VERISIMILITUDE!!

I took to the beach!
ENCOUNTER safely tucked away for another couple of weeks before the major rewrite, I grabbed a quick lunch at one of my favorite Mexican Restaurant haunts: Lares! Then I headed out to Santa Monica Pier and did a six mile hike.
While walking, I considered the work I'm about to engage upon: namely creating a homicide department in San Francisco complete with Inspector's and Lieutenant’s and police officers that crackle with authenticity, truth and VERISIMILITUDE!
The dictionary states: the appearance or semblance of truth; likelihood; probability.
Now, what makes me, some punk from Ohio, think that I can tackle a completely foreign territory like the SFPD? Confidence. One of the prerequisites of writing is confidence. I BELIEVE I can create it, so I will. There is an old saying that states: 'write what you know.' And, to some extent, I agree, but what if you really want to write about polar bears hibernating at the North Pole. You wouldn't do it because it's not close to you?  NO! Be confident! Courageous. You can research anything. In fact, GOOGLE is the most important tool I use. That and GOOGLE EARTH! WOW!!! I am there, walking the streets, smelling the surroundings, looking at the sights, seeing everything. Thank you technology! The ONE thing that needs your ultimate attention are the characters.  In my case, the newly appointed Detective (Inspector in San Francisco) to Homicide Division Vanessa Sanchez. Her father, Tony Romano (I know sounds like a rib place) is a retired SFPD Police Officer garnering the highly coveted Purple Heart which ultimately gave him an early retirement. He and Harry Wright (my celebrity profiler from Quantico, Virginia) worked on the Trailside Killer (David Carpenter) back in the 80's. See, already you believe me. This is ALL FICTION! But, the truth is it takes so much reading, then more reading, then more reading... writing down facts along the way...
In my case, it’s either an incredibly advanced case of narcissism, or an unflinching ability to be insecure enough to allow my characters the ability to breathe, cry... be human. Hopefully, the one thing that makes you care enough to continue reading and understand. Relate. Even my pathological killers... (I know, how do I do that?) you at least have to understand them. No hissing!
Now, bed and I start all over again tomorrow!
Peace!