#a common wish i have from tv shows is more (and better written) side characters/b plotlines

[antisisyphus]

i wish we got more of the parents side of things from riverdale. is there ever an ep where the cast plays their parents as they went to hs?

[spookyboogie3]

The trope Last Minute Hookup shouldn’t be used for LGBTQ+ relationships.

AND DEFENDING MY LAST POST ABOUT THIS.

I DO NOT hate any of these pairings. A good many of them could have been handled differently by the creators, writers, and networks. But this isnt me hating the relationships or characters or shows. Just going off about how they shouldnt have been tacked on at the end of their respective series. 

As of writing this all of these shows have ended their original runs. Except for Supernatural which is on its last few episodes. And Supergirl, which announced its coming to end with season 6.

LGBTQ characters and relationships aren’t as common in the media as straight-cis characters and relationships. Sure things are improving but a lot of networks and writers still don’t fully understand why representation is important why they can’t keep using the same throwaway tropes they’ve been using for the straight-cis relationships.

You could name any piece of media and find and name one character that isn’t LGBTQ+, but you can’t do this with LGBTQ+ characters. We haven’t gotten to the point where they are as common as non-LGBTQ characters.

I have a whole paper I wrote on why asexual representation is important to have in the media and the same logic applies to any part of the LGBTQ+ or anything that falls under minority.

Back to the topic on hand. The trope of “Last Minute Hookup.”

Its exactly what it sounds like. Characters get to together at the very end of the story. These characters could have a on and off again relationship, lots of ship teasing, the classic “Will They or Wont They?” trope. What makes it different for non-LGBT characters in relationships to do this, we know what these relationships look like. Not to say the that both Non and LGBT relationship cant have similar struggles, however members of the LGBTQ+ community know how hard it is to feel like your identity and self matters and is normal.

I know that the whole “will they, wont they” thing is done for drama and networks and showrunners think if they give the fans what they want that they’ll start losing viewers and they have nothing to look forward to. Which is true to some degree. But most of this comes from the writers not knowing how to fucking write relationships.

Let’s just focus on whats it like to be in a non-straight relationship.

Heres an example: you have an action series, with 2 male leads and halfway through the show, they get together. Cool. Now you have a Battle Couple.

By making LGBTQ relationships happen at the end of a series that’s already had plenty of other non-LGBTQ relationships happen before it, it makes it look like the people in charge don’t care for it or were afraid of backlash. But it’s the end of the series so its not like they can get the show cancelled or anything. (The only people who are going to lash out at LGBT couple or characters are homophobic people, we don’t want them around any way so just make stuff super gay, so they’ll leave)

This is especially a problem when the writer and network have spent the whole series queerbaiting the audience with these characters.

 Side note for anyone is doesn’t actually know what queerbaiting is:

It’s a marketing technique used in entertainment, which the writer or creators hint at but then don’t actually depict sex-same romance or LGBTQ representation. They do this to attract (bait) the LGBT/queer or straight ally audience into the show with the suggestion of representation but at the same time avoiding this as not alienate other audience members *cough* (homophobes) *cough*

Definition is from Wikipedia, not a reliable source says my highschool teachers and college professors but fuck em

The Legend of Korra is a great example of Last-Minute Hookup. Korra and Asami had VERY little ship teasing, and that was in the last 2 books/seasons. Any thing that was perceived as romantic came from the fans wearing shipping goggles. So to a lot of people just casually watching, yes this looked like it came out of nowhere. Nickelodeon had some serious balls to say how brave they were for putting 2 girls into a romantic relationship.

Theres a few problems with this.

A. It never actually aired on TV (to my knowledge). The last 2 seasons of Korra were put on Nicks website.

B. The confirmation that this Korrasami was canon had to come from the creators on twitter because of how unclear it was.

C. The show did the bare minimum when it came to hooking them up in the series. They walk off holding hands (very cute btw). They didn’t even get a kiss. Aang and Katara had a Last Minute Hookup at the end of ATLA after 3 seasons of ship tease and THEY GOT A KISS. Hell the original end of LoK*, has Korra and Mako kissing. *(the first season, they didn’t know they were getting more seasons at the time, no matter what you hear the writers say, they’re full of shit)

D. Anything continuation of Korra has come in the form of comics, which her and Asami are in a fairly well written relationship. Yes, they do kiss. Yes it would’ve been great to see this stuff happen in series.

A show that handles this a little bit better is Adventure Time. Not by much though. It implied several times that Princess Bubblegum and Marceline have history together and its shown more and more in its last few seasons that there is some ship tease happening. However its not until the finale where they kiss, and they are shown in the last minute of the show cuddling together in Marcy’s house. HBO has picked up Adventure Time and has a miniseries called Adventure Time: Distant Lands, where Bubblegum and Marceline’s past relationship is shown.  

I had brought up in my original post about being upset with networks making LGBTQ+ relationships canon in the last season/episode. I originally had Catradora tagged. While Catra and Adora have history together, they did not become official couple until the end of the series.

Yes, I was wrong about the network making things canon in the last episode as they’ve always had ship tease with each other, and it probably was the writers’ intent to put them together by the end. They do technically fall under the Last-Minute Hookup, however.

I wanna talk about Once Upon a Time really quick. Fans of the show were hoping and wishing for an LGBTQ couple for the show as a lot of characters, especially Regina and Emma, have alot Ho Yay moments. The showrunners weren’t going to put those two together, for whatever reasons they may have for that (im indifferent on all the shipping going on with this show). The showrunners thought to put two characters together, and hoo boy did it not make people happy. The characters they put together are Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz and Ruby the red riding hood, which would be fine if they had properly been developed.

The entire episode they did this in was a mess. They stopped the current arc during the season 5 episode ‘Ruby Slippers,’ to go over the characters that haven’t been seen in years, Dorothy was introduced and last seen in season 3, and Ruby was introduced in season 1 and was last seen in season 5 before ‘Ruby Slippers’. The characters get together in the same episode the meet in and are never seen again. The characters barely interacted, barely got along, and showed little to no ship tease or interest in each other and BOOM they are in love and together aaaaaannnnndd they’re gone. Other than having One Million Moms, a Christian fundamentalist organization, protest against the show and want it taken off the air (yes this really happened). The fans weren’t please with this development of the characters either.  

(also Mulan was right there and already knew Ruby from a previous episode, and Mulan already is established to like girls as shown by her being in love with Aurora. Don’t know why the writers didn’t just put these 2 together but whatever I guess)

So they tried again in season 7 with MadArcher. The characters of Alice, a version of Alice in Wonderland from another realm (its complicated) and Robin, the daughter of Robin Hood and the Wicked Witch (it’s also complicated). And the writers did a lot better here. Both characters were allowed to have time together and have a history together too and it was done over the whole season. Not just one episode.

Now even though the writers decided to do something different with the last season and it could be detached from the previous 6 seasons, MadArcher is not really a Last Minute Hookup per say but still falls under my thing about it being the last season so who gives a fuck if One Million Moms gets mad us and tries to get us cancelled again.

 I would like to say I have never watched a single episode of Supernatural in my life. I may one day. But as of right now my knowledge of it is coming primary from what ive seen on tumblr. You know a great source for doing research and looking for reliable information among the piles of shitposting.

From what I know from fans, the writers of Supernatural have been queer baiting for years. I mean it’s the CW, I’m not that surprised. What also wouldn’t surprise me, that by the end of the series Castiel is back and he and Dean actually start and relationship or strongly hint at starting one. I actually fear for the writer lives if they threw out a confession scene after years of queerbaiting and potential ship tease (debatable) and they don’t put them together. Fans are going to be angrier than they probably ever have been with this show and the showrunners and writers really would be known for queer baiting.

From what I know about how previous shows have done and if anyone that has ever worked on this show wants to continue living, Castiel will be back from Super Hell (is that what yall are calling it?) and he will get together with Dean. And they will fall under the Last-Minute Hookup trope and my networks make LGBTQ relationships canon last season.

 One last show I want to talk about is Supergirl, which in has been recently announced that the 6th season will be the last. The show started on CBS but moved to the CW after the end of season 1. So more CW bullshit. There is no confirmation about whether the CW or any of the Supergirl writers are planning to do this, its all speculation. Supergirl is more LGBTQ friendly than some other shows on the Network. One of the main characters came out a few years ago and had a girlfriend a season and has had plenty of hookups with other ladies around the Arrowverse. They even introduced a trans-woman superhero in the form of Dreamer.

Let’s talk SuperCorp. Lena Luthor was introduced in the 2nd season and has been a major character in Kara’s life ever since her introduction. Even if she isn’t involved in the plot, Kara always goes to her to talk and check in on her and worry about her. They are best friends. Since the 2 have met, there has been plenty of Les Yay going on. The writers seem to be aware of the fans wanting SuperCorp to be canon and they keep throwing in moments like Kara and Lena struggling together or Kara carrying Lena bridal style.

Why I bring this up after the announcement of Supergirl’s final season to start next year. We may get SuperCorp. Kara has a relationship with William in the show and not a single person likes this relationship. The writers may scrap it and get put Kara and Lena together for the final season. This is a big maybe though. The Supergirl writers and crew get called out a lot for queerbaiting.

   Let me know if you guys have any other examples of last season/last episode LGBTQ+ hookup.

And please let me know if you see any mistakes. This was all done in one sitting so I may have some things wrong.

Also check out the video by @aretheygayvideos on this topic too.

[ellana-ravenwood]

Batfam moments I think about a lot and wish we'd have more stories of...

