By Liz, hoping the winter coat can stay in the closet from now on
There was a time when I really thought I’d become a cop. I’m sure it all goes back to my grandpa the detective. Even though his stories were G-rated because of my age at the time, I was still super intrigued about the whole thing as a kid. That interest bloomed as I got older and more into crime, which of course was a little distressing to my parents.
Then I went through my X-Files phase so I actually thought about my prospects as FBI—I was really into Mulder and Scully—but abandoned that idea when I realized I’d have to leave my animals behind for a year to go to Quantico.
Then I went through a huge upheaval in my life and was trying to figure out what was next. I was going through a divorce and deciding what to do next. At the time, I was a journalist and spending a lot of time at police stations. I got caught up in the police logs, the stories, the insider scoop I was able to finagle out of some of the friendlier cops who’d decided I was trustworthy. I was right on the brink of applying for the academy.
Then I decided I wasn’t sure how I’d do getting shot at, and thought that writing about it might be a smarter way to go.
So I moved away and pursued my writing, and well, you’re probably caught up from there.
But I never stopped wanting to dive into that world because, you know, I write crime and it’s helpful to know how things REALLY go down when you’re trying to write credibly.
Which meant—research.
I love research. Most writers do, right? They are great rabbit holes that help us procrastinate, for one. But we have so many different ways to get the information we need.
I thought I’d do a recap of some of my favorite research adventures—and I’ve had a few of them!
The Writer’s Police Academy was one that stands out to this day. Edith and I went 12 years ago—I can’t believe it’s been that long—and it still stands out as one of the BEST events in my writing career. We did everything from crashing though doors with shields and rifles to learn how to sweep an apartment potentially full of lethal enemies, to uncovering a “dead” body in a shallow grave, to learning how to slip out of handcuffs. I walked away with not only incredible info, but so many story ideas.
In a related research effort, I went to a citizen’s police academy back in my old Connecticut town, where I went on a ride-along complete with lights and sirens, got to tour the SWAT mobile unit, learned that geometry actually CAN be used IRL when reconstructing traffic accidents and got to play with K9s.
Then there was the dairy farm. For specific research for my Pawsitively Organic series, I went on a tour of the local dairy farm. I met the cows, I stepped in muck, I even got to check out the milking tank. The one thing I didn’t do was tour the manure pit, but I did get the full scoop on it and how it can be used in murder. It was so fascinating it does make an appearance in the book.
I’m also lucky to have a friend who is a funeral director. Thanks to him, I’ve been able to watch the removal of a dead man’s pacemaker, an actual cremation, and examine the body of a guy who had been shot execution-style. (I don’t have pics, alas.)
And one last story I’ll share—in one of my earlier books that has not been published yet, I had a body that needed to be completely disposed of with no possible trace. So I learned all about how pythons can be a great disposal method—something about how they can swallow people whole and then digest even the bones. I visited the home of a wildlife rehabilitator who had a python in her basement. He had his own heated cage and everything. He was only big enough to swallow a small child, but it was enough to get the idea.
(I don’t have pics of that either because I don’t like snakes and would not want to come across a random snake pic on my phone.)
This is all making me nostalgic. It’s been a while since I’ve gone on a good research adventure—except, of course, for all the crystal stores I had to visit for Full Moon Mysteries.
Readers—and other writers—do you like hands-on research? What’s your favorite research story? Tell me in the comments!
The Wickeds 
I LOVE research. Writers Police Academy was awesome. I’ve attended twice. Also Pittsburgh Citizens Police Academy, Pennsylvania State Police CPA, FBI Citizens Academy… All great fun. Plus I love making friends (and tech support!) within law enforcement who can answer my questions as they crop up.
But my favorite research was my multi-year stint as a groom at a Thoroughbred racetrack while writing (and rewriting and rewriting) Death By Equine.
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That academy was the best, Liz! I also went to the one in my town and learned so much, plus I ended up with a local detective on speed dial to run scenes by.
I did not know that about pythons – shudder!
I have loved all the historical research I’ve done on language, police procedure, clothing, and daily life of the past. Plus closely questioning a friend with a small-plane license about flying, although I did not go up in her plane!.
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LOVE it when an author does the research to make the story as accurate as possible. Sure makes for a more enjoyable, and often times exciting, read when they do.
My favorite research and the most resent because it’s on going is photography. I’ve found that to adequately photograph a subject knowledge of that subject is almost a must. Since we love photographing critters in their natural environments, that means knowing the critter and their habits as well as what their natural environment is and where we are more apt to see them in order to photograph them. That leads to when is the best time of year to get a glimpse of them and where. That often leads to a road trip, which again means research into where to stay and eat. The fun part of research is one dive into the finding answers often leads to another thing to check out. As with an author doing research to bring accuracy to their story, a photographers research had the goal of being able to capture the subject they are searching out. Also that means learning the camera inside and out including all the sittings, which leads to more research and workshops attended in order to be able to get just the right shot once the critter is in sight.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
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Love the research. It can sometimes be a rabbit hole but so interesting. You have definitely gone to some gory lengths though. Reminds me of the man with the chipper in Connecticut(if I remember correctly.) Good info for a thriller.
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I don’t think I knew your grandfather was a detective, Liz! I also loved WPA. I’ve been twice — the first time was more action oriented and the second, more forensics oriented. Both were fascinating and I highly recommend going to the one in Green Bay. I also did our local Citizens Police Academy. It was the first, and hopefully only, time I’ve fired a gun.
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It is always so obvious when an author does a lot of research. The result is a great page turner.
I’m not an author and haven’t done deep research since college, but I loved it then. Now I just have Google next to me when I read and look up everything.
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Those definitely sound like some great adventures. Thanks for sharing.
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Yes, yes – I love hands on research. My favorite was done at the request of a writer friend. She wanted to know if it was possible to squiggle out of the back window of a king cab dually. Her protag was about my height and weight and at the time, we had the truck. I volunteered. About midway through the window – I got stuck. Of course, I was suspended over the truck bed and my feet could still touch the back seat. All I could think of was my husband coming home and me having to explain this. DUH – Not happening. With a mighty push and twist, I make it through the window none the worse for wear except for some bruises on my hips. Conclusion – if the protags life depended in it – it was doable.
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My claustrophobia is triggered just by reading this.
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Liz, this is a wonderful story about you research experience. Some how it got buried in my email, so glad I read it before hitting the delete button April 30. Thank you so much.
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