I’m declaring today “Internet Appreciation Day.” Those of us who have been writing for a while truly appreciate how easy it is to conduct a lot of research without leaving home. Finding out the details that make your novel come alive are usually no farther away than Google.

I can’t help but reflect from time to time on the “old days” when research meant going to the local public or university library. Magazines were helpful for location research, but now we have Google Earth to say nothing of the wealth of information on the internet.

As you’re probably already aware, I’m a detail freak. I don’t want some future reader to get in my face about some stupid mistake I made in one of my stories. I have so many bookmarks in my browser it’s ridiculous and I actually donate to Wikipedia on a monthly basis, because I don’t know what I’d do without them.

Getting it correct these days is easier than ever. I, for one, truly appreciate writers who care enough about their work to do the research and get it right. There’s no excuse to make foolish mistakes anymore when a Google search is only a few keystrokes away.

Take a few moments today and think about what the author’s world was like in the old days. Then pay your next ISP bill with a smile.