On Helicopters, Guns, and Being Fearless by Jessica James #Fearless #Romance

FEARLESS FRIDAY

Not only is my guest today fearless, but she writes about fearless characters. Please welcome award winning author, Jessica James to Fearless Friday.

I’m the type of author who needs to feel, hear, see, and experience what I’m writing about—which often leads me to try out new, uncomfortable, outside-my-comfort-zone activities.

When I was writing Civil War fiction, I attended large battle re-enactments (and slept on the ground), so I could more realistically capture the sights and sounds.

When I began writing military suspense, I attended the Special Operations Forces International Conference in Tampa, where I stood feet away from a lifelike drill of a hostage rescue.

My most recent foray took me to the national A Girl and a Gun Conference in Burnet, TX. This involved three days of shooting shotguns, pistols, and long guns, as well as a wide array of self-defense classes.

But the best part of the conference (and the real reason I attended), was getting to target shoot with a military-grade weapon while hanging out of a fast-moving helicopter. (And when I say fast-moving, I mean the pilot came over the radio and said, “on this run, we’re going to pretend we’re being shot at).

We skimmed right over the tops of trees, zig-zagged, climbed and dove—while, at times, going over a hundred miles an hour—just like the characters in my books do.

It was one of the most amazing, albeit terrifying, experiences of my life. And if I could do it again I would jump at the chance!

Does that make me fearless?

Or crazy?

I’m not certain which one of those is true, but I’m pretty sure I have the best job in the world!

A Love Story That Spans Centuries…

My new release Lacewood, didn’t take any daredevil research….just deep soul-searching. Here’s a short blurb: Two people trying to escape their pasts find a connection through an old house—and fulfill a destiny through the secrets it shares. Part love story, part ghost story, Lacewood is a timeless novel about trusting in fate, letting go of the past, and believing in things that can’t be seen. 

Release price is $3.99. Will be $8.99 after June 25.

AMAZON BUY LINK CLICK HERE

UNIVERSAL BUY LINK CLICK HERE

You can find Jessica here:

Web Page: https://www.jessicajamesbooks.com

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001IYTXOG

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RomanticHistoricalFiction

Jessica James Bio:

Jessica James believes in honor, duty, and true love—and that’s what she writes about in her award-winning novels that span the ages from the Revolutionary War to modern day. She is a three-time winner of the John Esten Cooke Award for Southern Fiction, and has won more than a dozen other literary awards, including a Readers' Favorite International Book Award and a Gold Medal from the Military Writers Society of America. Her novels have been used in schools and are available in hundreds of libraries including Harvard and the U.S. Naval Academy.

Gun Research Got Me Hooked

MUSE MONDAY

Garlic harvesting is now a reality, so for a few weeks, my writing career takes a backseat to farming. Post-War Dreams, my 1945 historical, is awaiting a release date. I signed the contract, just this morning, for A Legacy of Love and Murder, the third book in the Love and Murder Series. I've been hard at work on the fourth book in the series. But...my farming hat is in place for a couple of weeks. So, this is a post from a few months ago.

Researching for a novel takes many forms. Some are much more exciting than others.

Last week, my son took me shooting. I'm not a gun person, never even held a gun. The trouble is I write about murder, some of which involves guns, and I decided it was time I had personal experience firing a gun.

I was nervous. What if my hand jerked and I shot something I shouldn't? What if my aversion to guns got me so scared I couldn't pull the trigger? This research was one of those chores I knew I had to do, but wasn't sure I'd enjoy.

We drove a few miles from our farm, out beyond the last house, down a dirt trail that inclined sharply into a wash and up again, requiring four-wheel drive. A small hill was our backdrop for the boxes he'd brought for our targets.

I started with a 357 Magnum Smith and Wesson using 38 special ammo. He first taught me about the gun, gun safety and then the mechanics of firing it. I put in my earplugs, took my stance and squeezed the trigger. I nearly hit the center. Then again. Just off center. Hey, that was fun.

I moved on to a 38 Special Smith and Wesson, bobbed and snubbed. That was a fun little gun to shoot. I also shot a 22 rifle and a 20 gauge, side by side, double barrel shotgun. All fun. And my son couldn't get over how accurate and steady my aim was - first time out. I'm hooked. I didn't expect to come to an understanding of why gun enthusiasts find enjoyment shooting at a target. It's one of those activities you can't explain unless you've tried it.

A great deal of research can be done on the Internet.  I'm lucky to have done quite a bit of traveling so I can draw on that for my settings. There's nothing like firsthand knowledge to lend credibility to my writing. Handling a gun now gives me the experience my heroine might need when the villain is around the next corner.