Expert: Susan Rand - 12/13/2005

Question
How do authors get answers for their research? Such as--writing a murder mystery and needing to know the legal ramifications of a self-defense murder. Do they call the local cops and ask for an interview? Is there a charge for an interview?

Answer
Dear Barbara:

What a good question this is! I seldom get to answer a question as meaty as this.

There are any number of ways to do research:

Visit your local library and look for books on the subject. If you can't check them out, take notes.

Read newspapers, magazines, blogs, on the subject - all you can get hold of. Rufusbooks.com (http://www.rufusbooks.com/exec/asin/0312309457/ref=froogle (You will have to cut and paste as this site does not support hyperlinks)has - a number of good books for cheap:

Forensics For Dummies
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Criminal Investigation
Scene of the Crime: A Writer's Guide to Crime-Scene Investigations (Howdunit Series)
How to Write Killer Fiction: The Funhouse of Mystery & the Roller Coaster of Suspense
How to Write a Damn Good Mystery : A Practical Step-by-Step Guide from Inspiration to Finished Manuscript.

The last, by James N. Frey, is my personal favorite, but in my mysteries I usually avoid a lot of forensics by setting them back in time (fifties) when things were simpler.

Join forums of mystery writers. You can find them at geocities.com, and groups.yahoo.com, as well as msn.com.

A site I have found as helpful as an extra arm is http://www.writersmarket.com/encyc/i.asp

Also, you can find plenty of help at experts.com and other sites like it. Just google "experts."

I hope this helps. If it does, a nice rating would be greatly appreciated. I am proud of my high score over 600 questions.I hope this helps. If it does, a nice rating would be greatly appreciated. I am proud of my high score over 670 questions.  

And good luck with your writing!