Constitutional "Write"

As the gun control debate rages in Colorado, I find myself forced to take a stand.  During a chat room discussion with several of my readers, one asked me if I would consider taking guns out of my books.  My answer is a resounding no.  Guns will continue to play a big role in my novels despite those who oppose them. 

I believe in upholding my Constitutional right to bear arms in life and on paper.

As a murder mystery/suspense writer, guns are an integral part of my stories, especially the Just Call Me Angel mafia series.  I think there is a certain level of suspense that comes with the pulling of a trigger.  It is also a lot less gory in description than, say, stabbing. 

I don't just write about guns, I'm a gun owner and I enjoy going to the shooting range.  Before choosing guns for each of the characters in my Just Call Me Angel series, I went to a shooting range and handled several different guns of all shapes and sizes.  I sized up a .44, .38, .22, 9mm and a 357 magnum, which is my personal favorite.

Owning a gun doesn't make me a risk for shooting someone anymore than owning a car makes me a candidate to run someone over.  

That being said, I don't disagree with the idea of increasing background checks, having buyers pay for their own background checks, banning online certification for concealed-carry permits and banning certain assault weapons from public consumption; but let me be clear.  In the end, American citizens have a Constitutional right to bear arms and that should never change.

There is one Colorado bill on the table that I do not support and that is the bill proposing to limit magazine capacity.  If this is passed, companies, like Magpul, will leave Colorado and take hundreds of jobs with them.  I think this bill is ineffective and will cause more damage than good, especially in an economy that is already struggling.  I realize we live in the state that has suffered from two of the deadliest mass shootings in US history, the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School and the 2012 Aurora Theatre shooting.  We all want mass shootings to stop.  We all want to save lives, but unfortunately, no law is going to fix crazy. 

Radical anti-gun action isn't the solution.  Revoking a citizen’s right to own a gun will only stop law-abiding citizens from being able to defend themselves.  The reality is, despite the law, criminals will keep their weapons, just like they keep their drugs.  Instead of limiting magazines and chasing jobs out of Colorado, why don’t we create more jobs by placing armed guards in our schools state-wide?  Now THAT is a law I’d support.

 

If I could say anything to Governor Hickenlooper and House Representative Fields, it would be this.  Fixing the problem is simple, it’s the application that’s hard. Get rid of the crazy people because guns don’t kill anyone…people do.

One thing is certain, regardless of what laws are passed, I will be bearing arms in both the real and fictional world.  ~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Putting a BANG in Research

Every time I head to the shooting range it is with the next Just Call Me Angel book in mind.  It's fun to go shooting and definitely puts a BANG in my research.   When I go to the range, and for the sake of research, I handle just about every gun in the case.  I size up the .44, the .33 and the .22, compare their weight differences, feel each unique nuance and ask questions.  It’s important that I understand why people choose a particular gun so that when I am casting my characters for the next novel, I can intelligently assign them the best weapon.  It would look silly for me to take a six foot, four inch man with the nickname “T-Rex” and give him a .22 pistol.  Likewise, it would be challenging for a petite woman with small hands to lug around a .44.  I’m not saying she couldn’t do it… just that it might not be the best fit for her.

 

Guns are sort of like gloves…you have to find the one that fits your hand, the one that feels comfortable in your grip and one you believe you can handle with confidence.

In the third book of the Just Call Me Angel series (Russian Uprising), Angel finds herself in a position to grab a handheld Uzi and defend her life.  Up until this point she has never handled a gun with this kind of power.  She fires and is thrown backwards onto the pavement, missing her mark and almost losing her life. 

Guns demand respect.  If you do not respect what a gun can do, you have no business putting one in your hand. 

After trying several guns at the range, I found my favorite:  The 357 Magnum.  This particular gun has made an appearance into my novels now and again, but look for it to play an even bigger role in the next Just Call Me Angel novel.  ~