Behind the Scenes: Author Deborah Piccurelli, surprised by research

When I first decided to write Hush, Little Baby, all I had were the subject of the book and the two main characters. Since these characters were little people and I knew next to nothing about how they lived, I really needed to do some serious research. Through it, I learned a lot, such as the term “midget” is an insult to them. But some of it was fun.

Searching online, I came across an organization called Little People of America. I wanted to speak to a little person one-on-one. Intrusive, maybe, but I had to try. So, I looked up the President of LPA, took down his number and called. I expected a secretary or assistant to answer, but the man himself did. His name was Matt Roloff. That’s right, Matt Roloff, star of the TLC hit reality show, Little People, Big World. Only this was just before the show hit the air. I asked if I could interview him, but he told me everything I would want to know about him was in his own book, Against Tall Odds, which I could order directly from his website for ten dollars. Shrewd.

When the book didn’t arrive as it should have, I thought I’d call Mr. Roloff to inquire. This time, his wife, Amy, answered. What a blessing! I quickly got the book issue out of the way, but asked if I could interview her to get a woman’s point of view on life as a little person. She graciously agreed and we chatted for some time on any number of subjects. Even about Oprah’s treatment of their family when they guested on her show to promote theirs. Mrs. Roloff was so easy to talk to.

A couple weeks later, Matt’s book finally arrived and he had told me the truth: Everything about him was in there. He has lived an extraordinary life, so far, but I was impressed to find he was a born-again Christian. I also liked his sense of humor.

One thing’s for sure: You never know where your research is going to take you.

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Deborah M. Piccurelli enjoys reading and writing romantic books. She is the author of two novels, a novella, several cause-related newspaper articles, writes a fiction column for Book Fun Magazine, and reviews for The Wordsmith Journal. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and an advocate for sanctity of life. Deborah lives in New Jersey with her husband and two sons.

About Hush, Little Baby: Investigative journalist Amber Blake is a little person bent on payback for the death of her average-sized twin sister. She poses as a counselor in an abortion clinic to expose the doctor responsible for fetal harvesting. As a Christian, she struggles with concealing her beliefs to maintain her cover, while the doctor’s romantic overtures tumble her stomach. Amber agrees to date him for the sake of the story . . . but nothing prepares her for what’s behind a mysterious door in his office.

To purchase a copy of Hush, Little Baby at a 25% discount direct from the publisher, click this link: http://bit.ly/25L5WkR.