The things you learn…

I am constantly amazed by the little useless bits of information I run across while doing research for my novels.

For those of you who have been initiated into the mysteries of Asylum Lake, you are aware that the use and manufacture of methamphetamine plays a smallish role in the story. In the first draft of the novel I went into excruciating detail about how to cook up a batch of what I so kindly refer to as "the devil's dust". Funny thing is, I learned the hard way that many of the internet sites I visited in my research were set up by law enforcement agencies to monitor individuals seeking to make a lifestyle out of this practice. Long story short, what you read in the book merely scratches the surface of what I had initially penned. Still – at the end of the day I am very satisfied with how I treated the subject. Special thanks to Kent County Law Enforcement personnel for their "suggestions".

It's not meth, however, that has me writing this post. Who knows where future book tours may take me and I am merely giving everyone fair warning — I am researching what type of ammunition is used by U.S. Air Marshals for my novel FLIGHT. Please, do not consider this an invitation for an extra special pat down during the boarding process.

In case you were wondering, hollow-point ammunition is used because it will kill instantly and will not go through an aircraft fuselage after passing through a target, unlike conventional bullets. Hmmm, I just hope hollow-points have the stopping power to deal with what's waiting in the cargo hold…