Question about Handguns
- Thread starter Kate B.
- Start date
voyager4520
New member
I don't mind if it's some anti-gun journalist, if it is hopefully they'd tell the whole story and not just snippets. If it's someone looking to commit a crime, they just created such a big electronic trail that they'd nearly inevitably get caught.
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
I'll go ahead and call you all paranoid.
Seriously.
What has better odds? A school girl writing a book or a would-be murderer posing as a school girl to gather information to help them commit the murder?
My God, people. Really.
Now, what's the most likely response of the young lady? "My God, these gun people are nuts. The anti's are right. Holy smokes!"
Good going.
Seriously.
What has better odds? A school girl writing a book or a would-be murderer posing as a school girl to gather information to help them commit the murder?
My God, people. Really.
Now, what's the most likely response of the young lady? "My God, these gun people are nuts. The anti's are right. Holy smokes!"
Good going.
An anti-gun journalist? Really?
Second, no one is going to sell a gun to a sixteen year old girl. And I have no underground or black market connections, so I couldn't obtain one illegally.
Thirdly, if I am to be honest, you all are helping me commit a crime. It's just a fictional crime in a fictional book.
My motives include:
I am not a gun expert, so I need information from people whose knowledge of weapons surpasses my own.
I want my book to be realistic, so details are important.
The internet is not always a reliable source of information, and a lot of what I looked up contradicted itself.
If I were to be commiting a crime, why would I join a forum where all of it could be traced?
And of course every murderer pretends to be a sixteen year old girl to obtain info on firearms. C'mon, people.
Second, no one is going to sell a gun to a sixteen year old girl. And I have no underground or black market connections, so I couldn't obtain one illegally.
Thirdly, if I am to be honest, you all are helping me commit a crime. It's just a fictional crime in a fictional book.
My motives include:
I am not a gun expert, so I need information from people whose knowledge of weapons surpasses my own.
I want my book to be realistic, so details are important.
The internet is not always a reliable source of information, and a lot of what I looked up contradicted itself.
If I were to be commiting a crime, why would I join a forum where all of it could be traced?
And of course every murderer pretends to be a sixteen year old girl to obtain info on firearms. C'mon, people.
Sturmgewehre
New member
Oh yes, we all know you to be a 16 year old girl. I mean, no one lies on the internet.
LOL
LOL
Sturmgewehre
New member
Don't say it.
It's a hell of a lot more credible than a teenage novelist.
By definition, a criminal is someone who commits/has committed a crime. Your money is just as green as anyone else's.
I suspect that this book may be "fictional" indeed.
Welcome to the exciting world of primary research. That's life in the big city.
Also, name one successful crime/thriller/mystery novelist who uses the level of detail you're looking to obtain...
No comment. Other theories more likely have been suggested.
Nothing would stop you from being the first. Again, other more likely theories have been proposed.
If you are who you say, I apologize and offer the following advice. Read more books by successful, published authors. None of them go into that level of detail for a variety of reasons. Most importantly, the vast majority of their target audience consists of middle-aged women who couldn't care less.
The book is about how injustice often wins out over justice in today's society. (Hense the crime.)
I apologize for being so meticulous in my research. As most of the characters in the novel are doctors and the person who gets shot is also a doctor, the more scientific information, such as the amount of damage done to the body, is more important to the story than if they were just random people.
I am not a journalist.
I am not a criminal.
I am a writer who takes her research very seriously.
I could list all the things about me a poser would not take the time to think about, but I don't think that will help.
And I have to say, I take offense to this. I just need info, not an interrogation. Though, I must say, the bickering has been entertaining.
I apologize for being so meticulous in my research. As most of the characters in the novel are doctors and the person who gets shot is also a doctor, the more scientific information, such as the amount of damage done to the body, is more important to the story than if they were just random people.
I am not a journalist.
I am not a criminal.
I am a writer who takes her research very seriously.
I could list all the things about me a poser would not take the time to think about, but I don't think that will help.
And I have to say, I take offense to this. I just need info, not an interrogation. Though, I must say, the bickering has been entertaining.
Ever read Crime and Punishment? The description of the actual murders is quite short and succinct. IIRC, the description of the murder in The Stranger is only one paragraph.
This is meant as friendly advice and constructive criticism. The book you intend to write and the book people will actually buy are likely quite different. Guess which one stands a better chance of being published?
If you are determined to go this route, I would call up a pathologist. He or she would be a much better source for the primary research you seek. No one cares how many cartridges a pistol holds when they're reading a mystery/thriller. More accurately, the people who care already know, and the people who don't know don't care.
This is meant as friendly advice and constructive criticism. The book you intend to write and the book people will actually buy are likely quite different. Guess which one stands a better chance of being published?
If you are determined to go this route, I would call up a pathologist. He or she would be a much better source for the primary research you seek. No one cares how many cartridges a pistol holds when they're reading a mystery/thriller. More accurately, the people who care already know, and the people who don't know don't care.
Patricia Cornwell. Kathy Reichs. Authors of forensic thrillers where things such as bullet velocity, blood spatter, and damage done to the body are important, almost crucial, to the story.
Michael Palmer. Robin Cook. Authors of medical thrillers where things such as how the bullet enters the body, damage done, and blood loss are all important to the story.
