How do you research murder, mayhem, and malicious, malignant manipulation without being put on one or many governmental watch lists?
Is there some sort of author website that has a compilation of murderous methods, torturous techniques, and poisonous plots?
Imagine such a repository. You must sign in by saying aloud, with your hand on a copy of the MLA Handbook or Moby Dick, “I solemnly swear, I am up to no good.” If you need to know how to kill a character and make it look like poison, cancer, heart failure, clumsiness–click here. If you’d like to know the proper rope to use if you must hang a villain, click here. The right gun, sword, morning-star, or lightsaber to commit your specific brand of murder? Look in the archives under: weaponry.
“But really, Officer, I’m googling chloroform for a story…that search about body decomposition? Different story, sir, but still a work of fiction!
Just because I theoretically know how to get away with murder doesn’t mean…right to remain silent? You know, sir, I am a writer? We write to resist silence. No, no, I’m not making fun of you.
No, I haven’t been drinking! Who do you think I am, Hemingway? No! He’s not an accomplice…well, he was a great man and I admire his work but…I’d like that phone call, now.”
But really, I’m writing a story with all sorts of nasty bits and pieces and I need to do some research. If I disappear for a while, send money for the lawyer fees.
Vers Les Etoiles 
My NSA only spies on Americans for their own good and our own amusement. We’re all on the same team here. Trust us! http://agent54nsa.blogspot.com/
Agent 54 here again. I wanted to make sure I’m not associated with the Neurotic Skeptics Ambivalence (NSA). They tried to recruit me but I couldn’t make up my mind on what I didn’t believe in. http://agent54nsa.blogspot.com/
You raise a very interesting question, now I am checking what I have researched lately for writing purposes and oh, boy…
If you dissapear, i’ll stick a saw inside a cake and come bail you out myself 🙂
You’re the greatest! Make sure the cake is chocolate…
Ofcourse! I am not a vanilla infidel! 😀
Haha. Love this. I’ll let you know if I ever finish that law degree and can offer bail 😉
I always think about it when I’m researching stories…I may have to take you up on that offer!
HAHA! I love this. Because I totally think the same way. Every time I go to do this type of…violent research, I think, “I’m totally going to have Homeland Security knocking on my door.” Thanks for the laugh 🙂
Glad I could make you laugh! I always worry about googling certain combinations of words—especially the way my mind jumps from topic to topic. And the internet is a black hole!
Sounds like a good story in the works! I’ve wondered the same thing about being on some kind of animal rights or environmental terrorism watch list for the animal cruelty research I’ve done.
Who knows! Although, hopefully they’re tracking down real terrorists. I had to write a paper once on an extremist group and was terrified that I was accidentally going to go to some sketchy site FOR terrorists. Still not in jail, though, so I think I’m safe!