Frances R. Schmidt

Frances R. Schmidt

Stepping back into the 1900’s
Our journey into the past began when the Orphan Building Research Team parked our cars in the lot of the Church of Latter Day Saints Family History Center, waiting for their door to open. It was incredibly exciting, as we were greeted by two friendly research volunteers at the center. We came prepared with a list of basic questions; Who was Fred’s architect and his first owner? and How much did the land and the building cost in 1900?
When we found out the the name of Fred’s architect, we were so excited that we could have jumped up and down because our adopted building was becoming an important part of our lives!  We spent hours and hours learning as much as we could about our amazing architect, Edward F. Pickett.  We wanted to know: Where was he was born?, How old was he when he built Fred?, and What were his other accomplishments?
With solid advice from these diligent research volunteers, we knew it was time to take the next step into the world of historical research!

 

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Let the Research Begin!

It happened in 2012, six years after I first heard the plea of a desperate-looking empty apartment building located on the West Side of Buffalo New York. With no previous experience doing historical research, I knew it was going to be a “learn as you go” experience, but I couldn’t wait to get started!

I knew I needed to form a small research team of like-minded, “wannabe” researchers who loved the challenge of learning new skills, and I selected two special friends who were both enthusiastic about my project. We became a close team of three, determined to find out about the meaning of building #1469’s plea.  It took six years to begin this adventure, going back in time to 1900 and then slowly moving toward 2015. Before I could officially start work on this particular project though, I had to complete my second nonfiction job search book while working full time, as it was already in the works. Luckily, I was able to have two sabbaticals to work on that book, which was completed in 2012.

I prepared for this new research project by reading, reviewing, and then re-reading historical research books, in preparation for an adventure into the past. My other researchers, Pat and Janet, were willing to take a small hourly wage and to be paid twenty hours of work at a time. We mainly researched together bi-weekly and on our own. Stepping into the unknown was incredibly exciting!

…to be continued!

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Welcome to the Novice Novelist Blog!

I’m excited to begin a blog based on six years of experience working on my first historical fiction novel titled FRED: Buffalo’s Building of Dreams!  I couldn’t have accomplished this adventure into the past without the help from my Orphan Building Research Team, Fred’s Friends, an excellent typist, a great pre-publication editor, and a creative designer/branding coach who turned the material into an informative user-friendly author website.

I’m looking forward to sharing my insights and knowledge about writing a novel and what I’ve learned along the way. This website reflects FRED’s survival spirit and my goal of finding the perfect literary agent and publisher who will believe in this project, as much as I do!

Best Wishes,

Frances

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