Friday, June 05, 2009

Research


I've been looking for a place to use this bit of business for a while, and found a scene in the current book-in-progress today, an assassination sequence set in the lush gardens of Bogor, Java. Behold, the tropical plant called the Corpse Flower.

I came across this a while back and filed it away. It is a beautiful, huge plant, one of the largest of all flowers, and so colorful. (Look at the little sign at the bottom, you get a sense of scale. )

A gorgeous thing. It also smells like a rotting body in the hot sun, which is how it got its name.

Is this a great planet, or what?

4 comments:

  1. "..an assassination sequence set in the lush gardens of Bogor, Java."

    that's very close to my home.. :)
    Btw, I've read your blog for sometime and enjoy it very much..
    Just want to say Hi.. from Bogor.
    Thanks,
    M.M

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  2. When the book comes out -- if I can sell it -- you can lemme know how accurate I was. (I have a silat guy who has been there a number of times who is backstopping me on it, and I'm not getting too detailed.)

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  3. And in the Sumatran jungle, it's just as likely that smell is an actual rotting corpse as it is a flower...

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  4. I tried to find your book in Jakarta bookstores, but apparently they dont have any yet..
    I found one book from Mr. Barnes though..
    Could ask from Amazon but the shipping cost is as much as the book..

    Till then, I think I could contend myself with reading some bit from your blog..
    If you need help about any particulars about Bogor, let me know.. :)

    M.M

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