Guns, Culture, and the American Way

Culture involves at least three components: what people think, what they do, and the material products they produce. Thus, mental processes, beliefs, knowledge, and values are parts of culture. Culture also has several properties: it is shared, learned, symbolic, transmitted cross generationally, adaptive, and integrated.

   --  John H. Bodley, Cultural Anthropology: Tribes, States, and the Global System, 3rd ed. 1999

I would add that culture is also about what we value and what we find acceptable. Somehow, our national culture has decided that violence is an acceptable way to settle a dispute.

About ten years ago, my son Michael and I were watching a movie together. It's called The Valet, and it used subtitles because it was a French film. The story involves a car parker, a valet, who falls for a pretty young thing who is beholden to an older, wealthy man.

At the dramatic high point, the valet storms up to the older man as he sits in his expensive car. The old guy (OG) opens the car down and gets out. Now the valet and OG are face-to-face.

"Here it comes," I said. "Boom. He's going to whip out his gun and shoot that old man."

"Yeah," said Michael. "Make my day."

Only...

He didn't. The valet yelled at OG, shook a finger in his face, and finally slapped him.

It felt strangely unsatisfying. Later Michael and I talked about it. We could have both sworn that violence would ensue.

Why?

Because that's how we've been taught that problems will be "solved."

So it's not about the gun. At least, not entirely. The gun is just a means to an end. It's about our mindset, our willingness to believe that might makes right. That bad guys should die. That the good guy will triumph, even if he has to take another man's life.

And what does that say about me? About us?

Because I'm also to blame here. I have my characters use guns in my books. That means I am definitely part of the problem!

It says we need to hit the reset button. We need a national commitment to rethink who we are and how we solve problems.

Do you agree?

How Anyone Can Improve His or Her Writing Almost Instantly

By Joanna Campbell Slan

School has started, and your child may be one of many who struggles with written assignments. Or perhaps you, yourself, are going back to school. Or maybe now that your kids are off to classes, you've decided to get down to the business of writing that book you've been meaning to tackle for years.

I've been writing my whole life. In fact, I can't remember a time when I wasn't putting words on paper. I've also taught writing to adults, both college students and professionals. There's one tip I can share that will dramatically improve your writing--anyone's writing--instantly.When I tell people this simple tip, they usually scoff. What a shame, because it's so simple and so incredibly effective:

Read the work out loud.

Do NOT mumble the words. Don't simply move your lips. Actually read it, as if presenting it to an audience. In fact, if you can find another person to listen, so much the better.

As you read, you'll hear glitches in your work. You'll catch the rough spots. You'll notice where phrasing is awkward or where the transition needs help. Mostly, you'll notice words you left out or misused, but duplicated words will also jump out at you.

If you find yourself pausing to "explain" what you wrote, that's a huge red flag.

Now, I know what you're thinking: Huh. Right. Maybe I will and maybe I won't.

But trust me on this, it's the BEST tip I've ever gotten, and it'll improve your work dramatically.

When I was writing Paper, Scissors, Death, I must have read the car chase scene to my son six times. I never made it through to the end. Not the first five times. I'd start reading and realize how wrong my phrasing sounded. Or how lame. Or whatever. So I'd say, "Never mind! Go back to your computer games!" and walk off, back to my own computer, to start over.

You'll probably do the same with your work. But when you finish revising, you'll have a much, much better piece of writing. Trust me on this.

Why You Should be Reading More Thrillers by Women--and a CONTEST

I don't often go on tilt, as my boys say, but once in awhile, I get frustrated with the book industry. Case in point: A conference I once loved posted their line up of "star authors." There wasn't a single woman in the bunch! When I asked why, they told me, "Oops. We couldn't come up with any women's names who would be big draws, especially since we usually feature thriller writers."

They must be drinking their own Kool-Aid, something spiked with testosterone, because my bookshelves are full of thrilling reads by fantastic women writers.

1. Heather Graham -- I just finished Let the Dead Sleep. Graham is a writing masterclass on the page. This book has it all: a slightly paranormal twist; a fantastic New Orleans setting done right; strong female protagonist; and interesting secondary characters. Oh, and did I mention a rollicking plot?

2. Meg Gardiner -- Her newest book The Shadow Tracer combines a couple of fascinating female protagonists with a glorious panorama of a setting and adds a current topic (fanatic religious sects) in a fast paced adventure that I couldn't put down. And yeah, I consider Meg a friend. She's fantastic.

3. Kathy Reichs -- Somehow I missed Deadly Decisions, so I picked up a copy and I'm having trouble tearing myself away. I always learn so much from Reichs, and she's as impressive in person as she is on paper. Her entire Temperance Brennan series makes for chilling, thrilling, and thought-provoking reading.

4. Lori Armstrong -- Her "Mercy Gunderson" series is superb, and a great example of how a character can grow and change as a series progresses. Mercy's backstory makes her a compelling character.

Here are a few other reasons I value these authors--

1. They didn't choose to write under a pseudonym. Yup, they are women and they don't care who knows it. Got to admire that!

2. They don't indulge in gratuitous violence/perversion toward women in their books. Too many "thriller" authors take the low road by indulging all their blackest, most foul imaginings and frankly, scare the bejeebers out of me. These talented authors stay within the bounds of good taste while offering great reads.

3. Their female protagonists are appropriately strong and weak, rather than super humans.

4. Nobody immediately has sex with the first man who wanders across her path. Honestly, I've had it with books by men where the male protag beds every woman on every page. I mean, REALLY?

Here's the thing: Most women buy hardback books for their husbands/boyfriends to read. Why not buck the trend as exhibited by the-conference-that-shall-not-be-named? Why not buy a hardback by one of these fine women authors and hand it to the guy in your life...

After you read it, of course.

CONTEST

To make it easier on your wallet, I'll send one lucky commenter a copy of Let the Dead Sleep. Just tell me who your favorite female thriller writer is!