://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=4039

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (ancient CPR)

When writing the scene where Konrad’s heart stopped, I wondered if there was any ancient form of CPR. I was delightfully surprised to find that it’s been around since the 15th century.

“Burhan-ud-din Kermani, a physician in 15th century Iran, was first to describe ‘Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation’ (CPR), in ancient Persia, as a combination of ‘strong movements and massive chest expansion’ (for induction and support of breathing), and ‘compression of left side of the chest’ (equivalent of cardiac compression).”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_cardiopulmonary_resuscitation#