Predators 101: Info for Writers

(Photo credit: Wikipedia) 

How a Predator Courts His Victim and How to Save Your Heroine



DISCLAIMER - This is a non-political site that is geared to help writers write it right. I am presenting information to help develop fictional characters and fictional scenes. In no way am I advocating any position or personal decision.




Your heroine was distracted. Who could blame her? You've written all kinds of drama into the poor girl's life. Amazing that her head didn't explode. At least you were nice enough to write in a bar of chocolate; and right now, that's where her focus is. Chocolate. Not Predator.


The predator approaches -


Did you know that various statistics show that 3/4 of all attacks on women are performed after verbal threat alone? Women are often socialized to not cause a scene.


One way a heroine falls victim is the Blitz. The predator jumps out of nowhere and tries to overwhelm her. This kind of attack is rare. The response of your heroine would be to SCREAM!!!! and fight. And that is not what the predator wants. The predator wants to assert control over the situations. He's picked his victim and now he moves in to confront her. After a victim is sized up, she is courted. Here’s how:


Teammates - using the word “we.” "We’re in this together." "We’re on the same team." If the heroine doesn't know someone, and they are suddenly using the “we” word? She should focus!


Charm - This person is charming. This person is so kind. FOCUS. Why would the guy come over and help your heroine put her groceries into her car? That’s not a normal behavior. A normal guy would go about his business and let her go about hers. A guy whose attention she attracted will help her put your groceries in the car - don’t let it flatter the heroine. This guy wants something. Say “No. Thank you.” and stick to it (see discounted “no” below).



Details - Someone who is telling the truth believes that the truth speaks for itself. When the heroine starts getting too many details, she should FOCUS. The nice guy says something pleasant as he goes up the stairs. "I’m going to the same floor as you - let me help you with the groceries. I’m going to your floor because I have to feed my best friend's dog." Cons use words to distract us. Too many words - too many details.

Pigeonholing - A con who makes your heroine feel badly for a perception she gave off needs her focus. An example: “You’re probably too snobbish to talk to me.” The answer? None. Don’t let your heroine get sucked in. Or she could say, “I don’t talk to strangers.” And then don’t let your heroine engage when the predator keeps trying to push her off the point. If she doesn't talk to strangers, she should not let him prove otherwise by goading her into saying something - anything to him or he has gained control. (see Discounted No, below)


Debt - When someone does something for her and that puts her in his debt. “Let me carry that bag for you.” He’s nice. He didn't take no for an answer. And now she owes him. Hmmmn.

Promises - “I’ll just walk you to your car and make sure you're safe. I promise.” If she hears an unsolicited, “I promise,” it’s probably a lie, and your heroine's probably in trouble. She needs to come up with an exit strategy - now!

Blog Link to LIARS

Discounting the word “no.” - She said, “No, thank you,” and the con still pushes her on the point? “It’s no trouble - I’m glad to help.”


Video Quick Study (2:24)

• First scenario is a blitz.
• Second scenario shows: "Pigeonholing," "Charm," "Discounting No".

So what is happening for your heroine?


A victim will respond to very little intensity with a rush of adrenaline. One of the effects of adrenaline is for the victim to stop breathing. Having your heroine speak gets her breathing and allows her to function under high stress. So if you want your heroine to move through the scene, get her talking (not screaming).


When your heroine experiences a rush of adrenaline, she will generally respond passively or aggressively. Her reaction will depend on personality traits and acculturation. A woman growing up in a rough neighborhood will respond differently than a woman who grew up sheltered and in a male dominant household.



PASSIVE - 

The Heroine - will beta stance - cave her shoulders, lower her head, turn to an angle. The Predator - will be thrilled! He will increase his aggression, escalating his controlling/abusive behaviors. A passive respondent means he has found his victim and can control her with his voice and body language alone.


Blog Link LIMBIC SYSTEM



AGGRESSIVE

The Heroine - responds with an alpha stance, loud voice, aggressive body language.


Blog Link:Trouble! Body Language 101 for WritersWriters

The Predator -

The response of most aggressors to aggression is fire on gasoline. An aggressive predator will not de-escalate, so now you have a fight on your hands.Was that your plot line all along? Good - because they are going at each other's throats.