1. Bruce Wayne learning how to "dad" and making SO MANY MISTAKES. But we see him evolve over the years, and slowly getting used to it. He will always have communication problems, and have moments when he's a total jerk. Let's not forget he's only human, and we all have bad moments. Buuuuut, he’s the kind of father to go make a detour to buy his kids their favorite dinner (and yes, all of them, like before he comes home to Wayne Manor, I can see him go to différent take aways and bring back their favorite food haha). 

Or like, remembering exactly what they’re into lately and looking stuffs up on the internet to get up to date. I bet sometimes they’d talk about a band or video games and Bruce would be like : “Oh yes, I particularly like the battle mode of this blahblahblah” and they’d all be stunned haha.  I think he has a special way of loving. It’s not always obvious, out there right in your face, but it’s most definitely there. 

His children are his strength (as shown in many stories... In more stories in fact, that the ones that exists where he's a total dick to them). And he cares for them in his own way, which can sometimes appear cold and such, while it's just that he doesn't always know how to react. Like. We have to remember his background, it's not really surprising he has communication problems and such things. But he cares... So much. 

He's thé kind of dad that goes out of his way to please his kids, even if said kids don't even notice the small things he does for them because ya know, hé just does it and they're used to it and it's only as they grow up they truly realize how out of his way he went for them etc etc. À discreet , pure and différent way of loving. He knows them, hé truly does. “You don’t even know me !” one of them would say after a fight, out of anger, and he would answer : “I do.” confidently, and they’d be like : “PROVE IT THEN !” and Bruce would enumerates everything he can think of about them. Favorite color, favorite meal, favorite book, favorite tv show, hobbies, crushes, fears etc etc...Anyway. Yes. 

I just want scenes of him slowly learning how to be a father, and not being the best about it all the time, yet trying his best and it’s obvious he does. We forget sometimes what he went through, and what it truly means for him to adopt and take care of those kids. We forget often that he became Batman, mainly because he does not want any other kid to experience what he went through. Bruce as à father is far from perfect, and hé makes shit tons of mistakes, but he tries, and hé loves them deeply. I think that's why I really hate canon lately, they turned him into à mindless brute who genuinely abusés his kids. It's so, so, so bad, and goes against decades of stories. It's written by people that think "edgy" is à personality trait and what people nowadays love (which is totally false). I'm pretty sûre that for all the canon examples of him being à jerk to the Batkids, I can pull out about ten times more examples of him being à good dad. Again. He's flawed because he's human, and he's difficult to understand at times... But no one will ever make me believe he doesn't love his children with all his heart.

2. Young Jason being super surprised that Bruce is actually a very good cook because he always pictured filthy rich people never doing anything themselves...and Bruce being like : “You know, I was mostly raised by Alfred. Of course he would teach me basic house skills.” while flipping expertly the food in the pan. Alfred one day telling the kids something like : “Everyone always think Master Wayne is a bubbly idiot who cannot work his way around a house, but this is very wrong. He has been changing his own sheets ever since he was 7, and his parents already made sure that he would know what house work is, so he could treat the servants right by seeing how difficult it can be. When his parents died, I took care of him, and there was a long moment he would follow me around everywhere, maybe in fear that I would go, too...During those moments, I taught him a lot.” And then just Bruce showing à few things to his own kids, as à parallèlism to how him and Alfred were (and still are) ❤️.

3. A direct follow up of the one above, Bruce teaching his kids all kind of stuffs. How to play piano, how to fall without hurting yourself, how to cook, how to fight, how to ride a bike for those who didn’t know etc etc...A perfect mix of totally normal domestic stuffs, and of night vigilante stuffs. I bet he’d make up “escape games” for his kids on boring Sunday afternoons, because it’d develop a lot of their skills needed to be Robins (or whoever) AND is fun. I think the reverse totally works too, the kids teaching him things. Like, how to play that video game, how to use slang without sounding like an old man, how to paint his nails, blahblahblah. Just moments together, because they spend so much time with each others like, come on. They have hobbies too. And care about each others enough to want to know about it, and share stuffs etc etc. Growing together, ya know ?

4. More crossover moments with the entire family, not just one or two character : John Constantine being there to ask help for a thing (or not asking help but Bruce wouldn’t let anyone “tamper” with Gotham without him being there so...haha). Zatanna coming around to teach the kids some magic (just like her dad did with Bruce...not “real” magic but like, escape magic and all), or something. Green Arrow making à courtesy visit with his wife, son, and sidekicks. The Superfam and their strong bonds with the Batfam being shown more, and not always in that “rival” way. And like, all of them, not just one or two characters at a time. Sunday lunches at the Kent farm, gaming nights (to which Bruce is dragged to), friendly compétitions, blahblahblah.

5. “Baby” Dick having nightmares in the middle of the night of his parents’ death, and Bruce always being there. How Bruce understands and is always around for him. And reassures him. And on that note : I’m sure most of the kids have nightmares during the night, and Bruce becomes better and better over the years at soothing them. Oh also, if Dick, after he goes and lives in Bludhaven comes to sleep at Wayne Manor for any reasons and has a nightmare, Bruce will just automatically go to him...awkward and cute scene ensues haha.

6. Cass’ first words to Bruce. A very emotional scenes because...it’s the first time she speaks. And it’s clumsy and she’s not sure of herself, and her voice trembles a little. But she’s talking. I’m not sure what her first words would truly be, but most definitely something that touches Bruce. That move him. That make him realize how much he loves that kid.

7. Bruce taking Jason to a baseball game (pre-death Jason) for his birthday because that’s what the kid wanted as à gift. And then later, them going to a game once again after their reconciliation. A very big parallel between the two scènes ya know, as Bruce reminisces. Both end up with Jason hugging Bruce because his favorite team won. In the first scene it’s little 8/9 years old Jay excited and is all cute. In the post-death scene, it’s a grown up Jason who had been angry at Bruce for so long and finally forgave him, and who hugs Bruce without even realizing he does it, because he’s just happy...And it ends on Bruce’s face smiling like, he finally got his boy back.

8. Tim and Damian bonding. I hate it when they're only represented as hating each others 24/7. They had à rough start, sure. But they grew à lot... I just wish we could see them more actually learning to be brothers, accepting each others etc etc. Now of course they'd bicker. Like any siblings. But I bet they'd have à lot of common intérests and such. That they'd like to tease each others, but would genuinely like hanging out and all. 

Also Tim is à very understanding sweet person, hé might be annoyed with Damian at first... But he would be amongst those who get it, ya know ? Who gives him time/à chance ? Like Bruce at first did everything wrong with Damian. He was harsh and violent and used intimidation (things Damian was too used to...) thinking he needed that to get Damian to lose his old ways (until he realized how wrong he was and apologzed and took à gentler way...ah that was good shit right there, Bruce acknowledging it all and trying to be better... Not like this current canon Bruce who's an asshole and never suffers any conséquences of it...). Well I think Tim would be more understanding and realize... Damian is just à kid. And Tim is à big brother now ? His older siblings were there for him, it's time for him to be there too. Know what I mean ? So yeah. I wish we'd have more of them actually being brothers and bonding.

 Same for Dick and Jason. I wish we had more of them together before Jason's death, and after too... They've been brothers for à long time, their relationship from start to Jay's death to him coming back... Is so interesting. Also, same goes for Cassandra and any of them.

9. Tim getting genuinely interested about Wayne Enterprise, and going to work with Bruce. Asking à million questions and mimicking à lot of B's mannerisms. Dick never showed much intérest in the company, and Jason could've been à great "heir " to it all had he not die and all... I don't think neither Damian nor Cass would care much. But Tim ? First canonically he is interested. But even so, he's just that "type" of kid ya know ? I bet he'd be very excited about the charity side of it all, and find novel ways to to make the world a better place. After all Tim is thé only one of the Robins to not have à tragic background (at least at first, after je was also hit with loss and pain... ) when he first became Robin, and who helped Batman and all completely selflessly. Because it was the right thing to do, and for no other tragic reasons.

10. Damian learning/enjoying really normal basic things gives me life ? Like the boy grew up in such à specific environment, there's so many things he must've missed...Disney movies marathon, vidéo games, just having fun without any other purpose than to have fun (no training), knowing what it is to feel safe and warm... You know. I wish we'd just see Damian understanding and learning things he was just never given, that are just... Nice. Of course being Batman's son means his life can never be completely normal (and I'm not sure he could fully adapt to à normal life... People always seem to forgét the deep traumas he went through during his childhood, which is why he was how Hé was at first...aaaah Damian came à long way), but you know, hé can still expérience so many new things, with his siblings and all ? With his father who tries really hard ? With Alfred ? Just. Seeing truly Damian have that character development without backtracking on it all the time (you know how in canon stories he's à total brat, then gets better, then back to à friendless brat who hates everyone and so on and s forth :/). Seeing him wanting to become better, and actually having à nice évolution.

_____________________

When I'm sad, I like to headcanon scènes about the Batfam, stuffs I wish we could see etc etc haha. Here's just à few I thought about today. I just.. Love them so much, love to share my love for them, and néed to escape current canon a lot haha. Anyway. Here we are.

PS : Sorry for any typo, I wrote this on my phone, and since I'm French, the autoccorect is changing almost every English words to French ones and I might've missed à few mistakes it made ( which drives me crazy haha. And is why I only put 10 "scènes" and not more... Ah, for another post ?).

