Being a writer is the coolest thing in the world. At least, it is today. Because DHS visited yesterday, I came up 500 words short of my quota last night. This morning I took the kids to school and went straight to work. Managed to get caught back up before going to physical therapy.
I started right back in this afternoon but ran into a question. In my book, I have a search and rescue dog “stand” on its hind legs and bark up a tree. Kind of like a coon dog. 🙂 But research found a FBI site that highlights Drago, a Dutch Shepherd, who’s been trained to lay down and bark when he’s found the person he’s looking for.
I really needed to make my writing accurate for all those search and rescue team members who’ll be reading the book in the future–ha!–so guess what I did?
I called the FBI! Said I was a writer with a quick research question about search and rescue dogs. They transferred me to the nicest woman. I expected a short, quick answer and the phone call to be over. Instead, she gave me tons of great info which has already sparked more story ideas. She even said the plot sounded interesting. So if you’re reading this, Ms. FBI Lady, thank you! (I didn’t ask her for her name because I figured that was classified and she might have to kill me if she told me.) If you sign up for my infrequent, humorous newsletter, you’ll be able to track the progress of Unafraid.
And if you’re a writer, don’t be afraid to contact people to find the info you need. They get a break from their usual jobs, and you get a natural high!
Fun! In one of my earlier pieces that I’ve not returned to for a few years, I had an incredible experience one day while skiing.
It was a boring day…(which I would have loved to have skied this past winter ;o( )…and I asked God to reveal HIS reason for me being on the “hill” that day. The very next run I’m on the lift with “someone” who is only one of 500 in the world. (keeping it a secret for now). THE NIGHT before the encounter, I stopped writing and said, “I can’t write anymore until I meet and talk to a ___”
I almost fell off the lift when he told me what he did…after a bit of prying. We talked by phone for the rest of the winter–me asking for details and him giving them to me–until he returned to his highly specialized job, super dangerous job. It was WAY COOL and definitely a “God encounter.”
This writing gig does offer up some great opportunities.