Assertive Behavior - 

Will signal the predator that your heroine is not an easy mark. It will help the aggressor to make other behavior decisions. But it will NOT guarantee that violence is not imminent.

If the body language (see above link) shows aggressive body language ramping up, she should be prepared to defend herself and risk serious injury to prevent herself from being taken to a secondary location.


Blog Link - A Heroine's Plan to Escape Car abduction

The Assertive Heroine - Maintains distance, has a neutral stance with hands up (She is prepared to move into a defensive stance if things escalate but will not tip her hand that she knows how to defend herself. She needs to maintain the element of surprise).

As much as is possible the heroine would maintain neutral eye contact, facial expression and voice tone (to begin with).

“I said no. And I mean no!” Use her stern "I take no shit" voice.
She is no longer polite. Let nothing change that “no” or the guy
has power and knows he can manipulate you. I liken this one to
my kids whining at me, whining, and whining until finally I say,
“FINE! Just take the darned cookie and be quiet.” What did I just
train my kid to do? Hang in there and whine obnoxiously because
soon I will give in. What did I train the con to do? - Push me and
push and push and I’ll give in. "NO!" and stick to it.


Blog Link The Man Had His Penis In His Hand; How NOT to Leave Dance Class


Aggressor - An aggressor will respond to assertiveness by extracting themselves from the situation.



A Predator will continue to push back and try to intimidate the
heroine using the above scenarios. This is where the heroine
escalates to protective mode. Remember, once your heroine
engages, she's committed. She must stay in the fight until she can
escape.


Blog Link - How to Dress Your Characters so She Has a Fighting Chance



Ideas developed in this blog are an extension of a book review that I did on Gift of Fear by DeBecker. 

As always, a big thank you ThrillWriters and readers for stopping by. Thank you, too, for your support. When you buy my books, you make it possible for me to continue to bring you 

helpful articles and keep ThrillWriting free and accessible to all.

Escape and Evade: Camouflage Face Paint to Keep Your Heroine Alive - Info for Writers

Today on ThrillWriting, we're going

to learn about camouflage face paint to keep your heroine safe on her mission. 

My guest today, Elizabeth Kump, joins me to teach writers some of the whys, wherefores, and how-tos of using camo-face. Liz also shares a few ways to twist your plot line.

For this article I used army-issue face camouflage. Mine (pictured below) is in modern use, but Liz was also using a compact which included grey that came from the Korean War. 

My experience as the model - 

* The paint had a distinct mineral oil odor to it.

* It felt heavy sitting on my skin so that I was aware of it, unlike my

   typical foundation.

* Application felt like pulling and stretching on my skin

* It was hot under the face paint.

* It didn't itch the way I thought it might, but it remained moist so

   hair or things floating nearby could adhere. It felt like if I used

   some dust/dirt or translucent powder to "set" the face paint, that

   would have been helpful. Powder would be a bad idea, unless it 

   was mineral powder, because the scent can give away your 

   heroine's location.

* Completely removing the face paint between scenarios was a

   labor-intensive, great-big-fat mess. 

   `Soap worked only somewhat. 

   `Cold cream worked best. 

   `Using disposal paper towels was best 

   `Washcloths worked worst, and the face paint did not come out in

     the wash. So guard your heroine's clothes - or don't - maybe

     someone needs to find some paint smeared on her collar or on

     her arm and ask your heroine some difficult to answer questions.

* It's easy to miss cleaning paint from areas difficult to see in the

   mirror like under the chin and the ears.

In Camouflage Face Paint to Keep Your Heroine Alive - Part 1 an Overview, Liz reviews the kind of makeup that is used for camouflage face painting and some ways that you could twist your plot line.

 In any given region, it is important to 
* Consider the colors and the textures of the surrounding area
* Cover all exposed skin, including hands, ears, and neck
* Use dark shades at high points such as cheekbones and noses
* Use lighter colors on recessed areas such as under the chin and
   eyes
* Add elements from the natural area to clothing and equipment
* Reduce glare as much as possible

Camouflage Face Paint to Keep Your Heroine Alive

Part 2 - Arctic Mission 

Camouflage Face Paint to Keep Your Heroine Alive

 Part 3 - Woodland Mission 

Camouflage Face Paint to Keep Your Heroine Alive  

Part 4 - Jungle Mission 

Fiona Quinn's Newsletter Link, Sign up HERE

Thank you so much for stopping by. And thank you for your support. When you buy my books, you make it possible for me to continue to bring you helpful articles and keep ThrillWriting free and accessible to all.