[penzyroamin]

Hi I know it’s been a bit but I’m the confused bi anon. I really really appreciated your response and it wasn’t too long. You made me feel a lot better. I was wondering if you could maybe suggest some books, tv, movies with bi female characters. Thanks soo much for the entire last response . You are absolutely incredible and so sweet. This means more to me than you could ever know❤️

of course!! i’m glad that my first response helped <3

disclaimer of course: i’m not bi! so i’m not an Authoritative Source on bi rep and what people want to see more of. i do actively seek out stuff about lgbtq+ characters, specifically girls and women, so i have some recs! however, i’ll also be adding some things that some bi folks i know have recommended because while lesbians and bi women have a lot in common, these are at the end of the day representing them, not me :)

extra-super favorites will be bolded! i’m putting this under a read more because... i read a lot of books. and recommended a lot of them.

books:

her royal highness by rachel hawkins-- this book is a pretty easy read-- don’t expect any massive revelations about life from it, and you’ll have a good time!!! essentially, a bi texan girl named millie, after having her heart broken by her friend-turned-sort-of-gf, goes to boarding school in scotland and ends up rooming with the princess, flora. if this sounds outrageous and sappy, that’s because it is! and i love it! sexuality isn’t a BIG part of this book, but it’s discussed, and it’s just a generally fun enemies-to-lovers story about a bi aspiring geologist and a no-fucks-to-give lesbian princess and them falling in love!

fried green tomatoes at the whistle stop cafe by fannie flagg-- hello this is actually my favorite book! unlike hrh it is... a LOT to read. it essentially follows 2 stories-- one about a housewife named evelyn and her friendship with an old woman named ninny threadgoode who she meets at the old folks home her mother-in-law stays at, and the other about the stories ninny tells her about her sister-in-law idgie and her partner, ruth. the book was published in 1987, and ruth and idgie’s story is set during the great depression, so they aren’t actively labeled as lesbian or bi, but it’s made obvious enough through coding and the fact that ruth has relationships with men prior to idgie while idgie spends her entire childhood pining after ruth. both storylines are fantastic-- they have a lot to say about the lives of southern women in the 30s and 80s, and about race relations at both periods. i’ll warn you that there are depictions of extreme racism and of abuse, but it handles both delicately. it’s a critical piece of southern literature, and a landmark for lgbtq+ storytelling. as a bonus, my copy has a bunch of great recipes in the back, so if you read it you might chance upon an edition with those in it. if you like poignant period pieces about wlw relationships, women losing their damn minds, and abusive men getting what they deserve, this is the book for you! you will sob. this is a fair warning.

you should see me in a crown by leah johnson-- i haven’t personally read this one, but i’ve heard great things about it from everyone i know who has! an anxious black bi girl in indiana has to win prom queen at her mostly-white school in order to get enough scholarship money to go to the college of her dreams, but ends up falling for mack, another girl running for queen. 

@landlessbud wanted me to shout out red, white, and royal blue by casey mcquinston-- you’ve almost definitely heard about it before (first son and prince of wales, enemies-to-lovers with a side dish of political drama), and it is primarily about a mlm romance, but nora is a fabulously fun bi girl side character and there’s a lot of great stuff about figuring out your sexuality in it.

leah on the offbeat by becky albertalli-- i’ve read a lot of complex thoughts on this book, and mine are... i like it! it’s flawed, sure, and i wish it had handled a few things a little better, but you know what? it’s cute as fuck! leah is a fat bi drummer, and she’s super cool! abby is a great love interest, and she goes through a whole bi realization throughout the book. all in all, it’s just a fun wlw high school romcom with a couple solid dramatic beats and a lot of goofball shenanigans. also, if you were an american girl kid??? one scene in this book will make the entire experience worth it for you.

harley quinn: breaking glass by mariko tamaki and steve pugh-- hey, we’re in graphic novel territory now! this book is RAD. a really neat look at gentrification, community solidarity, giving people what they deserve, and fantastic lgbtq+ found families. teenage harleen quinzel is taken in by a group of drag queens, and is caught between two sort-of love interests-- mysterious vigilante the joker and classmate and community activist ivy-- and the different forms of protest and resistance they represent. the art here is STUNNING, and it’s a great read!

laura dean keeps breaking up with me, by the great mariko tamaki with art by rosemary valero-o’connell-- the vast majority of the characters are lgbt, with a lesbian main character, and the supporting cast including a bi nonbinary character, a bi girl character, and two mlm characters! this is mostly a piece about modern lgbtq+ teenagers and the way toxic relationships take over our lives. it’s one of the most cathartic things i’ve read in a LONG time, and especially if you’re at a point where your sexuality feels kind of vague, this is a great read because it embraces that vagueness by not needing to clearly label the characters and celebrates whatever point of clarity the characters are at. probably some of the most gorgeous art i’ve ever seen in a book, with a beautiful black-white-and-pink color scheme and a really neat approach to visual storytelling.

movies:

i don’t watch many movies, because i get bored really quickly hskdhskhds. but the movies i DO watch are usually gay!

wowie zowie its fried green tomatoes again!-- fannie flagg came back to adapt this into a film and HOT DAMN is it just as good. the plot is primarily the same, with some stuff obviously cut or trimmed to make it a two hour movie instead of a 450 page books fhsjdhsjhds. mary-louise parker plays ruth!!! it got a GLAAD award and an oscar nomination, and god it’s good. there are a couple scenes in here that i think are going to be in my mind until the day i die. the level of pure butch energy that idgie radiates in this film is a one-hit k.o. and it KILLS me.

birds of prey-- listen. this is not a profound movie. harley’s bisexuality isn’t emphasized, and romance is basically nonexistent in this movie. there is some... quite graphic violence. that said, this movie is so fucking fun. it’s mostly just a bunch of women fucking up everyone who crosses them while margot robbie gives a gleeful performance that you can just TELL she enjoyed the fuck out of. the last 20-30 minutes of this movie are the absolute best part, with a long sequence that kind of reinvented what an action/superhero movie could be for me. again, bisexuality isn’t a massive part of this-- it’s mentioned, and then harley just continues on in her gloriously campy outfits and breaks peoples’ knees. again, i CANNOT overemphasize just how fucking good the last 20-30 minutes are. this movie knows what it is and it embraces it. also, women beating people up in costumes that don’t horrifyingly objectify them is always a plus!

imagine me & you-- i’d be remiss if i didn’t mention this one, considering it’s probably one of the most iconic wlw romcoms. a woman named rachel, while at her own wedding, meets a florist named luce, and they fall in love. it’s a very sweet look at questioning your sexuality when you were already secure in it, and rachel’s husband wins “most genuinely understanding guy in a wlw movie” award. it has a lovely happy ending, and articles have been written about the importance of rachel being a bi character who a) gets a happy ending and b) isn’t shamed for figuring out her sexuality later on or slutshamed. this is just... a sweet movie. it’s the romcom a lot of us need in our lives. also, a LOT of floral imagery.

tv shows:

ok, i’ve got a confession. i reaaaaaaally don’t watch much tv. seriously, the only shows i’ve watched a substantial amount of recently have been parks and rec, schitt’s creek, the good place, and gilmore girls. i have a really REALLY short attention span.

that said, eleanor from the good place is bisexual!! the good place is a really wild ride, it’s half afterlife comedy half philosophical musing, and it will almost certainly make you gasp, laugh, think, and also probably cry. also, eleanor is just buckets of fun and she, like many of us, is often blown away by tahani (jameela jamil) and her beauty.

ummm shows i haven’t watched entirely or at all but that have bi women in them and seem pretty good: black lightning, sex education, jane the virgin, arrow. 

if you haven’t already watched it, do not believe what people are going to tell you about watching glee. it will drag you into a pit of despair and white men rapping, and it’s quite biphobic to top it all off.

i hope you enjoy at least some of these!! i tried to include some of my own favs and some that were pointed out to me, so i hope that at least a couple connect with you and make you feel better. again, the bolded ones are my 100% favorites. i love you and i’m glad you reached out again!!! feel free to send some more asks later on <3

[shadowfollowweb]

APB Email List Content Archive

April 25, 2017

Story: DNA More commonly referred to as Dioxyribonucleic Acid. Or do I have that backward? Without it, we wouldn't have shows like CSI or Forensic Files. Most crime writers are familiar with the concept of DNA, where it's likely to be found at a crime scene or on a victim, its value as evidence, and how important it is when a Crime Lab confirms a DNA 'hit" in CODIS. Joan asked a great question this week: "Are all incarcerated inmates DNA tested?" I had to dig to find the answer, which is: it depends on the State and this PDF will tell you which State does what. The short answer is most States take DNA swabs during the jail booking process for felonies. Some states take DNA for all felonies, others for specific ones. Check out the PDF for details on the law for where your story takes place.

Scene: DNA So now that you know when DNA samples are collected, it would probably help you paint a better picture if you knew how DNA samples are collected and what a Buccal DNA Collector looks like. Well...you're in luck. Allow me to present you with some official California DOJ Buccal DNA Collection Kit Instructions. A step-by-step guide with pictures. So easy, even a patrol cop can do it. As an aside, the word "buccal" is properly pronounced "buckle." Doctors, CSI Techs, and Homicide Detectives will pronounce this correctly. I have often heard patrol officers mispronounce it as "b-you-cal." While I'm on the topic of mispronunciation, when referring to small blood droplets or spray, the word is "spatter." There is no L. Splatter is when you splash a liquid, usually making a copious mess...like with paint, mud, or cake batter.

Setting: Typical American Courtroom Flip through the channels on TV and you are bound to see several courtrooms fly by. Whether it's Judge Judy or re-runs of Perry Mason during the day or Law & Order of every flavor at night, we have all seen the inside of a courtroom too many times to count. But how well do you really know your way around? This chart is a pretty reasonable representation of an American Superior Court Courtroom. Some key things you might find helpful when describing a courtroom in your writing:

The Prosecutor's Table is always the attorney table closest to the jury. So if the jury box is on the left side of the room, the Defendant's Table would be on the right.

