Benjamin Sobieck's Blog, page 5

Do Men and Women Use Different Body Armor?

TLDR: They don’t. Fit, function and coverage matter more than gender. I’m on the cusp of breaking my golden rule, but I’m writing this post at the request of Nate Hoffelder of The Digital Reader, a frequent visitor of this blog. He spotted this promo shot from the new Power Rangers movie reboot: Notice anything about the […]

The Myth of the Hierarchy of Weapons

There’s an idea out there in fiction that a gun always trumps a knife, a knife always trumps a more mundane object, and all of that trumps knuckles. I call this the Myth of the Hierarchy of Weapons and, as the name suggests, it’s BS. I elaborate more about this over at Jennifer Chase’s blog. […]

Can a Government Database Match a Gun to a Person?

TLDR: Yes, but only under the right conditions. Friend of this blog Ralph S. wrote me recently with this excellent question: Sometimes in reading crime fiction, I notice that writers frequently depend on a system of firearms registration to help the detective find out who owns a particular gun, or maybe to track the ownership […]

New: Chase Baker and the Humanzees from Hell (A Chase Baker Thriller #8)

When I write about weapons in fiction, I’m not coming from a place as an outsider looking in on creative writing. Far from it. I keep at that keyboard like anyone else, and I open myself up to the same criticism that others endure from me. That doesn’t make me perfect, but it does mean […]

How Easy is It to Find Fingerprints on a Gun?

TLDR: As it relates to firearms, fingerprinting isn’t infallible. When I encounter a topic I’m not familiar with, I turn to people like criminologist/crime writer Jennifer Chase to fill in the gaps. This typically happens in the forensics department, and I’m happy to say she’s a terrific resource. The latest example is the issue of […]

From Hollow-Points to Spitzers: A Quick Guide to Bullet Types

Fiction, especially the crime and thriller genres, loves hollow-point bullets, but those aren’t the only game in town. Many varieties exist, with unique shapes and construction types, and their properties may spark some new ideas for fiction. Review Time: What, Exactly, is a “Bullet?” Fiction too often treats bullets as if they were this guy: With […]

10 Things Authors Get Wrong When Writing About the Military

This guest blog post comes from Joshua Hood. I’d normally summarize a guest writer’s bio in my notes before the article, but Hood’s background is too extensive to outline here. Read the bio at the end of the article. Let’s cut right to the chase, because Hood has some excellent tips for writing about the military in fiction. […]

Why Do Characters Flip Over or Fly Backward When They Are Shot?

TLDR: Dramatic movements after being shot are caused by a secondary effect, such as an involuntary muscle reaction, not from the force of being hit by one or more projectiles. If you’ve read my book, The Writer’s Guide to Weapons, (you have right?) you know that characters hit by gunfire wouldn’t fly backward several feet […]

Does Getting Shot While Wearing Body Armor Leave a Bruise?

TLDR: Yes. The extent of that bruise and other internal injuries depends on many factors, but it’s both possible and probable to expect damage even if the bullet doesn’t penetrate the body armor. Question: Would a Character Shot While Wearing Body Armor Receive an Injury Even if the Bullet Didn’t Penetrate into the Body? Crime […]

New: Chase Baker and the Apocalypse Bomb (A Chase Baker Thriller #7)

What If Humans Aren’t the Most Advanced Species on Earth? I’m proud to announce the publication of the seventh in a long line of terrific thrillers, Chase Baker & the Apocalypse Bomb, available in digital and print formats exclusively from Amazon. Here’s the description. Humans think they’re the most advanced beings on Earth, but adventurer and […]