Sultry Suspense Showcase – Mal Olson

Win a copy of SHADOW OF DECEIT.

Each author participating in the Sultry Suspense Showcase will be giving away a prize to a lucky commenter on their post.

Hands on research and Romantic Suspense

I’m thrilled to be here on Guilty Pleasures today. Thanks for joining me while we ponder a question writers are often asked:  What was your most interesting hands on research project?

Since I write romantic suspense, my answer would be the twelve-week Citizen’s Academy course I took at my County Sheriff’s Department. Hands on—oh yeah.

Little old wimpy me practiced target shooting with a 9mm Glock 22, alongside a deputy. Then I participated in scenario training with “real live” law enforcers while they allowed me to wield a taser and a handgun. There was the visit to the county jail—when our class walked through a series of locked doors into the secured section of The Land of Orange Jumpsuits, yes, indeed, my heart beat a little faster.

In books, we always read about the odor in a morgue—well, been there, done that—the Medical Examiner’s stomping grounds is unique, and I won’t soon forget the  odorous overtones, the stainless steel slicing-and-dicing table, or the chill of autopsy world.

Who knew how much equipment a SWAT Team member wears? Vest, helmet, headphones, eye protection, rifle, and tons more! And they have really cool toys, like a ball they can throw into a room that has a camera inside, not to mention the Bearcat Armored Response & Rescue Vehicle our county owns—you’ve got to see it to believe it.

Here’s a tidbit from the Dive Team. The conditions in which they search the bottom of local lakes for bodies and/or evidence are so murky, they can barely see their hands in front of their faces.

And, the K-9 unit—perhaps my favorite. Blatant promo—but it’s free! (my short story Me and Brad on Amazon, B & N, and www.malolson.com) features a Belgian Malinois similar to  the canine I met during “cop” class. BTW, a heroic Belgian Malinois almost steals the show in my soon to be released WIP, Too Sexy For His Stetson.

Okay, so this next bit of information shows how sheltered I am. During a presentation from the Drug Enforcement Division, this naive romance writer’s delicate nose smelled “pot” for the first time.

The poor dummy was DOA—literally, it was a dummy that the patrol division used when we enacted a follow-up call to the site of an auto accident (caused by one of our classmates, who had imbibed in five too many beers before we pretended he smashed into another car—the imbibing was real so we could experience the Breathalyzer…”Can you balance on one foot, keeping the other in front of you twelve inches above the ground and count slowly to thirty, Sir?” he was asked.  (Hummm…I can’t do that without wobbling when I’m stone cold sober.)

You’d be surprised what computer forensics can glean from digital storage media, and this is important because almost all crimes relate back to a computer. And, dusting for fingerprints? We learned how to do that—just call me Sherlock. In a nutshell, this class was filled with invaluable, hands-on, in your face, adrenaline pumping experiences that now help me breathe authenticity into the lungs of the law enforcers who live between the covers of my books.

Speaking of deputies, aka hunky guys, there was a “hard body” or three–or more–lurking around the Sheriff’s Department who could have served well as a model for a heart-palpitating romantic suspense hero. Actually, heroes for my stories can pop up almost anywhere. Tony Crazaniak in Shadow of Deceit introduced himself to me in a magazine photo. As a writer or a reader, where have you come across inspiration for the perfect hero?

I’d love to hear your comments about research or heroes, or anything else you’d like to talk about. I will be giving away a free e-copy of Shadow of Deceit to one lucky commenter. Winner will be selected using random.org on 11/18.

 

Blurb: Shadow of Deceit
Can an FBI agent obsessed with redemption and a grieving widow desperate to clear her husband’s name learn to believe in love again?

Shannon Riedel faces down danger when a gunman breaks into her office claiming her dead husband swindled him. When FBI agent Tony Crazaniak arrives to investigate, sexual heat sizzles. The ex-Delta Force operative’s massive presence and dark eyes trigger an attraction the young widow finds unnerving.

When Crazaniak convincesShannonshe needs his protection, they partner to unearth secrets her husband left behind—secrets involving a Tanzanian mine that yields perfect blue diamonds coveted by dealers around the world—secrets connected to a terrorist leader Crazanaik has vowed to take down.

With danger surrounding them, two emotionally wounded souls bond, but can they put their demons to rest and trust in love? Can they survive long enough to find out?

Website: www.malolson.com

Buy link at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-of-Deceit-ebook/dp/B007I6FY9G/ref=sr_1_4_bnp_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343850240&sr=1-4&keywords=mal+olson

Buy Link at B & N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadow-of-deceit-mal-olson/1109464573

The Wild Rose Press: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=137&products_id=4776

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