I'm walking a fine line lately. One of the books I'm working on has a crime as a subplot. Now, I'm not a criminal, never have been, and never hope to be. But I still have to write this authentically. So, I'm exploring not only the criminal mind, but I'm researching criminal methods.
It's somewhat interesting to talk to someone about a possible crime and how you might go about committing it. In this case the someone was my son. The crime relates to his field and so I needed to pick his brain for the holes that a criminal might exploit. Now, since it's a novel I can exaggerate those holes and ignore the safeguards that in reality are in place - but I still need authenticity. I'm exploring all of this while keeping in mind that I don't want to jeopardize my son's livelihood by having him give me proprietary information.
This whole thing is a very enlightening experience. It's like being an actress really. The fun roles involve being angry or vindictive or devious, especially if, as a person, you are none of those things. I am enjoying this research, but it feels a little strange at the same time. It makes me wonder just where that line is.
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