Friday, April 13, 2012

L Is For Law, Lethal Weapon and...


L is for Law, Lethal Weapon and Lavender Lust

You would think the law would be in your corner and explicit about how it protects the innocent. It should be so simple. Every state, every county, every city and even the precincts, burgs, or districts within those have variations on the "rules" or laws. If you write mystery you best be aware of these differences. One size does not fit all.

The law is only as good as your law enforcement and that is true in mystery writing as well. You need to set your stories realistically. To do that you need to abide by the laws current and particular to your fictional or real town. 

Even Science Fiction and Fantasy writers, in their invented worlds, have laws and must obey them.
Laws cover more than legal issues, especially in the case of Science Fiction mystery. Human behaviors, logic, and thought processes follow some sort of law, written or unwritten. Good guys wear white hats may no longer fit. It may be too simplistic, but good guys do follow the laws, certain codes of ethics, moral codes, etc. Your writing needs to obey the logical laws that govern.

Lavender Lust by Cricket Sawyer
Your universe follows certain laws, you mystery must follow certain laws or conventions of the genre. Upholding the law, use of a lethal weapon or deadly force is sometimes the only answer. In Lavender Lust, Cricket Sawyer explores the laws of a female Jekyll and Hyde. The split personalities of Eleanor in her black and white corporate world has one set of laws to follow. Lavender, on the other hand, follows her own laws to right the wrongs she perceives as being broken in her world.

Laws—mess with them at your own peril, even if you are a mystery fiction writer.

 
Sign up for The Mystery Readers Connection today and get the free flash fiction story "Black Roses." Recommend a friend sign up and when they do you will receive a copy of the flash fiction mystery "The Hanging Rock."    

Hurry sign up today you don't want to miss a single fact, and entertainment packed issue of The Mystery Readers Connection. Once a month, in your in box, several columnists, several new (to you) authors join us to present their unique look at mystery and story. There is a safe unsubscribe link in every newsletter so you never have to stay (though we hope you will) if you don't want to. Hurry – get your name in quickly! You won't want to miss a single episode.

No comments: