Today we
continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys
and challenges of the research process with an essay by Michelle
Cusolito. Thank you, Michelle.
I slide the regulator into my mouth and slip beneath the
waves. I breathe slowly though my mouth as I follow my scuba diving instructor
away from shore and deeper into the ocean.
we’re 10 meters down, and I’ve found neutral buoyancy—I’m neither floating nor
sinking. I kick my legs and feel like I’m flying along the seafloor.
We swim among seaweed that sways with the waves while colorful
fish dart left and right. Soon, my instructor drops down in front of a pile of
rocks and points. There, right in front of us, is an octopus in its den. I
squeal through my regulator. Piled in front of its house is a “midden:” shells the
octopus stacked up after its last meal.
I didn’t need to learn to scuba dive to write my upcoming book,
Diving Deep: Using Machines to Explore the Ocean, but the experience
brought a richness to my understanding of the subject, and that octopus made
its way into the pages.
my research for this book began back in May 2015 when I was working on my first
book, Flying Deep: Climb into Deep-Sea Submersible Alvin, which is a
companion title to Diving Deep.
After researching deep-sea submersible Alvin for
about five months, I knew quite a bit about the vehicle, but I thought sensory
details would make my manuscript come alive. Since the Ocean
Science Discovery Center at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
(WHOI) in Massachusetts has a scale model of Alvin, I decided to visit.
I wanted to sit in the pilot’s seat and try to imagine how it feels to be
inside the real Alvin.
While I waited for my turn in the pilot’s seat, I studied
the models of tube worms and giant clams that live near the hydrothermal vents Alvin
frequently visits on the deep seafloor. As I was jotting notes, a volunteer from
the Discovery Center approached.
“Are you a teacher?” he asked.
“I was a teacher for a long time, but I’m here researching
for a book I’m writing for kids about Alvin.”
He replied, “You should talk to Joanne in the Visitor’s
Center.” He told me where to find her and encouraged me to go right over.
But first, I took my turn in the pilot’s seat. I noticed
how close the “ceiling” felt and how low the pilot’s seat was to the floor. I
realized how small the viewports were. I noted all of the switches and levers
and wondered what they did. Then, I went to see Joanne.
I felt uneasy about walking into someone’s office without
an appointment, but the volunteer had assured me Joanne would be glad to talk
to me. So, I gathered my courage and walked in. Joanne greeted me and was
instantly excited about my project. She
told me she’d be glad to put me in touch with Bruce Strickrott, Chief Alvin
Pilot and Manager of the Alvin Group. The only catch: he was at sea and wouldn’t
be back until August. I’d have to be patient.
In August 2015, Bruce and I met at WHOI for an interview. I
arrived fully prepared. I didn’t want to ask Bruce a question I could have
gotten the answer to through my own research. I needed him to tell me the
details that only a pilot would know. Bruce’s passion for his job came through
in our conversation, and I was able to gather loads of details for my book.
But the best was yet to come…
Bruce asked if I’d like to see Alvin. It was at WHOI
undergoing routine maintenance. I was so excited my insides were vibrating. I
could see the real sub, up close?
When we got there, I was in for a bigger surprise: Bruce
took me inside Alvin. He turned on the oxygen and the carbon dioxide
scrubbers so I could hear how they sound. He showed me how he controls the
manipulator arms from inside the vehicle. He let me sit in the pilot’s seat and
look out the viewport.
I left that day with the details I needed to improve the draft that I already
thought was pretty good. And, most important: I realized that I had some
details wrong, so I needed to correct them.
Bruce and I stayed connected throughout the making of Flying
Deep, and our conversations after its publication ultimately led to the upcoming
companion book, Diving Deep.
Where Flying Deep was specifically about Alvin, Diving Deep examines
the many ways humans access the ocean, from snorkeling to saturation diving to
submersibles.
Alvin appears in the second book,
so research for Flying Deep helped with the writing of Diving Deep,
but I still had a lot more research to do. As always, I sought the help of
experts. I interviewed a saturation diver and a free diver, and I learned to
scuba dive with my family.
I happen to live close to Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institution, Alvin’s home base, so visiting WHOI was easy for me. Many
of my books start with subjects that are close to home. I encourage you to do
the same. Explore your town with tourist’s eyes. What interesting stories are
waiting to be told?
Pre-order
campaign: Anyone who preorders Diving Deep from Eight Cousins Books will receive an
adorable, frameable 4×6 print of a strawberry squid from the book. All
preorders from Eight Cousins will also be signed by Michelle and Nicole Wong,
the illustrator. Link to preorder page: https://www.eightcousins.com/michelle-cusolito
Michelle
Cusolito is the award-winning author of Diving Deep: Using
Machines to Explore the Ocean (June 14, 2022). Flying Deep was a Kirkus
Best Book and an NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book. Michelle recently went on
a Woods
Hole Oceanographic Institution research expedition to
the North Atlantic where she worked as a Science Communicator and completed
field research for a future book. Michelle is also an adjunct instructor in
Simmons University’s MFA, Writing for Children.
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3 Responses
Having just reviewed Diving Deep, it's interesting to read Michelle's backstory. Thanks for sharing it.
Fantastic post and opportunity! Thank you!
I love this book! Thank you for sharing your process!