When my characters get wild ideas, I sometimes have to go beyond my own comfort zone to help them achieve their goals. So it was with Beth Golden in Veiled Visions of Love when she decided she needed to learn how to shoot a pistol to protect herself and others.
I have fired a pistol before, and way back in the dark ages a BB air rifle. In fact, I love to tell the story about when I asked my father-in-law, a retired brigadier general, to teach me to shoot his pistol. He took me out back of his lakeside home and propped a target on the dirt cutaway wall of his steep driveway. Then he instructed me on how to hold the pistol, how to aim, and then let me have at it. I squeezed the trigger gently and it fired a bullet that was just off the center red circle. I adjusted my aim and fired again, hitting the bull’s eye. When we went back inside the house, he told my husband to not let me get angry with a gun nearby. I haven’t ever had any desire to own a gun let alone shoot it at anyone or anything for that matter. So my dear loving hubby is perfectly safe!
In order to have a better understanding of what a new shooter would need to do and learn, I took a deep breath and went to visit the Bullet and Barrel indoor shooting range near my home in Huntsville, Alabama. This place was awesome, too! I walked in the door to a huge retail store of clothing and accessories for hunters and everyday people who want to carry a gun safely. The salesman proved to be very helpful indeed when I told him I was there to research for my novel.
We talked about what kind of pistol my character was most likely to find useful for her situation—becoming an airplane repo agent. Something she could easily handle and manage. He helped me choose the right semi-automatic pistol, then talked about the ammunition and cartridges. I was offered the opportunity to take a free shooting lesson but declined. I know what a gun sounds like when it’s fired and while I’m pretty sure there are people who can detect the differences and then identify the weapon, my characters are not that savvy. So I didn’t need to know that bit of information. He did show me several styles of purses designed to conceal a pistol, which was something that never would have occurred to me. I’ve also found out since that several of my friends carry a gun. I’m honestly of mixed feelings about that, but of course, it’s not my decision. I can see pros and cons to carrying a gun, and I personally have decided it’s not for me.
I did watch the gun safety video required of all people who want to get a carry permit of any kind. That proved insightful for the kind of training Mitch would give to Beth, the kinds of cautions, too. I also asked about the licensing laws in Alabama vs. Tennessee. It’s rather intriguing how much they vary from one another but I suppose not all that surprising. In case you’re wondering, it’s easier to get a conceal carry permit in Alabama.
I was given a tour of the entire facility and was surprised to learn that they’d held a wedding reception in their conference room available for rentals. They also had a virtual shooting range where you could shoot laser-aimed “bullets” at various characters on the blue screen. That sounded kinda fun, actually, but I didn’t have time to take them up on the offer of a trial.
I came away from the Bullet and Barrel with new understanding and insights into the world of guns and those who choose to carry them. I hope you enjoy Veiled Visions of Love and the dangerous situations that Beth gets into—and out of. Thanks for reading!
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His search for a home led him straight to her heart…
Psychic Beth Golden longs to live the life of a heroine in a suspense novel but knows she’ll die of boredom working in the bookstore in the small town of Roseville. Until a pilot rolls into town on his motorcycle with a secret mission. When he introduces her to a whole new world of daring and romance, she’s captivated by a lifestyle filled with unexpected and dangerous surprises.
Major Mitch Sawyer, currently serving in the Reserves, has lived all over the world and wants nothing more than to have his own home with a wife and family. Forced to complete one more airplane repo job before he can afford to resign his commission and make his dream a reality, he entices a sexy book lover to help him by becoming an undercover biker chick. Only Beth’s hunger for excitement endangers both herself and an innocent bystander. Can he protect them—and his heart—before it’s too late?
Betty Bolte's Musings 