Research To Get It Right

May 10, 2009 by Chris · Comments Off
Filed under: Research

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As I go through the final edits on my manuscript, I’m finding that I’m starting to question myself. It’s probably a symptom of being too close to my work.

I have a background in biology. That comes in handy with the research about the actual crime, i.e., the murder. While the police involvement is minimal, I am delving into areas that I don’t know. I don’t know guns. I won’t know a Blackhawk SERPA holster from any other kind of holster. Fortunately, my husband is a hunter. He’s familiar with firearms. He can tell me how loud a shot would be, how much kickback, and all those other essentials to writing a believable story.

A friend did take me out to shoot. He was such a patient teacher. He calmly told me what to expect and how precisely to shoot. After shooting a round, he didn’t even flinch when I turned to face him, holding the gun. He calmly told me that there was no safety on it.

The gun was heavier than I expected. I envisioned how it could hurt after a while rubbing against your shoulder or your leg in a holster. Overall, it was a good experience. I’m not likely to take up shooting as a hobby, but having the experience gave me some impressions from which to draw. Sometimes, there’s no getting around research.