What is a dinosaur dig like in the real world (as opposed to depiction in a novel such as my BONE MOUNTAIN)? It's hard work, first outdoors under the relentless western sun. Then, the bones are shipped to the lab, where preparators strip the plaster casts off and use specialized tools to make the bones ready for exhibition as parts of a dinosaur skeleton.

While I was researching Bone Mountain, I had the privilege of working on a dinosaur dig in Wyoming. Even in September, the sun beat down like a blazing fire and the dry air made frequent water breaks a must. Have a look at my photos below: There's a huge dinosaur thigh bone in plaster jacket awaiting work in the lab. A petroglyph (prehistoric rock carving) of a jackrabbit at the digsite, two field workers labeling a jacketed bone, a canopy set up to shield workers from the glare of the sun, another petroglyph of a male creature and a man in the lab demonstrating a bone finder machine.. The field research for BONE MOUNTAIN was the most fun part of creating the novel!