Is it really about personality?

[Echelon Press]

I was in a store today and I looked at the book selection. There were some romances, some self-help, business/reference books, etc. I even saw some westerns. What I did not see were any mysteries or thrillers.

So I asked why. It's a fair question. The response I got was more than a little amusing. They said it's because they don't want "those" kind of people coming in and hanging around. You know that I aske "what" kind of people. They said, "you know, violent people...people with sick minds." I wanted to burst out laughing, but the man was serious. He explained that they only sell a limited number of books and magazines and they wanted to attract the "right" kind of people to their store. I smiled and moved on. But not before I checked the magazine section. Guess what I found...

Playboy, Field & Stream, several gun and ammo mags I can't remember the names of, and motorcycle magazine.

Does anyone else see a problem here? Now, I ask you, is there something wrong with those of us who read and write and publish this kind of book? Do people really see us all as serial killers in the making? Should I be afraid of all of you?

Karen...in deep contemplation...

[Andrea Campbell]

I guess if you go to church, you are a Christian, but how do you account for the BTK killer?

I also thought it was in bad taste for our government to start checking people's library reading lists--okay, I understand you have to fight terrorism--but the Patriot Act is a free-for-all when it comes to usurping our privacy.

And if we had gotten a manual from Palladin Press we're working on an actual crime? Well, yes, it's happened before but seriously, since when does becoming educated or doing research change someone's psyche if they weren't already going in that direction?

Yes, weird and strange people read some weird and strange things, but that certainly doesn't mean that a mystery lover is of bad character because they want to identify with a character and "help" that character out of a jam, mostly.

Since when did everyone become a criminal profiler? One of my beefs, Karen, is when the "Armchair Detectives" think they have the low-down on how crime and forensics really works. Pu-leese. I guess that's why my talk (someone would call it a diatribe) on the difference between TV crime drama and reality still surprises people.

[Echelon Press]

Okay, now, let me tell you the kicker to the story...and yes, Lonnie, I am SO in!!! The owner of the store was of Middle Eastern descent and I can almost hear his voice in my head arguning that not all Muslims are terrorists.

Even though I would absoultely agree that they are not, it would be typical for a person like that to argue one set of discrimination and ignore another inflicted by him.

Hmmm. I wonder what I would like in a pair of chaps...maybe not.

I only had one series ...okay two...where family members were concerned by my behavior (stop snickering, I'm talking about in regard to my reading/research) and that was when I was researching witchcraft for a story I wrote and then again when I was researching poisons for my retro futuristic...my husband was a little kinder during that phase. :)

[Shane Gericke]

Not a thing wrong with us--the guy's a dipshit. Though I mean it in the nicest possible way :-)

[Dianne Day]

It's called being an ostrich -- these people have their heads buried in the sand. Or, since this is the day before Easter and there are churchy things on my mind, I'll say these are the kind of people who would notice the mote in someone else's eye but not see the plank in their own. Maybe they'd even get the reference since their reading material makes them sound like stereotypical Christian Conservatives. Makes me shudder, it surely does.

[Echelon Press]

I've not met Stephen, but I have met Joe Konrath. A nicer man there could not be, but... LOL

[David Terrenoire]

Karen,

Have you actually met Stephen Blackmoore? If you had you wouldn't be asking this question.