The space between the attorneys' tables and The Bench (where the Judge sits) is called "The Well." Historical rumor has it that The Well was designed to provide two swords length distance between the Judge and the attorneys...er...I mean the defendant. Whether that is true or not, I will leave to your own research. But that anecdote might give insight into why only the Bailiff -okay, okay...the Clerk and Stenographer too- are allowed to be in The Well, unless the Judge specifically allows it. Hence the question, "Permission to approach the Bench (or the Witness), Your Honor?" whenever an attorney wants to enter The Well.

The stenographer (aka The Court Reporter) usually sits between the Witness Box/Stand and the attorney's tables in order to hear everyone speaking.

Often a lectern is set up between the attorneys' tables or between the jury box and the Prosecutor's Table. (A lectern is often incorrectly referred to as a podium. A podium is a floor riser.)

The Jury Box is obviously where the jury sits. However, if the courtroom is being used for arraignments it is common for attorneys to use it as overflow seating. This is where many plea bargains are struck in whispered voices while other arraignments are going on, so as not to interfere with the Stenographer's ability to hear the official proceedings.

April 15, 2017

Story: Police Procedure Most of the questions I am asked start with “How would a cop really…” and most of my answers actually come straight from department policies. Riverside Police Department (in Southern California’s Inland Empire) has their entire policy manual posted online. [Before you ask....no, this is not the agency I work for.] This policy manual is indicative of what you will likely find in police policy manuals around the country, as they are based on yearly changes in case law and best practices. While not every agency will have the exact same policies, this exemplar will offer some great insight into how investigations are handled, what cops can and can’t do, and just how much working-knowledge of policy is required to navigate a workday. I really encourage you to bookmark this link and use it as a reference tool for learning how your characters will handle their investigations.

Story & Character: Serial Killers Who doesn’t want to write the next Silence of the Lambs? Hannibal Lecter was such an iconic character that our perception of serial killers is skewed through a Lecter-esque Lens. The truth is, statistically speaking, most Homicide Detectives will never work a serial killer. The FBI created this publication for investigators, to combat the popular culture myths about serial killers, assumptions about serial murderer psychological profiles, and to keep those misunderstandings from derailing an actual investigation. If you write about serial killers, this is a must-read for creating antagonists that aren’t a repeat of the erroneous stereotype.

Character: Cop Psychology I first heard of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder when it was called “Cop Shock,” based on a book of the same name. There has been a lot of media coverage in recent years about PTSD, as our troops return home from war suffering with the psychological effects of what they experienced. What isn’t as commonly reported about is Cumulative-PTSD, the type that is killing cops through suicide from the cumulative effects of police work. This story explains Cumulative-PTSD. Of particular note is the top comment at the bottom of the page (posted by Bigj78) that offers some perspective into why so few cops seek help. To read about what’s being done to combat PTSD in Law Enforcement, this article offers some examples. If you are writing a series of stories featuring the same protagonist, you might consider the long-term psychological toll the horrific scenes and high-stress incidents will take on your character. Even if you never "diagnose" your Detective with PTSD, you can add some depth of character by incorporating some of the PTSD traits listed in these articles.

March 25, 2017

PLOT HOLES: One thing I am frequently asked about is Missing Person Investigations. Hollywood perpetuates the myth that a Reporting Party has to wait 24 hours to report someone missing. Not only is this false in the United States, there are actually laws in place that require police agencies to take Missing Person reports seriously and in a timely manner. Some specific types of cases must be entered into a national database within two or four hours of the initial report. Check out California’s exhaustive guide on missing persons investigations and don’t fall victim to one of the biggest cop story plot holes out there.

CHARACTER: Writing in a way to convey how cops think can be challenging. The first step is understanding why the officer became one in the first place. There is a “chicken or the egg” argument in criminal justice academia as to whether cops are “values-predisposed” before coming on the job or become the way they are later in their careers via a “values-learned” phenomenon. I'd argue that it depends on the individual officer, but I believe most great cops truly feel it is “a calling.” My mother can attest that I’d wanted to be a cop since I was three years old. Nothing was going to stop me. It shaped many of my life decisions growing up. I took notice this week of the grittiest example of this kind of calling and fortitude. Not going to high school parties is one thing, but going through the police academy as a double-leg-amputee (and Marine Corps Combat Veteran) is a whole other level of commitment. I wish Officer Ferrieira a very long and rewarding career.

RESEARCH FIELD TRIP: Last week, I wrote about my Department of Homeland Security's "Global Entry" program interview. Since a few of you inquired about the experience, I thought I would share. I arrived at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX twenty minutes early. I found the Global Entry desk wedged between the twin entrances of Terminal 4 and Terminal 5, where an Asian woman wearing a full Customs and Border Protection uniform waved me up to the counter. There was no line at this early hour. I was immediately allowed through the door to the right of the counter, which opened up into a small office, staffed with eight CBP Officers behind desks. All were armed and wearing external body armor; the kind SWAT teams wear. The officer I spoke to was polite, but efficient. After answering a handful of questions, handing over my Passport and Driver's License, and a LiveScan of my fingerprints, I was back out the door in under ten minutes.

MOTIVATION: Finally, here’s a quick reminder that we’re on the same team and no matter how you are currently feeling about writing, keep chipping away at it because you're creating something awesome! Even if the words you're writing today don't feel awesome, they have to be written to get to the stage of creating the awesome stuff. Keep going and have a great week!

March 18, 2017

AGENCIES: INTERPOL (www.interpol.int) is an international police organization with 190 member countries. Think of it like the U.N., but for police work. INTERPOL is also one of the more misunderstood organizations in fiction. When I was a Homicide Detective, I had a murder suspect flee the country. My local FBI office took my California arrest warrant for First Degree Murder and used it to obtain a Federal "Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution" warrant. Referred to as a UFAP Warrant - pronounced "You Fap." (NOTE: Do not google that term, because it's slang for something else as well. Just don't; you'd thank me. If you do; you'll know I was right and might listen to me next time.) By obtaining a UFAP warrant, the FBI was able to get INTERPOL to flag the suspect's passport/identity for arrest using an INTERPOL RED NOTICE around the world. Check out the links to INTERPOL to learn more about the different color notices used to catch or track international fugitives, known criminals, et cetera.

PLOT RESEARCH: I have Lethal Weapon 2 to thank for introducing me to the concept of Diplomatic Immunity. Unfortunately, it has confused most of movie goers on the concept of Diplomatic Immunity ever since. To learn exactly who has Diplomatic Immunity and to what extent that may actually keep them out of trouble, here is a link to the U.S. Department of State's "Diplomatic and Consular Immunity: Guidance for Law Enforcement and Judicial Authorities." This downloadable PDF will answer nearly every question you may have on the topic.

RESEARCH FIELD TRIP: The reason this week's APB is focused on travel is that I have a little field trip coming up on Monday morning. A few months ago, I enrolled in the Department of Homeland Security's "Global Entry" program. Global Entry is essentially a FastPass for International travel. Not only will it allow me into the shortest/quickest line at the Customs Desk whenever I return to the United States from travel abroad, it also includes TSA PreCheck (the program that lets "pre-screened travelers" get in the short line at airport security screening.) The final hurdle in getting my Global Entry card is completing an interview with TSA at LAX in the Tom Bradley International Terminal on Monday morning. So any of you suffering from Wanderlust or wanting a writing/research field trip to your nearest, most inconvenient, international airport, I encourage you to go through the Global Entry process. Global Entry is $100 for 5 years and includes TSA PreCheck. TSA PreCheck on its own is $85 for five years; so spend the extra $15. You'll thank me the next time you get to cut the wait time at the airport (or cruise ship terminal, or land border crossing) and you'll be feeling like Jason Bourne in no time.

March 11, 2017

RESEARCH: With this week’s Wikileaks claims regarding CIA’s purported cyber spying techniques, I think it’s time to introduce you to Michael Bazzell. Michael was a local Police Detective assigned as a Task Force Officer on a FBI Cyber Crimes Task Force. Years later, he left law enforcement to start a very lucrative career teaching cops how to use the internet to find bad guys and teaching cops to safeguard themselves from the same aforementioned searching techniques. He was also a technical advisor for the TV show “Mr. Robot.” So yes, he's that good. This week, Michael and his podcasting partner, Justin Carroll, discuss the CIA leak. After you’ve listened to the podcast, click the “OSINT Tools” link at the top of the page and then click the “Tools” link. Try using the links in the left column of the page to find new ways to search your favorite social networks. I *may* have used these techniques to connect with writers like you ;) on Facebook. Disclaimer: I accept no responsibility if these techniques lead to you stalking your high school flame.

PROPS: Have you ever wondered what gear your character would actually carry? One of the major providers of “duty gear” is a company called Galls, and they’ve been around for decades. If you are old enough to remember leafing through inch-thick department store catalogs looking for things to ask Santa for, nothing has changed. The Galls Catalog is the definitive cop and firefighter gift guide. As a writer, you might find a few secrets of police work like this one that hides a handcuff key inside a belt keeper. I have carried one exactly like this on my Sam Browne for twenty years. It would be a very bad day if I had my own handcuffs used against me, but it goes back to the law enforcement motto of “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.” If you're writing a thriller where the protagonist finds herself/himself at the mercy of the antagonist, this little gem might prove useful.

