What, you don't love research as much as I do? And here I thought this would be the most exciting post of the week.
Because Protect Me is about a female bodyguard, I had to do a lot of data gathering. I knew a small amount about personal security because of my dad, whose life has been a lot more exciting than mine. But executive protection (aka bodyguard-ing) and dealing with the threat of violence every day was by no means my area of expertise, so...
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But seriously, Rory Miller is that rare person with both experience and enough writing talent to convey the things he's learned effectively. If you're at all interested in personal security, violence theory, or the practicalities of dealing with violence, I can't recommend Meditations on Violence highly enough. I've fobbed it off on all my family and friends, if that tells you anything. He has a blog (here's an entry on martial arts/violence misinformation) that's on the flow-of-consciousness side, but in his case, that's still worth reading. I'd just read one of his books first so you have a framework for it.
A fantastic online resource I found was the blog Zen Traveler, about a guy who's both a bodyguard and a Buddhist. Unfortunately the site is closed - I actually emailed to thank him for the info on the site and he graciously replied telling me that he'd moved on from the blog, but would be happy to answer any questions - but the info is no less worth reading now than it was a year ago.
Another day, another novel... This might give you a clue about the book I'm working on now.
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Ooh, "Research Smut". I do like that term.
ReplyDeleteI've been reading about Detroit (books and in the news, ye gads), rock stars (Kurt Cobain specifically, rest his soul) and heroin for my current work in progress.
I've also spent time reading crime scene books and Bill Bass' books about the Body Farm for a forensics-centric character
Ooooh that sounds super interesting! Is your current WIP taking place in Detroit? Because I am all about that. I've been following the sobering reports for awhile now.
DeleteYes, the current WIP is in Detroit. So, Detroit: an American Autopsy was well-timed with its publication. I got it out of the library, then found it for a dollar in the library book sale! The news is very sobering, though there's a lot of good happening as well. I hope they balance each other out.
DeleteIt's important for me to get a place right, if I've picked a real world setting. I've never been to Detroit, and I really wanted to both make it real and treat it with respect, especially with regards to current events.
Love that copy of Jane Eyre up there. ^_^
ReplyDeleteGrass-fed cattle, huh? The meat really does taste better. :)
Lately my research has been trying to figure out what genre my story is because I've never ever gotten it right. It's really sad. What I need to be doing is reading Plato's Republic because I know nothing about politics and have two stories on standby with strong political elements. I'm also watching a documentary called WHY WE FIGHT and stuffing my brain with encyclopedic definitions of totalitarianism.
Can you tell I'm having fun? Lol!
Let's just say that organic cattle ranching is going to be very, very relevant. And interesting, I swear!
DeleteThose things you're reading sound awesome. What's the plot of your story? And Plato's Republic is very readable and enjoyable, if you like that sort of thing!
They sounded interesting when the people who recommended them told me about them. One plot is actually a horror story in a corporate setting, office politics and a Trump-rich family. That's probably next on my list. The other is a futuristic fantasy. Honestly, the story is a huge mess, but I have a dictatorship on the brink of starting some crazy stuff so it's vital to the plot.
DeleteI told myself I have to read/watch one of these things tomorrow by midnight. Lol!
I actually emailed to thank him for the info on the site and he graciously replied telling me that he'd moved on from the
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