In this article I used Army Study Guide as my resource LINK

Home Invasion prt 2: Information for Writers with Personal Protection Specialist Rock Higgins

_____________________________________________________________

One of the things that I love and want to encourage is for readers and writers to ask questions and make this blog an interactive resource for writing your scene right. After Rock Higgins of V.I.P.A. Tactical and I wrote a blog about home invasion,  I received questions both on the blog and Twitter. So Rock and I are back for Part Two to address your queries. Home Invasion Prt 1 Blog Link

In a home invasion, why would your heroine (or you) want to have a land line? Won't a cell phone do the trick?

A landline telephone (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

With a land line - 

* You know where it is - it won't be lost.
* You don't have to worry about it being

   charged

* You don't have to worry about the call being

   dropped
* You don't have to worry about having enough

   bars
* The 911 operator will immediately know

   where you are and can get someone headed

   your way. So even if you dial and don't speak,

   help will  come.

* Your heroine should either have an extension

    in every room or have a cordless land line

    that you can move about with. Again here,

    check that your heroine gets reception in all

    areas of the home and that the phone always

    sits in its carriage and is on charge. Ha! When

    does that ever happen?

English: Apartment (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A house owner has a lot of options to secure the premises that may not be available to an apartment dweller. As a writer you need to decide just how savvy your heroine was when she signed her lease. This area is rife with plot twist opportunities. Everything from forethought in planning for an emergency to simply the lay out and general safety of the apartment building. 

Rock, can you talk about some of the ways to decrease the likelihood of becoming a target while living in an apartment? (And remember authors, simply reverse this advice to put your heroine into yet another terrible predicament.)

Rock Higgins, V.I.P.A. Tactical
Protection Specialist and Anti-terrorist Expert

Rock - 

Apartments, houses, mobile homes, it doesn't matter. You have to work with a plan for where you live. But as you asked about apartments we will stick to that. 

Security is all about ever decreasing circles, the more circles (obstacles) you can put between you and an enemy (will clarify that a some later time) the less likely you will be a target.

without knowing the specifics of the apartment or the building I will go over some general points.

There are two areas that need to be looked at:
* The apartment building itself
* The apartment from your point of view

APARTMENT BUILDING

Is the apartment block secure with:
* Electronic / key code / key for the apartment building entry door?
* Does the apartment block have a night porter / concierge / 
   security in main foyer?
* Is there CCTV (closed circuit TV - video security) on the
   apartment building front door / foyer / in lifts / on fire exits?
* What type and where are the fire escapes situated?
* What security procedures are in place from the building owners
   (should be checked prior to living there)

If the apartment block is open access with lifts (elevators) and stairs open to the public from the street -

* The first line of defense is already non-existent. 

* Threats can move directly from your apartment to the stairwells
   and lifts and to the street level.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

APARTMENT

* Is the apartment front door outside on a

   walkway or inside in a corridor? 

* Not only good locks on the door, but one

   with no letter box

* If the threat is great, you can also get fire

   resistant doors and glass. 

* You can also get good door jams (floor

   bolts) that can be engaged at night.

  

Defend and secure or defend and escape are the two main objectives, not in that order as it depends on the tactical situation at that specific time. Bear in mind that defend may also mean going on the offensive.

SECURE

* Is there a defensible room for all family members (Safe room)
   what you in the States call a Panic Room?
* Is the door to the safe room strong enough to withstand a
   battering, fire? What are the hinges like?

* How long can you stay in your safe room? 

* Your safe room also may have to be the one that you escape from
   - so fire escapes and fully opening windows for egress are a must.

* Remember it will be a room that is also used for everyday living,
   so packing it out with kit to survive for long periods is a no-no. 

* You are not going to be there that long before LE arrive 
   (emergency services). Again though, this depends on the situation
   at the time.

* Thinking about firearms, 

   `What are your walls like? 

   `What cover is available in your safe room?

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

ESCAPE

If you are in a high rise block and living high up,

getting out of the apartment may be difficult especially if you only have a front door. Does your apartment have a rear or side door leading out?