MUSE: Writing is tough. Being fiscally successful at writing is even more difficult. It’s natural to think your self-doubt soliloquy is speaking the truth, especially when life isn’t going the way you deserve. We all think these thoughts. The next time this feeling grips you, I want you to think of Jon Morrow. Then I want you to use Jon’s advice and find the opening for your counterpunch. Find out what I mean here, in Jon Morrow’s “7 Life Lessons from a Guy Who Can’t Move Anything but His Face.”

March 4, 2017

RESEARCH: One of the best places to learn about what cops are currently facing and what they think about is at PoliceOne. This is a great way to research a ton of police related topics, such as the equipment your characters might carry, the training they receive, or dashcam/bodycam videos of what actually happens out on the street.

CHARACTER: You might be familiar with comedian Whitney Cummings, but you've probably never heard her like this. In her second appearance on the Tim Ferriss Podcast, she gets deep and meaningful. This is a long podcast, but her explanation of co-dependence and the character traits that are indicative of being co-dependent are 100% worth taking the time to listen. I found it enlightening you will absolutely find it useful for character creation. Whitney begins talking about co-dependence at the [6:10] mark.

One gem I pulled from this episode was, "Perfectionism leads to procrastination, which leads to paralysis." [16:35] Sound familiar? Yeah...me too. You can find the show notes (including discussion topics by timeline mark) for Whitney's "Return of the Money Shot" episode at tim.blog, grab the podcast on itunes, or stream it directly using these links.

WRITING TOOLS: Many of us have streaming music. I personally have XM Radio, Pandora, and my Amazon Prime membership gives me Amazon Music. Last year, I tried yet another streaming service called Focus@Will that claimed to provide music that boosts productivity. I am definitely the type that prefers to write and read in silence, but Focus@Will changed that for me. They scientifically determine which music increases your focus to get work done and stay in the zone. When I am working, nothing irritates me more than music that pulls me out of my zen-happy-zone (or even worse: commercials.) Focus@Will does neither of those and excels in creating that focused atomosphere.

I have renewed my subscription for a second year now and have even participated in one of their scientific focus studies. Focus@Will offers a free 15-Day trial*, and I wholeheartedly recommend at least trying it out. If you click on the affiliate link I've provided above, it will give you $5 off the normal price.

February 25, 2017

Story: The Art of Storytelling – Pixar partnered with the Khan Academy to teach a free course on The Art of Storytelling. It’s a 30,000 foot overview of storytelling, but it’s fun to see the Creative Brains behind animated movies like Cars and Toy Story offer insight into Pixar’s storytelling practices. Did I mention that it's free?

Setting: Stories like One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest burned the mental image of what an insane asylum might look like into our collective mind’s eye. My wife and I visited Bath, England last year and stayed at the Bailbrook House. This stunning mansion looked like any number of stately homes featured in Downton Abbey. While flipping through the hotel’s Welcome Book in our room, I quickly discovered we were staying in a former 19th Century lunatic asylum known for its advances in cranial drilling. This week, I discovered the article: Human Zoos of the 19th Century which reveals how North American mental institutions in the 1800s were public attractions with complete with tours for the whole family.

Time Management: The only way to write that book (or that APB or that blog post) is to get your butt in your seat and start typing. “But I don’t have the time!” Does that sound familiar? This NY Times article provided some insight into the benefits of tracking your time.

Crime Writer's Mug: Crime Writer’s Miranda Admonishment coffee mug*. If you ever wanted a Miranda Admonishment card for your crime story interviews, this is it…conveniently printed on the side of a coffee mug, because you have the right to remain caffeinated.

February 18, 2017

Character: Lost Boy of Sudan becomes an Atlanta Police Officer – An uplifting true story about perseverance and following your dream through adversity.

Setting: A succinct description of heroin production. – If you want to accurately describe how heroin is actually manufactured, this is the most concise and accurate description I've seen.

 Story: The Soup Maker – If you write about drug cartels, this blog will introduce you to the eye opening reference source called BorderlandBeat.com WARNING: This site often shows graphic images of the real death and devastation of narcoterrorism. While I highly recommend reading the articles, think twice about joining in the commentary. The Cartels are certainly reading these posts as well. The Soup Maker link is to a real life story of what I can only describe as The Heisenberg Body-Disposal-Method. It's definitely gross, but start asking yourself how articles like these could lead to new story ideas. After you read The Soup Maker, consider this writing prompt: HOW and WHY did the Cartel know to reach out to the "Israelites" as experts in this field? WHAT does that mean is going on elsewhere in the world? Taking an analytical approach to reading any news article and then asking the right questions is a sure-fire Rx for killing writer's block.

 Writer's Reference: 5 Secrets of Story Structure: How to Write a Novel That Stands Out (Helping Writers Become Authors Book 6), by K.M. Weiland. I am a big fan of K.M. Weiland's writing tools. As I send this email today (2/18/2017), the Kindle Edition is currently FREE. Download it before the price goes back up!

[*Some links may be affiliate links, where I might earn money if you click and then purchase anything. Any affiliate links are marked with an asterisk like this: *, so you can decide whether I get any money from your sale. I won't provide any affiliate links for products I haven't used or don't really believe in.]

APB Email List Content Archive published first on your-t1-blog-url

[harolddetective]

APB Email List Content Archive

April 25, 2017

Story: DNA More commonly referred to as Dioxyribonucleic Acid. Or do I have that backward? Without it, we wouldn’t have shows like CSI or Forensic Files. Most crime writers are familiar with the concept of DNA, where it’s likely to be found at a crime scene or on a victim, its value as evidence, and how important it is when a Crime Lab confirms a DNA ‘hit” in CODIS. Joan asked a great question this week: “Are all incarcerated inmates DNA tested?” I had to dig to find the answer, which is: it depends on the State and this PDF will tell you which State does what. The short answer is most States take DNA swabs during the jail booking process for felonies. Some states take DNA for all felonies, others for specific ones. Check out the PDF for details on the law for where your story takes place.

Scene: DNA So now that you know when DNA samples are collected, it would probably help you paint a better picture if you knew how DNA samples are collected and what a Buccal DNA Collector looks like. Well…you’re in luck. Allow me to present you with some official California DOJ Buccal DNA Collection Kit Instructions. A step-by-step guide with pictures. So easy, even a patrol cop can do it. As an aside, the word “buccal” is properly pronounced “buckle.” Doctors, CSI Techs, and Homicide Detectives will pronounce this correctly. I have often heard patrol officers mispronounce it as “b-you-cal.” While I’m on the topic of mispronunciation, when referring to small blood droplets or spray, the word is “spatter.” There is no L. Splatter is when you splash a liquid, usually making a copious mess…like with paint, mud, or cake batter.

Setting: Typical American Courtroom Flip through the channels on TV and you are bound to see several courtrooms fly by. Whether it’s Judge Judy or re-runs of Perry Mason during the day or Law & Order of every flavor at night, we have all seen the inside of a courtroom too many times to count. But how well do you really know your way around? This chart is a pretty reasonable representation of an American Superior Court Courtroom. Some key things you might find helpful when describing a courtroom in your writing:

The Prosecutor’s Table is always the attorney table closest to the jury. So if the jury box is on the left side of the room, the Defendant’s Table would be on the right.

The space between the attorneys’ tables and The Bench (where the Judge sits) is called “The Well.” Historical rumor has it that The Well was designed to provide two swords length distance between the Judge and the attorneys…er…I mean the defendant. Whether that is true or not, I will leave to your own research. But that anecdote might give insight into why only the Bailiff -okay, okay…the Clerk and Stenographer too- are allowed to be in The Well, unless the Judge specifically allows it. Hence the question, “Permission to approach the Bench (or the Witness), Your Honor?” whenever an attorney wants to enter The Well.

The stenographer (aka The Court Reporter) usually sits between the Witness Box/Stand and the attorney’s tables in order to hear everyone speaking.

Often a lectern is set up between the attorneys’ tables or between the jury box and the Prosecutor’s Table. (A lectern is often incorrectly referred to as a podium. A podium is a floor riser.)

The Jury Box is obviously where the jury sits. However, if the courtroom is being used for arraignments it is common for attorneys to use it as overflow seating. This is where many plea bargains are struck in whispered voices while other arraignments are going on, so as not to interfere with the Stenographer’s ability to hear the official proceedings.

April 15, 2017

Story: Police Procedure Most of the questions I am asked start with “How would a cop really…” and most of my answers actually come straight from department policies. Riverside Police Department (in Southern California’s Inland Empire) has their entire policy manual posted online. [Before you ask….no, this is not the agency I work for.] This policy manual is indicative of what you will likely find in police policy manuals around the country, as they are based on yearly changes in case law and best practices. While not every agency will have the exact same policies, this exemplar will offer some great insight into how investigations are handled, what cops can and can’t do, and just how much working-knowledge of policy is required to navigate a workday. I really encourage you to bookmark this link and use it as a reference tool for learning how your characters will handle their investigations.

Story & Character: Serial Killers Who doesn’t want to write the next Silence of the Lambs? Hannibal Lecter was such an iconic character that our perception of serial killers is skewed through a Lecter-esque Lens. The truth is, statistically speaking, most Homicide Detectives will never work a serial killer. The FBI created this publication for investigators, to combat the popular culture myths about serial killers, assumptions about serial murderer psychological profiles, and to keep those misunderstandings from derailing an actual investigation. If you write about serial killers, this is a must-read for creating antagonists that aren’t a repeat of the erroneous stereotype.

