Tales of biting cows threatened to turn otherwise tame writers feral during a Writers’ Track research panel on Sunday afternoon. What could have been a deadly dull panel on research dos and don’ts became an amusing showcase of research disasters. Among the research mistakes described by panelists were pregnant mules and a bizarre magical village perched atop an active volcano. Perils of dialect usage also engendered a lively discussion. Research mistakes were touted as an opportunity for creative prevarication. One panelist said, “We are all liars; our job is to lie so well, we transport you away.” Novice moderator Nancy Northcott commented that the panel was especially easy to moderate since all the panelists had so much to contribute.