Okay, so I’ve locked myself in a car boot, thrown a phone outside a moving car, and learnt to shoot a rifle, all in the name of research. So how far is too far?
I would never get the experience of my characters, by killing someone, or doing something particularly dangerous…. I always try to have safety in mind when I do hands-on research.
But it’s not always just about the hands on stuff that can be concerning.
There’s a huge amount of information out there these days, that we can access with a decent wifi connection and a few choice words. But is this a good thing, or a bad thing?
A little knowledge can be dangerous… That’s what they say, isn’t it? Well, I happen to agree.
If I knew all the intricacies of cyber security, and all the holes we don’t even think about as ordinary people (I did actually consider studying cyber security too, so this one hits close to home!), I think I’d go crazy.
I’d over protect myself, lose the digital footprint altogether, and potentially become a hermit in a cabin in the middle of nowhere, with only a landline that was secure to contact others on the outside…
Okay so that’s a bit of an overreaction, but I could see something similar happening.
We can research and find almost anything these days, so where does the line end?
Where do we decide that things are too exposed, too overshared, too accessible?
Does knowing crime rates in your area really help you feel safer, or more at danger?
Does knowing the ins and outs of a dangerous event make you feel more knowledgable, or does it just give you nightmares when you picture it?
Well, whatever way you swing, here’s hoping we all know our limits on what we should be filling our minds with, and where we should put the book/website down and move on with our lives.
If you want to read my book, head to the link >>>here for the KIDNAPPED Entanglement eBook, OR get the paperback direct from me for the cheapest price!
Have you ever researched anything interesting? Let me know in the comments and I’ll add to my pile of research (regardless of all the stuff i said above)!
Okay, so in my research for my new project, I stumbled upon this collection of FASCINATING (real life) Prison escapes in Australia!
A few of the things I’ve read and seen border on the impossible, ridiculous, or simply genius.
It would take FAR too long to go through them all in one post. So, I’m going to give you some interesting links below where you can explore them for yourself.
Check out the clip to learn about the MOST incredible escape – with a helicopter no less:
If you want to read my book, head to the link >>>here for the KIDNAPPED Entanglement eBook, OR get the paperback direct from me for the cheapest price!
Have you heard of some crazy real life prison escapes? Share them below…
Okay, we need to chat. I’ve readsome pretty great, and some pretty horrible books in my quest to hear the best stories I can. It’s book report time ya’ll!
Estimated Reading Time: 3min
So, I decided that I’ll share my thoughts on how they hold up with one book a month.
This month, I’m looking back at If I Run by Terri Blackstock.
In a basic rundown, the story is about a girl who appears to be guilty of murdering her best friend. But did she really kill him? And if she didn’t, who wants to make it look like she did? Casey is on the run while a bounty hunter is close on her trail – how long can she remain on the run?
I really enjoyed this book!
Terri is always a good read for me, and this was no exception. I found the writing style to be very easy to read and flows really well. It had a great way of giving suspense when needed, and breathing room on the flip side. Enough detail to keep you engaged, but not too many to slow you down.
The characters were utterly fascinating. I loved Casey and Dylan, both.
They had such depth, and tackled/dealt with such tangible and real personal issues that they were so understandable. The way they made their decisions felt authentic, and the voices had distinct differences throughout the novel. The backstories were explored well, and as the series continues, I look forward to finding out more.
The story itself was great.
I loved the idea of being on the run, trying to find someone who is supposedly a killer, and the potential conspiracies that lie behind the murder. Casey’s ability to blend in to her surroundings while running for her life had enough backstory to believe that she could actually conduct herself the way the character did. Sometimes when authors don’t give enough backstory or reasoning for a person to be ‘superman/woman’ it can be hard to believe. This was not the case for Casey.
>>>Grab the eBook version of my book – “KIDNAPPED Entanglement” HERE
I found the 1st third to be fascinating, the 2nd third illuminating, and the final third such a wild ride, I could barely get through it fast enough! There were some moments that lagged a bit, but overall it was very well paced and built to an exciting conclusion.
So there you go – my thoughts on an interesting crime read that isn’t finished just yet! I’ll be digging into another book next month, so get ready for another Book Report coming soon.
A serial killer, technology, and a detective determined to find the truth. Come along on a murder mystery adventure, with The Murder App – Chapter 7!
Ted was waiting at the front door for her as Ella pulled into their driveway. She was almost 45 minutes late for their date night, and hadn’t called yet. They’d agreed that if she was more than 15 minutes late without calling or sending a text, that he’d wait until it hit 60 minutes, then call the station.
