The Wright Connection: How Research Anchors Fiction in the Maddie and Nate Series
As many of you journey through the parallel lives of Maddie Cole and Nate Jacobs in my series, I wanted to share some thoughts about the research that shapes these stories and my approach to creating believable fiction, even when exploring concepts as mind-bending as quantum entanglement and parallel realities.
The Delicate Dance of Disbelief
Fiction, by its very nature, asks readers to step into a space of "what if." We temporarily set aside our knowledge that what we're reading isn't literally true—what literary scholars call the "suspension of disbelief." This term, coined by poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge in 1817, describes our willingness as readers to accept improbabilities in a story for the sake of enjoyment.
But here's my personal philosophy as a writer: I believe the less a reader must work to suspend disbelief, the more deeply they can immerse themselves in the emotional journey of the characters. Because the world portrayed feels authentic and the challenges Maddie faces as an engineer and the moral issues Nate grapples with feel genuine, I believe my readers can concentrate on the most important aspect: the fundamental human connections at their heart.
Grounding Fantasy in Reality
While the Maddie and Nate series explores the fantastical concept of quantum entanglement applied to human relationships—the idea that some souls are intrinsically connected across different timelines—I've worked to anchor every other aspect of these stories in meticulous research:
For Maddie's career as a mining engineer in a male-dominated field from the 1960s onward, researched pioneering female scientists who broke barriers during this transformative era, learning about both the technical challenges they solved and the social obstacles they overcame.
The Hope Point Inn in "Out of Time" is based on historic lighthouses that I've visited along the east coast of the USA and I've also visited Bar Harbor, Maine, so I could capture the unique atmosphere that forms the backdrop for Maddie and Nate's late-in-life connection.
The Royal York Hotel's Library Bar in 1970s Toronto, where Maddie and Nate meet in "Next Time," has been recreated from historical photographs, firsthand accounts, and archived menus to authentically capture that pivotal moment.
Even the blackout that throws them together in Next Time is based on an actual power outage that affected Toronto during that period. Sometimes truth offers us moments more serendipitous than anything fiction could invent!
Into the Archives: Researching 1966 Japan for "Our Time"
As I prepare to release the third book in the series, "Our Time," I've been immersed in the fascinating process of researching 1966 Japan, the setting where young Maddie and Nate will have their first encounter. This research journey has been both challenging and rewarding, taking me far beyond the comfortable familiarity of North American settings featured in the previous books.
My research began with countless internet searches, but I quickly realized that to truly capture the essence of 1966 Japan for my characters, I needed to go deeper. This quest for authenticity led me down some fascinating paths:
Films by director Yasujirō Ozu became invaluable resources, offering intimate glimpses into Japanese life during the late 1950s and 60s. His thoughtful portrayals of women in the workplace and the tension between tradition and modernity provided crucial insights into the social landscape Maddie would navigate.
The Imperial Hotel, the Frank Lloyd Wright designed masterpiece that still stood in 1966 (it would be demolished shortly thereafter), became a central setting in the story. I managed to acquire a rare Japanese textbook that documented the hotel's unique design just before its demolition, along with original postcards and artifacts from eBay that captured its splendor.
A 1964 edition of Fodor's Japan guide, another eBay treasure, has been indispensable for guiding Maddie and Nate's experiences. This contemporary travel guide reveals what visitors would have actually seen, where they might have stayed, and how they would have navigated Japan—details no modern research could accurately recreate.
The Japan of 1966 represents a fascinating moment in history. The country was experiencing rapid industrialization and modernization following the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, yet traditional values and gender roles remained deeply entrenched. Placing Maddie, with her unconventional career ambitions, into this environment creates natural tension that drives the narrative without requiring artificial conflicts.
The Quantum Inspiration Behind the Series
While the historical and cultural research grounds the story, the conceptual framework that explores how the same two people might connect differently depending on when they meet was inspired by my fascination with quantum physics, particularly the principles of superposition and observation.
This blend of scientific inspiration and historical authenticity allows me to explore questions that fascinate me: Are we fundamentally the same people regardless of our life circumstances? Or do timing and choices fundamentally alter who we become?
Why Accurate Research Matters in Fiction
My approach to research isn't about showing off historical knowledge or getting bogged down in technical details. Rather, it serves three essential purposes:
Eliminating distractions: When a detail rings false (like a character using technology that didn't exist or expressing attitudes incongruent with their era), it pulls readers out of the story. Thorough research minimizes these jarring moments.
Creating organic conflict: The social and professional realities of 1966 Japan naturally create challenges for Maddie that I don't have to contrive. The authentic limitations placed on women in engineering during this period generate genuine obstacles for her character to overcome.
Honoring readers' intelligence: Many of you have lived through these decades or have family members who have. You deserve fiction that respects your experiences and memories while still weaving an engaging narrative.
In "Our Time," I want readers to focus on the powerful connection forming between young Maddie and Nate without being distracted by historical inaccuracies or cultural misrepresentations. The emotional truth of their story can shine more brightly when built on a foundation of meticulous research.
The Balance: Where Disbelief Remains Necessary
Of course, I must still ask readers to take certain leaps with me. The core premise that we can explore three different timelines for the same two people requires embracing a framework outside our everyday experience. When you read about Maddie and Nate meeting as seniors in "Out of Time," as middle-aged professionals in "Next Time," and as young adults in the upcoming "Our Time," I'm asking you to journey with me through a thought experiment about connection, timing, and choice.
But my hope is that by making every other element, from historical settings to professional challenges to emotional responses, ring absolutely true, that central leap feels less like work and more like an invitation to explore a fascinating possibility.
Why It Matters To Me
I believe fiction at its best helps us see our own lives more clearly. By exploring how timing shapes Maddie and Nate's connection across different possible lives, perhaps we can reflect on the role of timing in our own relationships and choices.
Would we be the same people if we'd met our partners earlier or later in life? To what extent does the timing of our encounters with others shape our identities? These questions don't require quantum physics to be meaningful; they speak to the very human experience of wondering about paths not taken and connections that might have been.
As we prepare for the release of "Our Time" later this year, completing this trilogy of possible lives, I'm grateful to have readers willing to take this journey with me; to suspend their disbelief where necessary, but to recognize the emotional truths that remain constant across all possible timelines.