Character: Cop Psychology I first heard of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder when it was called “Cop Shock,” based on a book of the same name. There has been a lot of media coverage in recent years about PTSD, as our troops return home from war suffering with the psychological effects of what they experienced. What isn’t as commonly reported about is Cumulative-PTSD, the type that is killing cops through suicide from the cumulative effects of police work. This story explains Cumulative-PTSD. Of particular note is the top comment at the bottom of the page (posted by Bigj78) that offers some perspective into why so few cops seek help. To read about what’s being done to combat PTSD in Law Enforcement, this article offers some examples. If you are writing a series of stories featuring the same protagonist, you might consider the long-term psychological toll the horrific scenes and high-stress incidents will take on your character. Even if you never “diagnose” your Detective with PTSD, you can add some depth of character by incorporating some of the PTSD traits listed in these articles.

March 25, 2017

PLOT HOLES: One thing I am frequently asked about is Missing Person Investigations. Hollywood perpetuates the myth that a Reporting Party has to wait 24 hours to report someone missing. Not only is this false in the United States, there are actually laws in place that require police agencies to take Missing Person reports seriously and in a timely manner. Some specific types of cases must be entered into a national database within two or four hours of the initial report. Check out California’s exhaustive guide on missing persons investigations and don’t fall victim to one of the biggest cop story plot holes out there.

CHARACTER: Writing in a way to convey how cops think can be challenging. The first step is understanding why the officer became one in the first place. There is a “chicken or the egg” argument in criminal justice academia as to whether cops are “values-predisposed” before coming on the job or become the way they are later in their careers via a “values-learned” phenomenon. I’d argue that it depends on the individual officer, but I believe most great cops truly feel it is “a calling.” My mother can attest that I’d wanted to be a cop since I was three years old. Nothing was going to stop me. It shaped many of my life decisions growing up. I took notice this week of the grittiest example of this kind of calling and fortitude. Not going to high school parties is one thing, but going through the police academy as a double-leg-amputee (and Marine Corps Combat Veteran) is a whole other level of commitment. I wish Officer Ferrieira a very long and rewarding career.

RESEARCH FIELD TRIP: Last week, I wrote about my Department of Homeland Security’s “Global Entry” program interview. Since a few of you inquired about the experience, I thought I would share. I arrived at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX twenty minutes early. I found the Global Entry desk wedged between the twin entrances of Terminal 4 and Terminal 5, where an Asian woman wearing a full Customs and Border Protection uniform waved me up to the counter. There was no line at this early hour. I was immediately allowed through the door to the right of the counter, which opened up into a small office, staffed with eight CBP Officers behind desks. All were armed and wearing external body armor; the kind SWAT teams wear. The officer I spoke to was polite, but efficient. After answering a handful of questions, handing over my Passport and Driver’s License, and a LiveScan of my fingerprints, I was back out the door in under ten minutes.

MOTIVATION: Finally, here’s a quick reminder that we’re on the same team and no matter how you are currently feeling about writing, keep chipping away at it because you’re creating something awesome! Even if the words you’re writing today don’t feel awesome, they have to be written to get to the stage of creating the awesome stuff. Keep going and have a great week!

March 18, 2017

AGENCIES: INTERPOL (www.interpol.int) is an international police organization with 190 member countries. Think of it like the U.N., but for police work. INTERPOL is also one of the more misunderstood organizations in fiction. When I was a Homicide Detective, I had a murder suspect flee the country. My local FBI office took my California arrest warrant for First Degree Murder and used it to obtain a Federal “Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution” warrant. Referred to as a UFAP Warrant – pronounced “You Fap.” (NOTE: Do not google that term, because it’s slang for something else as well. Just don’t; you’d thank me. If you do; you’ll know I was right and might listen to me next time.) By obtaining a UFAP warrant, the FBI was able to get INTERPOL to flag the suspect’s passport/identity for arrest using an INTERPOL RED NOTICE around the world. Check out the links to INTERPOL to learn more about the different color notices used to catch or track international fugitives, known criminals, et cetera.

PLOT RESEARCH: I have Lethal Weapon 2 to thank for introducing me to the concept of Diplomatic Immunity. Unfortunately, it has confused most of movie goers on the concept of Diplomatic Immunity ever since. To learn exactly who has Diplomatic Immunity and to what extent that may actually keep them out of trouble, here is a link to the U.S. Department of State’s “Diplomatic and Consular Immunity: Guidance for Law Enforcement and Judicial Authorities.” This downloadable PDF will answer nearly every question you may have on the topic.

RESEARCH FIELD TRIP: The reason this week’s APB is focused on travel is that I have a little field trip coming up on Monday morning. A few months ago, I enrolled in the Department of Homeland Security’s “Global Entry” program. Global Entry is essentially a FastPass for International travel. Not only will it allow me into the shortest/quickest line at the Customs Desk whenever I return to the United States from travel abroad, it also includes TSA PreCheck (the program that lets “pre-screened travelers” get in the short line at airport security screening.) The final hurdle in getting my Global Entry card is completing an interview with TSA at LAX in the Tom Bradley International Terminal on Monday morning. So any of you suffering from Wanderlust or wanting a writing/research field trip to your nearest, most inconvenient, international airport, I encourage you to go through the Global Entry process. Global Entry is $100 for 5 years and includes TSA PreCheck. TSA PreCheck on its own is $85 for five years; so spend the extra $15. You’ll thank me the next time you get to cut the wait time at the airport (or cruise ship terminal, or land border crossing) and you’ll be feeling like Jason Bourne in no time.

March 11, 2017

RESEARCH: With this week’s Wikileaks claims regarding CIA’s purported cyber spying techniques, I think it’s time to introduce you to Michael Bazzell. Michael was a local Police Detective assigned as a Task Force Officer on a FBI Cyber Crimes Task Force. Years later, he left law enforcement to start a very lucrative career teaching cops how to use the internet to find bad guys and teaching cops to safeguard themselves from the same aforementioned searching techniques. He was also a technical advisor for the TV show “Mr. Robot.” So yes, he’s that good. This week, Michael and his podcasting partner, Justin Carroll, discuss the CIA leak. After you’ve listened to the podcast, click the “OSINT Tools” link at the top of the page and then click the “Tools” link. Try using the links in the left column of the page to find new ways to search your favorite social networks. I *may* have used these techniques to connect with writers like you on Facebook. Disclaimer: I accept no responsibility if these techniques lead to you stalking your high school flame.

PROPS: Have you ever wondered what gear your character would actually carry? One of the major providers of “duty gear” is a company called Galls, and they’ve been around for decades. If you are old enough to remember leafing through inch-thick department store catalogs looking for things to ask Santa for, nothing has changed. The Galls Catalog is the definitive cop and firefighter gift guide. As a writer, you might find a few secrets of police work like this one that hides a handcuff key inside a belt keeper. I have carried one exactly like this on my Sam Browne for twenty years. It would be a very bad day if I had my own handcuffs used against me, but it goes back to the law enforcement motto of “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.” If you’re writing a thriller where the protagonist finds herself/himself at the mercy of the antagonist, this little gem might prove useful.

MUSE: Writing is tough. Being fiscally successful at writing is even more difficult. It’s natural to think your self-doubt soliloquy is speaking the truth, especially when life isn’t going the way you deserve. We all think these thoughts. The next time this feeling grips you, I want you to think of Jon Morrow. Then I want you to use Jon’s advice and find the opening for your counterpunch. Find out what I mean here, in Jon Morrow’s “7 Life Lessons from a Guy Who Can’t Move Anything but His Face.”

March 4, 2017

RESEARCH: One of the best places to learn about what cops are currently facing and what they think about is at PoliceOne. This is a great way to research a ton of police related topics, such as the equipment your characters might carry, the training they receive, or dashcam/bodycam videos of what actually happens out on the street.

CHARACTER: You might be familiar with comedian Whitney Cummings, but you’ve probably never heard her like this. In her second appearance on the Tim Ferriss Podcast, she gets deep and meaningful. This is a long podcast, but her explanation of co-dependence and the character traits that are indicative of being co-dependent are 100% worth taking the time to listen. I found it enlightening you will absolutely find it useful for character creation. Whitney begins talking about co-dependence at the [6:10] mark.

One gem I pulled from this episode was, “Perfectionism leads to procrastination, which leads to paralysis.” [16:35] Sound familiar? Yeah…me too.

You can find the show notes (including discussion topics by timeline mark) for Whitney’s “Return of the Money Shot” episode at tim.blog, grab the podcast on itunes, or stream it directly using these links.

WRITING TOOLS: Many of us have streaming music. I personally have XM Radio, Pandora, and my Amazon Prime membership gives me Amazon Music. Last year, I tried yet another streaming service called Focus@Will that claimed to provide music that boosts productivity. I am definitely the type that prefers to write and read in silence, but Focus@Will changed that for me. They scientifically determine which music increases your focus to get work done and stay in the zone. When I am working, nothing irritates me more than music that pulls me out of my zen-happy-zone (or even worse: commercials.) Focus@Will does neither of those and excels in creating that focused atomosphere.

I have renewed my subscription for a second year now and have even participated in one of their scientific focus studies. Focus@Will offers a free 15-Day trial*, and I wholeheartedly recommend at least trying it out. If you click on the affiliate link I’ve provided above, it will give you $5 off the normal price.

February 25, 2017

Story: The Art of Storytelling – Pixar partnered with the Khan Academy to teach a free course on The Art of Storytelling. It’s a 30,000 foot overview of storytelling, but it’s fun to see the Creative Brains behind animated movies like Cars and Toy Story offer insight into Pixar’s storytelling practices. Did I mention that it’s free?

