by Steve Pease (Michael Chandos)
Thanks for the invite to join this most interesting writer’s blog. I am Steve Pease and I live in Colorado’s Black Forest. I write mysteries and science fiction under the pen name of Michael Chandos. Why a pen name and why that one will be a future blog. My education is aerospace engineering, astronomy and criminal justice. I spent 34.5 years as an USAF officer and then a Senior Civilian doing intelligence analysis on foreign space technology. I have experience in most intelligence disciplines including double agents and the three-letter agencies.
When I retired, I wanted to write “medium-boiled” private eye stories, so I studied the profession to make sure I got things right and I became one along the way. I was licensed in both Colorado and New Mexico. I have my own company, Glass Key Investigations, which I am finally shutting down to write full time, in between house chores. In this blog, I’ll talk about the PI business and maybe even the movie business too, and how it affects your writing.
Television and movies do not reflect real life. Surprised? The Private Eye's image in the mind of most Americans (and elsewhere) was formed on the screen and in pulpy mystery novels, and it's mostly wrong. We don't pull guns, beat up thugs, plant or steal evidence, drink whiskey from our desk drawer or take dirty photos thru motel Venetian blinds. PIs rarely get involved in solving crimes. They investigate, privately. I seldom detect clues. Detectives work for the police department. PIs sometimes work for the Defense. Sometimes, they investigate the Detectives to see if they made mistakes to the advantage of the Defendant.
PIs come from everywhere: law enforcement, county government, military, law firms. We're in a tough business, and we need insurance, permits, equipment and coffee. We pay rent, buy health insurance, eat and fight privacy laws in ignorant State legislatures. Oh, and we need good shoes and a comfy chair. We deal with people under tremendous personal stress and sometimes with hidden agendas. We need good people skills. Sometimes, I think I need certification in marriage counseling.
I put it all into my stories. Mostly short stories, so far.
If you want to write about PIs, or any profession for that matter, you have to get the basics right. Authenticity breeds trust in your story. Dan Brown (daVinci Code) and Dr Sir Arthur Ignatius,Conan Doyle (Sherlock) can force two unrelated facts together to make a better story, but most of us are confined to imaginations backed by reality. Hook ‘em with a few properly placed facts and they’ll follow you when you soar.
