1. I think that that's a nice, manageable focus. Perhaps you might look around at the kinds of texts that target niche are likely to be exposed to in order to create the greater likelihood of a quick connection?

2. The second driving force seems like it could be a really solid anchor for the first point. How do you plan to stoke the flames of curiosity for the unknown without the reader feeling like they're owed some kind of mindblowing answer? To put it another way, do you have an idea of how to manage reader expectation, not only paragraph to paragraph, chapter to chapter, but over the course of the book? If not, that's cool. That part's wicked hard.

3. From your other posts via your blog, I'd say that you're pretty good at doing that. That said, your blog entries sometimes have some cool graphics or pictures thrown in that really add to your pieces. Do you plan to include some diagrams in the book as well? If not, how do you think you might approach making the prose really sparkle in parts that might naturally be a bit dull to people who are less conversant with technical language?

4. Broadly, I mean both, if it adds to the piece. I'm not suggesting frivolous details, but if you don't mind, I'd like to take a moment to point out some places where I think personal details can add to the piece.

While growing up I remember my granddad always told me that our family had a biological connection to the 19th century author Charlotte Bronte who wrote Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights.

How did this make you feel? When do you remember your granddad first telling you about that and how did that make you feel? My own dad used to tell me about my gramps, but I had no idea why any of it was important. I found it really uninteresting until I was of a certain age and certainly, now I think those things are pretty cool. What was your experience like? (Connections, see what I mean?)

I had assumed that such a connection was unfounded but thought it would make the investigation more exciting if I could demonstrate scientifically whether the connection was real or imagined.

Again, at what age did you decide this would be exciting? I ask because that gives insight into the mind of the author, the "Who" it is we as readers are interacting with. Also, why is this exciting and how?

To my surprise, my granddad and I did reveal a connection (although not biological).

As a reader, I want to be surprised too. When I go to someone's house, I'd rather see what we're going to eat rather than just be told what we're going to eat. "No tears in the artist, no tears in the reader" and all that.

In the fifth generation of my pedigree chart, my great, great, great, granddad had an uncle, Arthur Bell Nicholls, who married Charlotte Bronte.

Whoa! How did we get here? We don't need to go through the research with the author, but a glimpse into the process, those little defeats and then a victory are sure to reveal a whole lot about how the author's mind is working and give the idea of where we're being led.

However, we also found out that Charlotte Bronte died before giving birth to her first child, so there was no biological relatedness.

So close! That seems like kind of a letdown, after the ride the reader just went on. How did this discovery affect you? For some, it might turn them off of genealogy altogether, being disappointment and all. Also, did you take anything away from this project with your granddad? What were his feelings on the results, or even the endeavor as a whole?

5. I think that's generally a nice progression, but I also think that a reader will need some breadcrumbs to tide them over. I think that can be accomplished without sacrificing the impact of the text from an informative point of view and that it will be useful as a way to build up to the Big Reveal of what you as the author are all about.

I hope that these suggestions are helpful and that it's clear that I think you're off to a good start. If not, feel free to tell me to shut it :)