For living on lower levels escaping out of windows to the ground may be easier if you are prepared. Do your windows open fully so an adult can get out?

If your fire escape is not at a rear or side window but down the hallway then the window may be your only option.

Now dropping from a second floor or higher may prove damaging when hitting the ground (obviously) so 

* Do you have a knotted climbing rope in place

   and secured?

* Can all family members climb down the rope, have you
    practiced?

As part of my job we carry a Rescuematic. 

Video Quick Study (2:14) Man deploying a Rescuematic.

*It is really used in case of fire but the idea is to get us out of the
   building. 

* It is a wire harness that is secured to a wall and the weight of the
   person being lowered to the ground is countered to by internal 
   mechanisms. 

* Only good for about 5 floors up but ideal in that situation.

Hope that covers some basics.
Rock

Amazon Link

Awesome, Rock. Thank you so much for that information.

Learn more about Rock and close protection HERE. 

You also can find more great information in Rock's book

Meditations of a Modern Warrior -

Linkedin - Paul 'Rock' Higgins CMAS, SAC Dip
Facebook - Paul 'Rock' Higgins CMAS, SAC dip
E-mail vipatacticaltraining@hotmail.com
Website - www.vipatacticaltraining.com

Fiona Quinn's Newsletter Link, Sign up HERE

Thank you so much for stopping by. And thank you for your support. When you buy my books, you make it possible for me to continue to bring you helpful articles and keep ThrillWriting free and accessible to all.

DISCLAIMER - This is a non-political site that is geared to help writers write it right, presenting information to help develop fictional characters and fictional scenes. In no way are we advocating any position or personal decision.

Related articles

• Body Guard and Personal Protection: Information for Writers with Rock Higgins

What NOT to Wear: Clothing Choices to Save Your Heroine

_____________________________________________

This week I have a new hairdo. I chopped off about a foot of hair to donate to an organization making wigs for women with cancer. This is Breast Cancer Awareness month - so let's save the tatas, ladies.


The change in my appearance prompted this week's article. Time and time again statistics show that perpetrators look for signs of vulnerability, such as long hair, when choosing their victims. Another thing that can turn your character into a victim is her clothing.



Excerpt from WEAKEST LYNX:

AMAZON LINK

I need to be able to move in my clothes. I did a lot of martial arts training. Master Wang thinks too many women wear clothes that restrict them.” And the hell if I was going to put myself at greater risk being bound up by a pencil skirt. When Stalker showed up, I planned to kick the shit out of him. I smiled ruefully. “I always try to get some Lycra in my pants and jeans. I tend to choose full skirts, so I can defend myself and hide my gun.”

            “You carry a gun?” Celia and Alice asked together.

            I smiled. “Sometimes.” More like, always

           



Just like Lexi Sobado, I believe careful clothing choices makes for better safety. 

• For me this means Lycra, Lycra, Lycra and more Lycra - and   maybe a little Spandex. 
• I have found that wearing conservative clothing styles creates  obstacles to self-defense.

When you are dressing your character, you may want to keep some of these ideas in mind to either help your heroine escape, or, if it's better for your plot line, get her into a real bind by using her clothes against her. 

Link - How a Predator Courts a Victim
Link Aggressive Body Language


SKIRTS and DRESSES:

 (Photo credit: Deirdre Boyer)

• Skirts should be worn above the knee either an A-line or a shorter  Lycra or Spandex material.
• Long skirts (below the knee) need to be lifted and held up to fight. This throws off balance and your character cannot use her hands and arms to block, grab, or punch.
• Pencil skirts prevent a woman from using her best body weapon - her legs. She can't knee, run, kick, or crouch. She is vulnerable.

Video Quick Study (1:10) Look how cute this dress is. It is also easy for this woman to defend herself.

• Sleeveless for mobility
• Skirt above the knee and wide enough for high kicks. Bodice tight to the body with give.
• Wedge shoes that are strapped on offer stability
• I watched what looked like a cattle call for a martial arts actress. (video removed by YouTube lineup) The women wore skirts of  various lengths. Women wearing short skirts had both hands available. If their skirt came below their knee, they pulled their skirts up and held them out of the way. This leaves them with one less hand to use for balance, blocking and punching.

