If you’ve read the Grigori Legacy series, you’ll know that the main character, Alexandra Jarvis, is a homicide detective. There are actually several reasons for this:
- I myself am a wanna-be cop. The story goes like this: I applied for the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police for you non-Canadians ;)) when they still had height requirements in place. A faulty measurement made by the recruiting officer put my height at 1/4 inch below the required 5’4″ mark. I was actually 5’4 3/4″, but didn’t discover that until a physical exam several years later. Yes, they were that picky, and yes, I should have double-checked. But I went on to become a dispatcher and meet my husband, so everything for a reason, right?
- My husband is a cop and so I have a built-in reference check whenever I have a procedural question. I also have someone I can point the finger at if I get something wrong. 😀
- Some of the strongest, sweetest, funniest women I have ever known have been cops. I admire them more than I can say, and I hope that comes through in my portrayal of Alex.
- Many books/movies/television shows misrepresent law enforcement (sorry to disappoint, but CSI contains more fantasy than my supernatural thrillers do!). It is my husband’s greatest desire that I single-handedly change public perception…which creates the single biggest bone of contention between us when he tells me I need to change something in a story because it’s not 1,000 percent accurate. Sigh.
- Honestly? I can think of no more heroic profession for my characters. While Alex may be a homicide detective now, she’s done her share of the far less glamorous work that so many officers do each and every day. From dealing with barking dogs to negotiating between feuding neighbors; from issuing traffic tickets to scraping up the remains of a fatal accident; from answering alarms to chasing down B&E suspects; from taking the statement of a rape victim to answering a three-year-old’s plea to make daddy stop beating up mommy; from talking down a teen bent on suicide to busting the drug dealer who’s peddling to the six-year-olds…folks, these people in uniform do and see it all and more — most of them with a compassion, dedication, patience, and sense of humor the rest of us would be hard-pressed to maintain. (A prime example of this can be found in the blog writings and books of Detective Suzie Ivy.) Truthfully, cops are what stand between us and many of the all-too-real monsters in this world, and no writer could ask for a more intriguing, versatile, story-rich background for her stories. 😉
So there you have it. My reasons for writing cop stories. If you’re curious, you can read about the angelic angle here. Oh, and the next time you see a cop? Remember this article and if you have the chance, tell him/her thanks. 🙂
(Read yesterday’s blog about the National Police Memorial Day)
Leave a Reply