And don't assume that because I'm a woman I write chick literature for old women.
Thanks to those who helped and did not overanalyze.
Michael Palmer. Robin Cook. Authors of medical thrillers where things such as how the bullet enters the body, damage done, and blood loss are all important to the story.
And don't assume that because I'm a woman I write chick literature for old women.
Thanks to those who helped and did not overanalyze.
Miss Katie, I can understand you defending yourself. The 1st Amendment is for all of us. Alot of use people have gone through wars, riots, shootings(try living in LA). These experiences change the way people see things and think. I pray you never have these experiences. I wish I could go back to my Disneyland way of seeing the world, but not in this life time. If you can write a book about the same thing everyone else has but in a different intreiging, captivating way you'll be on to something. God Bless. Keep us posted.
I fully understand why, in this day and age, people reached the conclusions they did. You can never be too safe, and it is extermely irresponsible to believe everyone on the internet. There are horrible people out there who will do God knows what for reasons that I do not wish to fathom.
But, whether you believe me or not, my name is Catherine, but I prefer Kate. I'm sixteen years old and am currently writing a novel. I love mountain biking and am a big World War II buff. I love to read about military history. I grew up shooting guns in my grandparent's backyard and going to guns shows with my father. My mother thinks I'm doing my geometry homework right now.
I needed information on how one purchases a gun, as I have never walked into a gun store and bought one personally. I have never been around a Glock, so I have no idea how loud it is when fired.
I am studying to become a doctor and am a very detail oriented person. I often gather more information than needed and pick out what I do need later.
I am not an anti-gun journalist, in fact, I am going to join the Reserves when I turn 18 because I want to serve my country.
I have no idea who Chris Hansen is and I don't watch Dateline.
I apologize if I have made anyone uncomfortable by my questions, I did not mean to. I have not lived as long as some of you, and my view of the world is quite different than most of yours, so I apologize for that to.
But, whether you believe me or not, my name is Catherine, but I prefer Kate. I'm sixteen years old and am currently writing a novel. I love mountain biking and am a big World War II buff. I love to read about military history. I grew up shooting guns in my grandparent's backyard and going to guns shows with my father. My mother thinks I'm doing my geometry homework right now.
I needed information on how one purchases a gun, as I have never walked into a gun store and bought one personally. I have never been around a Glock, so I have no idea how loud it is when fired.
I am studying to become a doctor and am a very detail oriented person. I often gather more information than needed and pick out what I do need later.
I am not an anti-gun journalist, in fact, I am going to join the Reserves when I turn 18 because I want to serve my country.
I have no idea who Chris Hansen is and I don't watch Dateline.
I apologize if I have made anyone uncomfortable by my questions, I did not mean to. I have not lived as long as some of you, and my view of the world is quite different than most of yours, so I apologize for that to.
Thank You and please accept my very deepest Apology. I see you are a very level headed intelligent person. Thank You for wanting to serve our country. If there is any questions you have on anything please ask. I'll do my best to give you a honest answer with out getting on my daddy soap box as my daughter would say. My name is Richard I'm a maintenance man and licensed funeral director. Not blowing my horn here , but bin on some suicide calls that will hopefully have some answers to you're questions. You'll need to PM me cause ethically I can't put this on the web. Another person to answer you're questions would be you're local coroner if he will talk to you. If not let me know and I will try my best to get you a answer. Take Care and keep us posted.
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First, let me thank you for doing your research. There is nothing more aggravating to a reader than to encounter an event which is obviously incorrect.
Now for what a bullet does and how much you need to explain in a work of fiction. It IS fiction, so you have much latitude in what happens, as long as it’s possible to happen. Few readers care about anymore detail than the guy got shot in the heart and keeled over.
I’ll give you an example, though, of how you can get hung up on details which don’t matter. I was attending a writing seminar in which we were critiquing each other’s work. One guy was having a problem with his scene not really fitting the action. He said the scene was based upon his son’s house and that’s why he wrote it that way.
We eventually got through to him that, “Sam, you’re not having to describe the house for a realtor to sell it! Change the [danged] scene to what you need. It’s fiction!!”
As for buying a handgun in Maryland? Forget that, the Pope, himself, even if the Vatican was in the middle of the state, couldn’t buy a handgun there.
Also, join a writers’ group, and don’t let the nerds in it bug you about POV, those persons can’t think of any valid critique so they fall back on POV.
Now for what a bullet does and how much you need to explain in a work of fiction. It IS fiction, so you have much latitude in what happens, as long as it’s possible to happen. Few readers care about anymore detail than the guy got shot in the heart and keeled over.
I’ll give you an example, though, of how you can get hung up on details which don’t matter. I was attending a writing seminar in which we were critiquing each other’s work. One guy was having a problem with his scene not really fitting the action. He said the scene was based upon his son’s house and that’s why he wrote it that way.
We eventually got through to him that, “Sam, you’re not having to describe the house for a realtor to sell it! Change the [danged] scene to what you need. It’s fiction!!”
As for buying a handgun in Maryland? Forget that, the Pope, himself, even if the Vatican was in the middle of the state, couldn’t buy a handgun there.
Also, join a writers’ group, and don’t let the nerds in it bug you about POV, those persons can’t think of any valid critique so they fall back on POV.