I love:  spying.

You know, eavesdropping on people.  Bits and pieces of conversation you overhear in the grocery store, at work, etc., can be incorporated into your stories.  Sometimes they can even spark one.

I keep a little diary in my purse in which to jot things down.  Also there is a file on my flash drive where I can record things if I’m already on the computer; I just plug it in and go.

One spectacular insult I overheard at work made its way into Rose’s Hostage.  Too bad you’re never going to read it.  >:(

Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Rules for Spying

• Try not to tick people off.   Don’t point mics in their direction or anything.

• Same goes with video.  Put the smartphone away.

• Use your imagination a bit.  If they’re behind you, try to guess what they look like.

I was in the mall once and heard someone say something absolutely astonishing.  It became the first line of a short story.  I didn’t dare turn around because they were walking right behind me, and I didn’t want them to pound me or anything.

• If someone says something really funny or clever, at least ask them for tacit permission to use it.  “HAW HAW THAT’S GREAT, I’M GONNA PUT IT IN MAH BOOK”  is good enough.  They’ll probably be flattered.

• If the quote sounds like something a professional comedian would say, Google it so you don’t run afoul of any copyright laws.

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I hate:  series.

Well, I don’t exactly HATE series, but now everything is one.  Sometimes you only find one or two books in the library in a series, and you can go nuts trying to find the rest.  I had that problem with the Artemis Fowl books.  I didn’t want to buy them, but I did want to read them all.

I had the idea to turn Detective Pierce into a series character, especially if Rose’s Hostage ever got published.   I still would like to.  He doesn’t have a gimmick, though.  He’s not a werewolf, he doesn’t have a mental disorder or a third leg.  I wanted to make the investigations the wonky part.   RH is pretty straightforward.

The WIP is self-contained.  No sequels there.  But I’m still working on some other ideas, so maybe I’ll come up with one that would make a good series.

I don’t have much to say today, so please enjoy this video of Psycho Kitty playing with her little bally.  (WARNING:  Turn the volume down.  For some reason it came out extremely loud.)

http://s161.photobucket.com/albums/t206/sk8splat/?action=view&current=Pigplays.mp4