Setting: Stories like One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest burned the mental image of what an insane asylum might look like into our collective mind’s eye. My wife and I visited Bath, England last year and stayed at the Bailbrook House. This stunning mansion looked like any number of stately homes featured in Downton Abbey. While flipping through the hotel’s Welcome Book in our room, I quickly discovered we were staying in a former 19th Century lunatic asylum known for its advances in cranial drilling. This week, I discovered the article: Human Zoos of the 19th Century which reveals how North American mental institutions in the 1800s were public attractions with complete with tours for the whole family.

Time Management: The only way to write that book (or that APB or that blog post) is to get your butt in your seat and start typing. “But I don’t have the time!” Does that sound familiar? This NY Times article provided some insight into the benefits of tracking your time.

Crime Writer’s Mug: Crime Writer’s Miranda Admonishment coffee mug*. If you ever wanted a Miranda Admonishment card for your crime story interviews, this is it…conveniently printed on the side of a coffee mug, because you have the right to remain caffeinated.

February 18, 2017

Character: Lost Boy of Sudan becomes an Atlanta Police Officer – An uplifting true story about perseverance and following your dream through adversity.

Setting: A succinct description of heroin production. – If you want to accurately describe how heroin is actually manufactured, this is the most concise and accurate description I’ve seen.

  Story: The Soup Maker – If you write about drug cartels, this blog will introduce you to the eye opening reference source called BorderlandBeat.com WARNING: This site often shows graphic images of the real death and devastation of narcoterrorism. While I highly recommend reading the articles, think twice about joining in the commentary. The Cartels are certainly reading these posts as well. The Soup Maker link is to a real life story of what I can only describe as The Heisenberg Body-Disposal-Method. It’s definitely gross, but start asking yourself how articles like these could lead to new story ideas. After you read The Soup Maker, consider this writing prompt: HOW and WHY did the Cartel know to reach out to the “Israelites” as experts in this field? WHAT does that mean is going on elsewhere in the world? Taking an analytical approach to reading any news article and then asking the right questions is a sure-fire Rx for killing writer’s block.

  Writer’s Reference: 5 Secrets of Story Structure: How to Write a Novel That Stands Out (Helping Writers Become Authors Book 6), by K.M. Weiland. I am a big fan of K.M. Weiland’s writing tools. As I send this email today (2/18/2017), the Kindle Edition is currently FREE. Download it before the price goes back up!

[*Some links may be affiliate links, where I might earn money if you click and then purchase anything. Any affiliate links are marked with an asterisk like this: *, so you can decide whether I get any money from your sale. I won’t provide any affiliate links for products I haven’t used or don’t really believe in.]

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April 25, 2017

Story: DNA More commonly referred to as Dioxyribonucleic Acid. Or do I have that backward? Without it, we wouldn’t have shows like CSI or Forensic Files. Most crime writers are familiar with the concept of DNA, where it’s likely to be found at a crime scene or on a victim, its value as evidence, and how important it is when a Crime Lab confirms a DNA ‘hit” in CODIS. Joan asked a great question this week: “Are all incarcerated inmates DNA tested?” I had to dig to find the answer, which is: it depends on the State and this PDF will tell you which State does what. The short answer is most States take DNA swabs during the jail booking process for felonies. Some states take DNA for all felonies, others for specific ones. Check out the PDF for details on the law for where your story takes place.

Scene: DNA So now that you know when DNA samples are collected, it would probably help you paint a better picture if you knew how DNA samples are collected and what a Buccal DNA Collector looks like. Well…you’re in luck. Allow me to present you with some official California DOJ Buccal DNA Collection Kit Instructions. A step-by-step guide with pictures. So easy, even a patrol cop can do it. As an aside, the word “buccal” is properly pronounced “buckle.” Doctors, CSI Techs, and Homicide Detectives will pronounce this correctly. I have often heard patrol officers mispronounce it as “b-you-cal.” While I’m on the topic of mispronunciation, when referring to small blood droplets or spray, the word is “spatter.” There is no L. Splatter is when you splash a liquid, usually making a copious mess…like with paint, mud, or cake batter.

Setting: Typical American Courtroom Flip through the channels on TV and you are bound to see several courtrooms fly by. Whether it’s Judge Judy or re-runs of Perry Mason during the day or Law & Order of every flavor at night, we have all seen the inside of a courtroom too many times to count. But how well do you really know your way around? This chart is a pretty reasonable representation of an American Superior Court Courtroom. Some key things you might find helpful when describing a courtroom in your writing:

The Prosecutor’s Table is always the attorney table closest to the jury. So if the jury box is on the left side of the room, the Defendant’s Table would be on the right.

The space between the attorneys’ tables and The Bench (where the Judge sits) is called “The Well.” Historical rumor has it that The Well was designed to provide two swords length distance between the Judge and the attorneys…er…I mean the defendant. Whether that is true or not, I will leave to your own research. But that anecdote might give insight into why only the Bailiff -okay, okay…the Clerk and Stenographer too- are allowed to be in The Well, unless the Judge specifically allows it. Hence the question, “Permission to approach the Bench (or the Witness), Your Honor?” whenever an attorney wants to enter The Well.

The stenographer (aka The Court Reporter) usually sits between the Witness Box/Stand and the attorney’s tables in order to hear everyone speaking.

Often a lectern is set up between the attorneys’ tables or between the jury box and the Prosecutor’s Table. (A lectern is often incorrectly referred to as a podium. A podium is a floor riser.)

The Jury Box is obviously where the jury sits. However, if the courtroom is being used for arraignments it is common for attorneys to use it as overflow seating. This is where many plea bargains are struck in whispered voices while other arraignments are going on, so as not to interfere with the Stenographer’s ability to hear the official proceedings.

April 15, 2017

Story: Police Procedure Most of the questions I am asked start with “How would a cop really…” and most of my answers actually come straight from department policies. Riverside Police Department (in Southern California’s Inland Empire) has their entire policy manual posted online. [Before you ask….no, this is not the agency I work for.] This policy manual is indicative of what you will likely find in police policy manuals around the country, as they are based on yearly changes in case law and best practices. While not every agency will have the exact same policies, this exemplar will offer some great insight into how investigations are handled, what cops can and can’t do, and just how much working-knowledge of policy is required to navigate a workday. I really encourage you to bookmark this link and use it as a reference tool for learning how your characters will handle their investigations.

Story & Character: Serial Killers Who doesn’t want to write the next Silence of the Lambs? Hannibal Lecter was such an iconic character that our perception of serial killers is skewed through a Lecter-esque Lens. The truth is, statistically speaking, most Homicide Detectives will never work a serial killer. The FBI created this publication for investigators, to combat the popular culture myths about serial killers, assumptions about serial murderer psychological profiles, and to keep those misunderstandings from derailing an actual investigation. If you write about serial killers, this is a must-read for creating antagonists that aren’t a repeat of the erroneous stereotype.

Character: Cop Psychology I first heard of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder when it was called “Cop Shock,” based on a book of the same name. There has been a lot of media coverage in recent years about PTSD, as our troops return home from war suffering with the psychological effects of what they experienced. What isn’t as commonly reported about is Cumulative-PTSD, the type that is killing cops through suicide from the cumulative effects of police work. This story explains Cumulative-PTSD. Of particular note is the top comment at the bottom of the page (posted by Bigj78) that offers some perspective into why so few cops seek help. To read about what’s being done to combat PTSD in Law Enforcement, this article offers some examples. If you are writing a series of stories featuring the same protagonist, you might consider the long-term psychological toll the horrific scenes and high-stress incidents will take on your character. Even if you never “diagnose” your Detective with PTSD, you can add some depth of character by incorporating some of the PTSD traits listed in these articles.

March 25, 2017

PLOT HOLES: One thing I am frequently asked about is Missing Person Investigations. Hollywood perpetuates the myth that a Reporting Party has to wait 24 hours to report someone missing. Not only is this false in the United States, there are actually laws in place that require police agencies to take Missing Person reports seriously and in a timely manner. Some specific types of cases must be entered into a national database within two or four hours of the initial report. Check out California’s exhaustive guide on missing persons investigations and don’t fall victim to one of the biggest cop story plot holes out there.

CHARACTER: Writing in a way to convey how cops think can be challenging. The first step is understanding why the officer became one in the first place. There is a “chicken or the egg” argument in criminal justice academia as to whether cops are “values-predisposed” before coming on the job or become the way they are later in their careers via a “values-learned” phenomenon. I’d argue that it depends on the individual officer, but I believe most great cops truly feel it is “a calling.” My mother can attest that I’d wanted to be a cop since I was three years old. Nothing was going to stop me. It shaped many of my life decisions growing up. I took notice this week of the grittiest example of this kind of calling and fortitude. Not going to high school parties is one thing, but going through the police academy as a double-leg-amputee (and Marine Corps Combat Veteran) is a whole other level of commitment. I wish Officer Ferrieira a very long and rewarding career.

RESEARCH FIELD TRIP: Last week, I wrote about my Department of Homeland Security’s “Global Entry” program interview. Since a few of you inquired about the experience, I thought I would share. I arrived at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX twenty minutes early. I found the Global Entry desk wedged between the twin entrances of Terminal 4 and Terminal 5, where an Asian woman wearing a full Customs and Border Protection uniform waved me up to the counter. There was no line at this early hour. I was immediately allowed through the door to the right of the counter, which opened up into a small office, staffed with eight CBP Officers behind desks. All were armed and wearing external body armor; the kind SWAT teams wear. The officer I spoke to was polite, but efficient. After answering a handful of questions, handing over my Passport and Driver’s License, and a LiveScan of my fingerprints, I was back out the door in under ten minutes.

