Why I Probably Write Crime, Part Trois
For an early book which included hand-to-hand combat, I decided I needed to know how to throw a knife if I was going to write it effectively.
(This is what all tell ourselves, by the way.)
This was research.
That is what writers call questionable decisions when we want them to sound professional.
First, let me preface it with Just How Badly Things Went (yes, it could have been worse). Years back, my mother knew well about the longstanding sibling rivalry my sister and I had. She gave me a picture. A sweet lass, blonde, resting on the grassy field listening to her wee brown-haired sister.
Mom's wishes were clear:
"You two need to stop fighting. You're grown women with kids."
The picture came with expectations.
There. Now you know the setup.
I set up an old chair as my target and readied to practice.
I intended to practice on the chair.
One throw went a little high ...
And a little left ...
Quite a bit left, actually.
Instead of the chair, the knife hit a picture.
THE PICTURE.
Glass went everywhere.
I may have used a swear word.
From the bedroom, my husband called out:
“You okay out there?”
There was a moment when I had to consider exactly how much information he required.
“Yes.”
Technically true.
The chair was fine.
The picture was not.
Eventually, I abandoned knife throwing and let my main character do the deed to the bad guy. In retrospect, I could have just watched YouTube. For heaven’s sake.
Some research tells you how to write a scene.
Other research tells you,"watch YouTube," or tell the character to use a gun.
I still have the picture. It's evidence. My constant reminder of my mom's "suggestion."
The glass did not survive.
And Sis, in no way did I mean for this to hit our picture. That is true.
I also have the knives.They are used to savagely, i.e. carefully, open boxes ...
And my sister and I?
We get along fine.
We have our moments but she's alive and so is the picture. The glass, not so much.
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