She’d made it in time for him not to make the call yet, but she’d cut it closer than she had in a while. When Ella was on a big case, sometimes she lost track of time, but after a particularly complex one, Ted had stayed up half the night sure that she had been shot and not told. They’d decided then to put the rule into place.
She smiled and shrugged as she got out of the car. “Sorry I’m late. I was going to send a message, but it was easier to just book it back home and be a bit late.”
Ted, in his usual fashion, shoved his hands in his pocket and grinned at her as she used the remote locking key to secure the car. “It’s okay El, you’re not that late. Are you ready for tonight?” When she reached the door, they kissed hello and he pulled the door closed behind him.
“Yes. It’ll be nice to take my mind off my case load tonight. What are we doing?” She looked around them. His car wasn’t parked where it normally would be beside hers, and she tried to deduce what his plan was. He took her hand and led her down the pathway. “We’re taking a walk to start.”
She smiled and allowed him to lead her down their picturesque street, walking in comfortable silence. Often her mind drifted back to the cases on her desk, but Ella had gotten better at pushing those things aside and focussing on her husband when she needed to.
>>>Get a copy of my ebook KIDNAPPED Entanglement >>>here
This house had been their dream home. They’d found it three years ago, and it was surrounded by the most beautiful street. The houses around here weren’t as new, which meant they had more character. Not so much though that they were falling apart. So it was a nice combination.
They also had the benefit of large leafy trees that lined the streets, almost completely blocking out the sun in the middle road. It gave them an incredible sense of country living, even in the heart of the city. They turned the corner that led to the small park nearby, and Ella stopped walking.
Ted had arranged a table, chairs, and elegant decor to be placed at the side of the park with large rose bushes rising up towards the sky. A violinist started playing when they came into view and Ted pulled her forward, holding out her chair for her.
Not able to say anything, Ella put her hand over her mouth and shook her head. Ted smiled and nodded. “I know right! I thought you needed something special right now, so here we are.” He pulled out his napkin and laid it across his lap. “Good?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows up and down to get a giggle from her.
“Yes,” she finally said, putting her own napkin over her work clothes. Not even a chance to change, she suddenly felt very underdressed and un-date like. Even if it was her husband on the date. “You did good Ted.” As a waiter appeared from somewhere hidden beside them, Ella forgot all about the case. She forgot her concerns for another body, her obsession of Devon Smith, and everything else on her plate right now. All she focussed on, was her incredible husband, and the meal he had ordered.
As she laughed, and talked about the misadventures their dog had gotten into today with Ted, she almost didn’t hear the phone in her pocket ring. She almost missed the vibration, and ringtone that she had allocated to the station. It seemed almost to echo through her laughter, and she finally heard it. Her face fell as she looked at the caller ID and hit the answer key.
“Strong.”
“Ella,” Steve sounded flat, and she held her breath. “We have another body.”
I hope you enjoyed this instalment of the Murder App.
Come back next month for another chapter!
What would you do if terrorists walked into YOUR post office? Would you try to be a hero, or just survive?
I tapped my foot and clicked my tongue as I stood, otherwise silently. The line still hadn’t moved, and I was beginning to regret the decision to mail this letter to my parents.
They were holidaying in London this year, and Charlotte had written her first letter to them. I could still see the smile on her little face when she handed me the finished letter and asked me to send it out to ‘Grammy’ and ‘Pop-Pop’.
Snail mail. That child still loved the idea of snail mail. I sniggered and tried not to let out a small snort of laughter in the small post office. She was one of a kind. Fortunately, she’d inherited more of Dale’s qualities than my own.
A sudden burst of wind indicated another person had entered the post office, and I avoided the instinct to turn and look at who it was. Before I had a chance to grab a sneaky glance, I heard something being shoved in front of the door, and the woman behind me in line screamed.
This time, I allowed my instinct to take over and whirled around, bending down to cower as I did so. There were four men wearing black cargo pants, black t-shirts, and masks over their faces. The most important thing that I’d noticed, however, was the large machine guns that they all held.
The one in front grabbed onto the woman who had screamed and threw her towards the ground, aiming the gun directly at my face. He was towering above me, but the only thing I could see through his mask – and the blurring of my own tears – was the eyes. They were dark and cold. No life in them.
“Everyone just do as we say, and we’ll leave you to your business,’ he said. His voice was strong and commanding, but he hadn’t raised it to a shout. The scream would have gathered interest outside, however. His attempt to keep this quiet was going to be fruitless.
The four men moved towards the tellers behind the screens, and protective doors. Behind them, packages and people’s personal mail is hidden in the back room. I do my best to remain at my place on the floor, but somehow – even through the haze of panic and fear – I’m still curious to see what they’re doing. My daughters letter is still clutched in my hand, and I readjust myself so I can peek up behind the person in front of me.