MOTIVATION: Finally, here’s a quick reminder that we’re on the same team and no matter how you are currently feeling about writing, keep chipping away at it because you’re creating something awesome! Even if the words you’re writing today don’t feel awesome, they have to be written to get to the stage of creating the awesome stuff. Keep going and have a great week!

March 18, 2017

AGENCIES: INTERPOL (www.interpol.int) is an international police organization with 190 member countries. Think of it like the U.N., but for police work. INTERPOL is also one of the more misunderstood organizations in fiction. When I was a Homicide Detective, I had a murder suspect flee the country. My local FBI office took my California arrest warrant for First Degree Murder and used it to obtain a Federal “Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution” warrant. Referred to as a UFAP Warrant – pronounced “You Fap.” (NOTE: Do not google that term, because it’s slang for something else as well. Just don’t; you’d thank me. If you do; you’ll know I was right and might listen to me next time.) By obtaining a UFAP warrant, the FBI was able to get INTERPOL to flag the suspect’s passport/identity for arrest using an INTERPOL RED NOTICE around the world. Check out the links to INTERPOL to learn more about the different color notices used to catch or track international fugitives, known criminals, et cetera.

PLOT RESEARCH: I have Lethal Weapon 2 to thank for introducing me to the concept of Diplomatic Immunity. Unfortunately, it has confused most of movie goers on the concept of Diplomatic Immunity ever since. To learn exactly who has Diplomatic Immunity and to what extent that may actually keep them out of trouble, here is a link to the U.S. Department of State’s “Diplomatic and Consular Immunity: Guidance for Law Enforcement and Judicial Authorities.” This downloadable PDF will answer nearly every question you may have on the topic.

RESEARCH FIELD TRIP: The reason this week’s APB is focused on travel is that I have a little field trip coming up on Monday morning. A few months ago, I enrolled in the Department of Homeland Security’s “Global Entry” program. Global Entry is essentially a FastPass for International travel. Not only will it allow me into the shortest/quickest line at the Customs Desk whenever I return to the United States from travel abroad, it also includes TSA PreCheck (the program that lets “pre-screened travelers” get in the short line at airport security screening.) The final hurdle in getting my Global Entry card is completing an interview with TSA at LAX in the Tom Bradley International Terminal on Monday morning. So any of you suffering from Wanderlust or wanting a writing/research field trip to your nearest, most inconvenient, international airport, I encourage you to go through the Global Entry process. Global Entry is $100 for 5 years and includes TSA PreCheck. TSA PreCheck on its own is $85 for five years; so spend the extra $15. You’ll thank me the next time you get to cut the wait time at the airport (or cruise ship terminal, or land border crossing) and you’ll be feeling like Jason Bourne in no time.

March 11, 2017

RESEARCH: With this week’s Wikileaks claims regarding CIA’s purported cyber spying techniques, I think it’s time to introduce you to Michael Bazzell. Michael was a local Police Detective assigned as a Task Force Officer on a FBI Cyber Crimes Task Force. Years later, he left law enforcement to start a very lucrative career teaching cops how to use the internet to find bad guys and teaching cops to safeguard themselves from the same aforementioned searching techniques. He was also a technical advisor for the TV show “Mr. Robot.” So yes, he’s that good. This week, Michael and his podcasting partner, Justin Carroll, discuss the CIA leak. After you’ve listened to the podcast, click the “OSINT Tools” link at the top of the page and then click the “Tools” link. Try using the links in the left column of the page to find new ways to search your favorite social networks. I *may* have used these techniques to connect with writers like you on Facebook. Disclaimer: I accept no responsibility if these techniques lead to you stalking your high school flame.

PROPS: Have you ever wondered what gear your character would actually carry? One of the major providers of “duty gear” is a company called Galls, and they’ve been around for decades. If you are old enough to remember leafing through inch-thick department store catalogs looking for things to ask Santa for, nothing has changed. The Galls Catalog is the definitive cop and firefighter gift guide. As a writer, you might find a few secrets of police work like this one that hides a handcuff key inside a belt keeper. I have carried one exactly like this on my Sam Browne for twenty years. It would be a very bad day if I had my own handcuffs used against me, but it goes back to the law enforcement motto of “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.” If you’re writing a thriller where the protagonist finds herself/himself at the mercy of the antagonist, this little gem might prove useful.

MUSE: Writing is tough. Being fiscally successful at writing is even more difficult. It’s natural to think your self-doubt soliloquy is speaking the truth, especially when life isn’t going the way you deserve. We all think these thoughts. The next time this feeling grips you, I want you to think of Jon Morrow. Then I want you to use Jon’s advice and find the opening for your counterpunch. Find out what I mean here, in Jon Morrow’s “7 Life Lessons from a Guy Who Can’t Move Anything but His Face.”

March 4, 2017

RESEARCH: One of the best places to learn about what cops are currently facing and what they think about is at PoliceOne. This is a great way to research a ton of police related topics, such as the equipment your characters might carry, the training they receive, or dashcam/bodycam videos of what actually happens out on the street.

CHARACTER: You might be familiar with comedian Whitney Cummings, but you’ve probably never heard her like this. In her second appearance on the Tim Ferriss Podcast, she gets deep and meaningful. This is a long podcast, but her explanation of co-dependence and the character traits that are indicative of being co-dependent are 100% worth taking the time to listen. I found it enlightening you will absolutely find it useful for character creation. Whitney begins talking about co-dependence at the [6:10] mark.

One gem I pulled from this episode was, “Perfectionism leads to procrastination, which leads to paralysis.” [16:35] Sound familiar? Yeah…me too.

You can find the show notes (including discussion topics by timeline mark) for Whitney’s “Return of the Money Shot” episode at tim.blog, grab the podcast on itunes, or stream it directly using these links.

WRITING TOOLS: Many of us have streaming music. I personally have XM Radio, Pandora, and my Amazon Prime membership gives me Amazon Music. Last year, I tried yet another streaming service called Focus@Will that claimed to provide music that boosts productivity. I am definitely the type that prefers to write and read in silence, but Focus@Will changed that for me. They scientifically determine which music increases your focus to get work done and stay in the zone. When I am working, nothing irritates me more than music that pulls me out of my zen-happy-zone (or even worse: commercials.) Focus@Will does neither of those and excels in creating that focused atomosphere.

I have renewed my subscription for a second year now and have even participated in one of their scientific focus studies. Focus@Will offers a free 15-Day trial*, and I wholeheartedly recommend at least trying it out. If you click on the affiliate link I’ve provided above, it will give you $5 off the normal price.

February 25, 2017

Story: The Art of Storytelling – Pixar partnered with the Khan Academy to teach a free course on The Art of Storytelling. It’s a 30,000 foot overview of storytelling, but it’s fun to see the Creative Brains behind animated movies like Cars and Toy Story offer insight into Pixar’s storytelling practices. Did I mention that it’s free?

Setting: Stories like One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest burned the mental image of what an insane asylum might look like into our collective mind’s eye. My wife and I visited Bath, England last year and stayed at the Bailbrook House. This stunning mansion looked like any number of stately homes featured in Downton Abbey. While flipping through the hotel’s Welcome Book in our room, I quickly discovered we were staying in a former 19th Century lunatic asylum known for its advances in cranial drilling. This week, I discovered the article: Human Zoos of the 19th Century which reveals how North American mental institutions in the 1800s were public attractions with complete with tours for the whole family.

Time Management: The only way to write that book (or that APB or that blog post) is to get your butt in your seat and start typing. “But I don’t have the time!” Does that sound familiar? This NY Times article provided some insight into the benefits of tracking your time.

Crime Writer’s Mug: Crime Writer’s Miranda Admonishment coffee mug*. If you ever wanted a Miranda Admonishment card for your crime story interviews, this is it…conveniently printed on the side of a coffee mug, because you have the right to remain caffeinated.

February 18, 2017

Character: Lost Boy of Sudan becomes an Atlanta Police Officer – An uplifting true story about perseverance and following your dream through adversity.

Setting: A succinct description of heroin production. – If you want to accurately describe how heroin is actually manufactured, this is the most concise and accurate description I’ve seen.

  Story: The Soup Maker – If you write about drug cartels, this blog will introduce you to the eye opening reference source called BorderlandBeat.com WARNING: This site often shows graphic images of the real death and devastation of narcoterrorism. While I highly recommend reading the articles, think twice about joining in the commentary. The Cartels are certainly reading these posts as well. The Soup Maker link is to a real life story of what I can only describe as The Heisenberg Body-Disposal-Method. It’s definitely gross, but start asking yourself how articles like these could lead to new story ideas. After you read The Soup Maker, consider this writing prompt: HOW and WHY did the Cartel know to reach out to the “Israelites” as experts in this field? WHAT does that mean is going on elsewhere in the world? Taking an analytical approach to reading any news article and then asking the right questions is a sure-fire Rx for killing writer’s block.

  Writer’s Reference: 5 Secrets of Story Structure: How to Write a Novel That Stands Out (Helping Writers Become Authors Book 6), by K.M. Weiland. I am a big fan of K.M. Weiland’s writing tools. As I send this email today (2/18/2017), the Kindle Edition is currently FREE. Download it before the price goes back up!

[*Some links may be affiliate links, where I might earn money if you click and then purchase anything. Any affiliate links are marked with an asterisk like this: *, so you can decide whether I get any money from your sale. I won’t provide any affiliate links for products I haven’t used or don’t really believe in.]

APB Email List Content Archive syndicated from your-t1-blog-url