Research, as seen by Nonfiction Writers

A bunch of us nonfiction authors (yes, it was the group of ALA speakers, plus others) were talking about doing research. Right in the middle of the discussion, Kelly Milner Halls (whose blog is here) spoke up and put into words the way we all feel about it --

"There is never enough room (in one book) for all the great stuff you find doing research. But that, too, can inspire new books. I have two new proposals drawn from pieces I couldn't use in two other books. Once you get rolling, there aren't enough
hours in the day. It's a fun job, isn't it? Lord, I love writing nonfiction for kids. Just feel excited every morning when I wake up to work on the next thing on my list."

Kelly's newest book is Saving the Baghdad Zoo, which will be published by HarperCollins/Greenwillow in November this year.