HEAD RUSH

The other day for a blog hop...

The question was asked...

What is the weirdest research you’ve ever done?

And as a writer, I can attest that yes...

I have uncovered some weird, awful, and sometimes sad stuff.

Like this one time...

I was researching human trafficking of teens (so very sad)...

For a screenplay I was working on...

When WHOOP!

A porn site pops up on my screen...
Then more popped up, and more, and more!

Thinking a virus infected my computer...

I immediately shut it down.

I guess I’ve seen too many movies and TV shows...

Because the next thing I knew...
This scenario popped up in my head...

I'm back working at my computer...

When out of the blue...

A swat team breaks down my door...

Rushes in...

Grabs my computer...
Drags me away...

All the while telling me I’m the lowest crud on earth! 
I shook my head smiling, realizing I was overreacting.

I thought my overreacting days were over...

Until recently...  

I was doing research for my W.I.P....

And wanted to see if a particular setting in my story...

Has ever been the target of terrorist activity...

When out of nowhere this scenario pops up in my head...

This time, a government agency is monitoring me...

One day, as I'm working on my computer...
My door bursts open...

And some kind of special ops squad...

Rushes in my house...

Blindfolds me and drags me away!

The next thing I know...
I’m in some kind of room...

You know the kind...

Bare concrete walls and a metal table with two chairs...

I’m sitting in one chair...

My interrogator is in the other...

While other special guys watch...

From behind a mirror that’s really a window.

“Em,” the interrogator says...

We’ve been watching you...

And your history of Google searches is disturbing...
Porn, human trafficking, terrorsts.”

“But, but—I’m a writer...

All I was doing is research. That’s all! I swear!!”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s what they all say. Not buying it.”

“Do I at least get to make a phone call?” I whimper like a wussy baby.

“Not in this scenario. Take her away”

So?

Ever research something edgy?

Ever wonder if someone’s watching?

Ever have weird scenarios pop up in your head?

Always,

Em-Musing

OH, MURSI, MURSI ME

This post is part of the monthly blog hop/therapy session known as the Insecure Writers Support Group, founded by the one and only, Alex J. Cavanaugh. If you're a writer, insecure, or just supportive of writers—insecure or not—please join us. It happens the first Wednesday of each month.  I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words will be appreciated.

May's IWSG Question: 

What is the weirdest/coolest thing you ever had to research for your story?

Funny that today's question has to do with weird research...

Just yesterday... 

I was looking at images on Google of women in their 30’s...

To use in Scrivener for one of my character profiles.

I'm scrolling, scrolling scrolling...
When all of a sudden...

This image of an African Mursi woman shows up.  

Obviously, not at all what I was looking for.
Curious, I hit the image to enlarge it...

   
  
                            


And then...

Another Mursi woman with lip plates shows up...

And this one sporting a thingamajig on her head.

OY!

 I continued scrolling when... 

WHOA!!!
This image of tribal men from New Guinea...

With gourds covering their thingies pops up. 

I was curious about the concept...
But more so confused...

I just couldn’t wrap my head around it...

Not that I wanted to wrap my head around any of those thingies. 

But don't ya just wonder... 

How do they go to the bathroom?

How does the gourd stay on?

Do any guys have gourd envy?

What happens if they get excited?

Do the gourds ever get stuck or caught on something? Owie!

 
And do women brag?  

"My guy’s gourd is longer than your guy’s     
gourd haha haha."

And look...

There’re even stores that sell these gourds.

Hmm?

Can the guys try them on for size?
Or...

Are they one size fits all?

And here's a thought...
It'd make an interesting gift for the guy who has everything...
Bet he doesn't have one of these. 

So there I was, contemplating these poking questions when...

“Em!”

“Huh! Who’s that?”

“Your muse!

How much time are you going to waste...

Looking at Mursi women with thingamajigs, and penis gourds?

"Well...um...er...uh...
“Get back to work!”

“Yes, ma’am.”

And I did...

Well, needless to say... 

I didn't use any of these images for my Scrivener profiles...
And I gotta tell ya...

I’ll never look at a gourd the same way again.
So? 
Ever see or hear about these guy-gourds?

Always,

Em-Musing

STILL, IN LOVE WITH YOU

This post is part of the monthly blog hop/therapy session known as the Insecure Writers Support Group, founded by the one and only, Alex J. Cavanaugh. If you're a writer, insecure, or just supportive of writers—insecure or not—please join us. It happens the first Wednesday of each month.

I encourage everyone to visit at least a dozen new blogs and leave a comment. Your words will be appreciated.

April 5 Question: Have you taken advantage of the annual A to Z Challenge in terms of marketing, networking, publicity for your book? What were the results?

First up…

Yup!

I’ve taken advantage of the A to Z Challenge…

Two times, actually in the last five years.

It’s grueling ! It’s fun! And it’s a great marketing tool

But not this year…

I’ve got a project on the front burner…

And it’s overheating as I write.

Next year, though, I will…

Second up,

Did some nit-picky editing the other day…

So there I am breezing along when…

Holy guacamole!

When did my grammar go rogue?

What’s with using “till” instead of until or ‘til?

So I went to the “find” feature in Word and…

Holy frijoles!

Surprisingly, not so many “tills”…

But dozens and dozens of “still’s”…

I had no idea I used that word so often…

Usually my overused word is  “so”...

So I got curious…

I began stalking my conversations for "still".

And what do you know? 

It turns out I don’t say “still”…

I only write “still”.

Hmm?

What’s up with that?

So?

Not including using different speech for characters…

Do you use words or phrases when you write...

That you don't use when you speak?

And what are they?

Always,

Em-Musing