HOW
DID I GET INTO THIS MESS?
Bad Girl is pleased to host Debra Purdy Kong today, an intrepid gal who has gone places where few women have gone before!
I am in awe of her. She'll tell you in her own words...
by Debra Purdy Kong
I
stood before a high chain-link fence in the automotive courtyard while the
November downpour seeped through my cargo pants. Frantically, I tried to unlock
the gate’s rusty padlock with numb fingers. The instructor was on his way and
the gate needed opening fast, but the key wouldn’t turn. As my young supervisor
pulled up in the security vehicle to see what was taking so long, the
instructor arrived. At this point, only one thought crossed my mind: How the hell did I get into this mess?
The
truth is, I answered an ad in the paper. You see, I was looking for different
type of work and the security field interested me, especially since they were
paying for training. As it happened, I was also writing a novel about a transit
security cop and quickly saw the research potential.
Executing
my brilliant plan wasn’t that easy. After all, I was fifty-three years old and
taking on a fairly physical job. This fact didn't concern the woman who hired
me, though. She assured me that the company welcomed mature female applicants
with life experience. This was only partly true.
Working
in lousy weather with young, male coworkers who didn’t respect a middle-aged
mom proved to be challenging. My supervisor never did get out of the comfy
vehicle to lend a hand with the padlock that I finally managed to open. Over
time, I learned to deal with many awkward situations, but it all provided great
material for my protagonist Evan Dunstan who has to deal with murder in DEAD
MAN FLOATING. I like Evan. He’s the kind of guy who’ll get out of the car to
help the newbies with rusty padlocks.
EXCERPT
FROM DEAD MAN FLOATING:
Propping the kickstand, Evan removed the small flashlight attached to his
belt then stepped nearer the water. Oh shit! It was a hand! A freakin’ hand!
And legs! He moved the flashlight up the body until he spotted the grey fringe
circling a bald head that glowed like a moon. Evan shivered. Was the guy alive?
He wouldn’t have to perform CPR, would he? That first-aid course last year
didn’t go so well after he broke that manikin.
DEBRA’S
BIO:
Author of six mysteries and over fifty short
stories, Debra has won numerous
awards for her work. She conducts workshops, is an administrative assistant at
Simon Fraser University, and also works as a substitute facilitator for the creative writing program with Port Moody Parks &
Recreation. More information about Debra’s books and her blog can be found at www.debrapurdykong.com
Also
visit her FB Author Page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mystery-Author-Debra-Purdy-Kong/139005706175139
Or
find her on Twitter @DebraPurdyKong
DEAD
MAN FLOATING can be ordered at:
Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/573302
Evan sounds like someone I'd like too. Your supervisor, on the other hand...
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment, Alison. Yes, not all of the supervisors were helpful people-friendly types. But there were also some really great ones!!
DeleteLove the lengths you will go to for research, Debra! I can just picture you out in the rain fumbling with the lock. I would have turned and run by then, so I admire your stamina. I cannot WAIT to read DEAD MAN FLOATING.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cathy. That week, I truly wondered if I'd make it to Christmas. But tenacity is one of my strong suits, and I wasn't about to let some of the those young macho co-workers think they'd been right about me.
ReplyDeleteLove the idea of a paid job as research, Debra. Now if your character had been a surgeon or a pilot, it might've been tougher to pull off a job in the right field. On the other hand, the comedy potential would be off the charts...
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments, Allan. Yeah. Too bad I didn't choose higher paying jobs for my research. :) But I certainly came across a lot of crime plots to ponder. :)
DeleteGood for you, Debra, for having the courage to put yourself in your protagonist's shoes. I'm sure your real-life experience shows on the page. Adding Dead Man Floating to my TBR list.
ReplyDeleteGood for you, Debra, for having the courage to put yourself in your protagonist's shoes. I'm sure your real-life experience shows on the page. Adding Dead Man Floating to my TBR list.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sandy. In hindsight, I'm really glad I took the risk and experienced what I did, not just for the writing possibilities, but to challenge myself on a personal level.
DeleteI can hardly wait to read Dead Man Floating, Debra! It sounds like there's a great protagonist, plenty of action, and perhaps some humour? And I'm sure your writing is more realistic for having some on-the-job skills! As we get older, I'm not sure whether we are more courageous, or just don't give a heck! We sure have more fun, though.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Gloria. In some ways I'm more courageous than I was when I was younger, but in other ways not so much. And yes, there is some humour...:)
Delete