Video Quick Study (1:02) Woman fighting in a business attire. Her skirt might be a little short for office wear,  a longer (just above the knee) A-line skirt would work as well.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

PANTS

• Wide bottoms can be grabbed during a kick. This would put your character on the ground.
• Wide legs can get caught on the heel when crouching, tripping your character.

Video Quick Study (:57) Okay, this is not how a real fight works, but I wanted you to see how a good pair of pants help her.

• They are thick enough to protect her legs.
• They are form fitting and stretch
• Held up by a belt. True a belt can be grabbed, but so can the top of pants - and worse if your character is wearing yoga pants or exercise pants the assailant can pull these down quickly and easily to shackle your character. Though this works both ways. If your heroine is facing a gang-banger she can stomp the top of his pants and run.

Video Quick Study (2:50) This is shot at a self-defense seminar.

•  The girls' jeans are cut in such a way that they cannot get their knees up. This preempts the girl-power numero-uno self-  preservation move: knee-to-the-groin.
• They can't kick above the knees (though a kick to the knee,   snapping the assailant's leg backward is a great way to escape!)
• Notice the hoody that one girl is wearing and how it would be   used against her. This guy was being nice. A real villain would yank it backwards and put her on the ground - When she is on the ground, the villain  has the most control.

SHIRTS

 Blouses that are classically tailored have some major
 drawbacks in self-defense.

• The cotton fabric has no give.
• The cut is loose enough to grab easily.
• The cut of the fabric does not allow full range of motion - this prevents the character from getting a full-force back-fist or elbow strike, two strikes that are more effective than straight punches for women.

Video Quick Study  (1:28) See how well this woman can fight in her tight turtleneck.

• This shirt fits tight to the body and is less likely to get    caught on anything or grabbed.
• The stretchy fabric allows full range of motion.

SHOES:

Stilettos on Figueroa (Photo credit: lostinangeles)

• Need to be stable or removable.
• High heeled boots can be a great weapon if your character has the ankle strength to fight in them. Running, though is hard to do.
• Stilettos can be an asset if they can be removed easily to run away, or used for strikes.
• The photo to the right shows women dressed to defend    themselves, but the girl on the far right will be the one who   goes down in the final chase because of the ankle straps.
• Wedge heels add to stability
• Closed-toe shoes prevent debris from getting jammed into the    shoe and will also work to protect the toes.
•  Highly pointed shoes works to concentrate force into a very small area, thereby making a front snap kick all the more devastating. Aim a snap kick at the assailant's diaphragm, and your heroine will wind him and have several precious minutes on her head start.
• Of course, if she could manage to be wearing steel-toed boots, or cross-trainers that would be nice.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

So, I mostly approve of the outfit to the right.

• Tight fitted shirt with enough give so she has range of motion.
• Skirt has kicking room and is above her knee for knee raises.
• Shoes are low heeled. She can use those heels for  grinding toes. They're strapped on for stability. But they are open toed which can cause problems with  gravel and debris. I imagine these have slippery soles. These would be tough to run in.
• Her hoop earrings are problematic as well. She  needs to lose those earrings.

Just a final thought about ACCESSORIES:

Purses:

• You're heroine should always have a weapon, her phone, and her keys on her body when she's walking. If someone makes a grab at her purse, she should just let it go.
• Big purses are  a bigger target.
• A big purse can be used to block punches.
• A small purse is a smaller target and can be used to swing at the assailant.

Scarves:

• Are chocking hazards and binding hazards.
• Unless your heroine is trained to get out of choke holds and then use the scarf as a weapon (for trapping strikes or kicks, for example) she should probably just leave the scarf at home.

Earrings, necklaces, and other accessories:

• Can all be used to grab and control your character
• Rings can work like brass knuckles especially if they have sharp stones. Also, if your heroine punches the assailant a few times she'll probably have enough DNA caught in the pongs to do a profile.  Link to DNA 101

Please let me know if you have any questions, and I will do my best to help. 

Fiona Quinn's Newsletter Link, Sign up HERE

Thank you so much for stopping by. And thank you for your support. When you buy my books, you make it possible for me to continue to bring you helpful articles and keep ThrillWriting free and accessible to all.

A Heroine's Plan to Escape a Car Abduction - Information for Writers

__________________________________

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

DISCLAIMER - This is a non-political site that is geared to help writers write it right. I am presenting in
formation to help develop fictional characters and fictional scenes. In no way am I advocating any position or personal decision.

