Research

Even when I’m not writing, I’m writing. My imagination is always floating around behind my mind, picturing scenes, overhearing dialogue, sussing out a character’s style in clothes or cars. Yeah, it looks like I know where I’m walking or I’m totally engrossed in that pile of invoices, but it’s all an illusion. A ruse to keep Left Brain occupied while Right Brain ponders truly important things like what kind of gun is sitting on Jake’s kitchen table, or what flavour of ice cream is Kim’s favourite. Jake is guessing that she’s a strawberry cheesecake girl, (she’s not); but wait. Does Haagen-Dazs still make strawberry cheesecake ice cream?

I’ve had to do some research for this story. Expert advice was called upon for the arms question, but I know where to go for ice cream. Or I think I know. Turns out there are two Haagen-Dazs websites: one for Canada and one for the US. Though the story takes place on Canada’s west coast, I had to check out both sites because no matter where they roam, my characters all share my belief that H-D is the best ice cream.

Neither site features strawberry cheesecake as a flavour, so I’ve had to amend the story accordingly. Boo hoo, eh? If only my visit to the Glock website had been so easy.