Seeing as a few people have posted comments in reference to research etc., not on the research post but on the historical snippet post, I thought it might be a good idea to clarify a few things and obtain the point of view of other writers!
Taking the title "Romance Writing & Research" one is forced to ask is it necessary?
Well, according to Bernard Cornwell, the bestselling author of the "Sharpe" character, yes, research is vital!
http://www.bernardcornwell.net/
I can vouch for Cornwell's honesty in this, for my husband's father was at one time West of England Champion Archer and at present owns the largest private collection of historical Long Bows in the UK.
Bernard Cornwell used Hugh's expertise in his research for a historical novel entailing archery, and wrote a forward for Hugh's History of the Long Bow!
http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Cp_27%3AHugh+D.+H.+Soar&field-author=Hugh+D.+H.+Soar&page=1
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This writer talking on research: http://www.caroclarke.com/historicalfiction.html
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This too, interesting.
Whether your novel is set in the 1890s or 1990s, it is important to know everything you can about the time period and the location. If you use a real place for your setting, or base a fictional town on a real one, you need to know the layout of the area, and detailed information about the people and places found there. If time and money permits, it is best to visit the location. If not, travel guides, street maps and tourist bureaus can be invaluable resources. The Weather Channel can give you information on the climate. Daily newspapers are excellent for getting a feel for the people and their interests, as well as speech patterns, popular names and local events
Read more at Suite101: Researching Your Novel
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/novel_writing/12104