Car abduction 

Statistically, being moved by an attacker from a primary location to a secondary location is extremely dangerous. Consider any movement to be imminently life-threatening.

Most abductions are done by someone who is known to the victim. The heroine should treat the perpetrator, known or not, as a deadly enemy and do everything in her power to escape.


Optimally, your heroine was on her toes. She was aware of her surrounding, and she was prepared
with a hand-held weapon such as a KUBOTAN, ASP, PEPPER SPRAY, or ELECTRIC WEAPON

(clicking on any of these links will take you to a how-to blog)

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

But those heroines always seem to be getting themselves into trouble!

Escape Action Plan

1. Noise! Research shows that just making noise is a deterrent to a potential attack. Further, research has proven that yelling "help" is an ineffectual way to get help. When people hear help, they are alerted to a danger and move away. Screaming "fire" on the other hand has the opposite effect, people will come.

 * Video Bystander Effect


2. Resist - studies prove that resisting an unarmed assailant is an
  effectual way to thwart an attack. Unless there is a personal
  component such as a stalker or a vendetta, the attacker will look
  for a victim-personality. More on victims' behaviors at this link
  Your heroine's efforts make her too much trouble and too risky
   or the attacker.      

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

3.What if he has a weapon such
   as a gun or knife? 
  That's a trickier call. The best
   advice here is to let you limbic
   system tell you what to do. If
   you feel like an action is the 
   right one - even if it seems
   counter intuitive - trust that 
   your brain is processing
   more than is on the surface.
   LIMBIC BRAIN (this
   is a link to a blog about how
   your limbic system can
   get you out of trouble)

   Somehow he got the girl in the car and is
   taking her to another location:
   She must assume that the other location
   means death, so the heroine must take whatever
   action she can even if it causes her injuries.

1. Jump out of the car when it slows or stops in a
    populated area.
2. Cause the car to have an accident by pulling on the steering
    wheel  or suddenly shifting the gears
3. If the attacker stops the car for any reason, jam something into
    the ignition so that it can't be restarted.

If she is locked in the trunk: 

1. If she has been restrained she will need to break free
    If you need a tutorial on breaking out of tie rods or
    duct tape CLICK HERE and if she is handcuffed,
    CLICK HERE.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

2. Feel around  the trunk for a
    release latch (required
    on cars since 2000) Have her
    try to spot the
    location before the trunk is
    shut because she will be
    in pitch black. Most of the
    pulls are made of glow-
    in-the-dark material.
3. If none, search for a weapon to
    use once the trunk
    is opened.
4. Does she have her phone on her? Call 911 (This
    might have been missed if she carries it in her
    pocket or bra. Remember the attacker is
    experiencing an adrenaline rush, too.) Give as many
    details as possible about the car and the attacker.
5. She can attempt to kick in the back seat and crawl
    through to attack the driver.
6. She can attempt to kick out the brake lights to call
    attention to the vehicle, especially if this is seen by
    handy-dandy police officer who happens to be
    patrolling that stretch of highway.

VIDEO QUICK STUDY - FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE (11:27)

If the heroine is taken to a location and not killed immediately, she might try:

1. Getting a hold of a phone and dialing 911 then walking away
   from the phone so the abductor's attention is not drawn to the
   movement, and the police might have time to trace the call.
2. Clog a toilet or create another distraction that might allow
   escape.
3. At night, flash the lights in a pattern of three repeatedly. Sets of
   three - horn blasts, light flicks, whistle blows are a universal sign
   of distress. (If you hear or see this, call authorities to investigate -
   you may be saving a life.)

VIDEOS
Older car escape using the locking mechanism (1:01)
Showing the escape chord (:55)
Safety Instructor Talking Through What He Tells His Students (8:56)

And on a final note, many cars have crawl-outs from the back seat. If your heroine goes into water, the back will float; the engine will sink. The passengers can escape through the trunk, in many cars. Authors, check on this possibility for your character's car. This might be something she remembered as a safety feature pointed out to her during the sales pitch.

Fiona Quinn's Newsletter Link, Sign up HERE

Thank you so much for stopping by. And thank you for your support. When you buy my books, you make it possible for me to continue to bring you helpful articles and keep ThrillWriting free and accessible to all.