The men had ordered us to all remain on the ground, and were currently having a hushed conversation with the post office employees. I managed to get words like ‘our package’ and ‘let us in there’ before the employees shook their heads and tried to explain something.
Clearly not happy with the answer, the man in charge aimed the weapon he carried and told them to open the doors and let him back there.
“I’m sorry but we don’t have the code for the back room anyway. The manager was out for her lunch break, and she’s the only one with it,” the bravest staff member said.
The man in the mask straightened his posture and raised his voice this time. “I don’t believe that only one staff member has the code. Give me my property – my package – now. Or things will get messy in here.”
Before anyone could reply, sirens from outside grew closer. They were coming for us. For them.
Sensing the falling apart of their plan, all four men simultaneously looked at each other, then moved as a unit towards the back door. Ignoring the electronic code lock, they shot at the keypad instead. The noise was deafening in the small space, and I reached up to shield my ears the best I could. It was too late though, all I could hear now was ringing as the sounds around me sunk underwater.
Shock started to overcome my senses, and I watched the scene in slow motion. The men started to make their way into the back room, shoving aside the post office employees. Almost at the same moment, the police had decided the only way to deal with things. A distant metal clinking sounded as the door to the post office opened, and a canister was thrown into the room.
I didn’t know how long I’d been there. On that floor with those men aiming their guns. It could have been five minutes, it could have been fifty. The only thing I knew in that moment, was that I needed to move out of the way.
The canister exploded into a puff of smoke, and my senses were once again thrown into overdrive. It must be one of those flash grenades I’ve heard about. But I don’t actually know.
I reach up to my ears again, trying to shield my face from whatever would happen next.
I close my eyes and scrunch into a ball as I hear the screams, wailing, and sounds of gunfire and bodies falling to the ground.
It feels like an hour before I finally feel a hand on my arm. I try to swat it away, but as I open my eyes, I see that it’s a policeman. They’re here to save me. To save us all.
As I’m led out of the post office, I check for a sign of what had just happened. It had all gone through so fast. In a blur of shock, and fear.
Three of the four men are being led into a large, black police van. The other seems to have been shot, and is being wheeled into an ambulance.
I let them look me over and see if I’ve been hurt. When the paramedic smiles at me, she asks something, but I don’t hear her. Noises are still a blur. When she asks again, she points to my lap this time. I look down. I’m still holding Charlotte’s letter.
The woman holds out her hand for it, and I wordlessly stare down at it, before finally handing it out to her. Maybe next time I’ll convince Charlotte to email instead.
Did you enjoy my short story? I’ll be posting another one next month, so keep an eye out!
I am BACK to reading all the books I haven’t just yet. This months August TBR list is exciting!
I’ve tried to give myself an easier goal this month for my TBR list (or “to be read”), so there are 5 books on the list to get through. There’s a bit of fantasy, and bit of crime, a bit of Sherlock, and some tragically timed – awfully coincidental – stories.
Check out the video below:
>>Get all the info about my book with my NEWSLETTER
I hope you enjoyed the video, and I can’t wait to see if these books were worth reading.
If you’ve read any of the books I have on the TBR list, let me know your thoughts, and if they’re worth reading.
I may have a giant tower of my own book – and a whole ton of them in the garage to boot… but I don’t care!
How is it possible that I don’t care, you may wonder?
To look at all those books and not see failure? I’m sharing why.
>>Check all about my book – KIDNAPPED Entanglement >>>here
If you want to take one of these copies off my hands, head to the link below to grab the paperback – or the eBook on Amazon! If you want to read my book, head to the link >>>here for the KIDNAPPED Entanglement eBook, OR get the paperback direct from me for the cheapest price!
Don’t forget to check back every night this month for another video – there are some pretty fun things coming!
An heiress snatched in broad daylight – having to leave comforts of home behind as she clawed her way to freedom… and the destruction of a ‘Megan Campbell’ outfit!
Hear from Megan herself as I interview her about her trek in KIDNAPPED Entanglement.
>>Check all about my book – KIDNAPPED Entanglement >>>here
Did you enjoy the interview of Megan Campbell? Well, there’s only one more interview left!
Keep your eyes and ears peeled for the final KIDNAPPED Entanglement interview next week… You can also get the book as an eBook, or paperback below.
Happy Reading! If you want to read my book, head to the link >>>here for the KIDNAPPED Entanglement eBook, OR get the paperback direct from me for the cheapest price!
Don’t forget to check back every night this month for another video – there are some pretty fun things coming!
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