Monday, May 19, 2014

A bang-up weekend

Ah, the things we do in the name of research! Sometimes it's boring (whoops, just wrote that as 'borking' ... hm), like when I interrupt the writing to make sure that a certain song that'd be just perfect for a scene had been released by the time of the flashback, or when I invariably have to remind myself whether the sun sets in the west or the east in the US of A (I've had more than one cowboy riding into an impossible sunset). Other times, though, it's way cool.

Take this past weekend, for example, when I attended ladies' gun day at our shooting range. Because when you're gearing up to start writing some new running-and-screaming Jessica Andersen books for next year (yay!), you gotta get in the mood. And, well, where else am I going to get to shoot everything from arrows, to black powder muzzle loaders, to tricked-out rifles and pistols with laser sights? 

Arizona had volunteered to help for the day, so we got there early, registered, and got our T-shirts and hats. He got a pretty blue shirt and a red hat that said STAFF. I got screaming yellow. Really? Yellow for ladies' day? Clearly a man had ordered the shirts. At least I could snag a pink hat off the Smith and Wesson swag table. 

We smooched and headed in our separate directions, and I quickly made some new friends. I'm not sure how I got good at that, seeing as how I was the total loner as a kid. Romance conventions, probably. Anyway, friends! We sat together, swapped life stories, and complained about the screaming yellow until it was time for the safety briefing. Where we learned that the shirts were so the staffers could see if one of us wandered down-range.

Oh-kay, then! Yellow is my new best friend! Safety first! Objects in the mirror may be closer than they appear!

After the briefing, we headed out with our guides (Arizona was in charge of my group of six) to rotate through eleven stations, where range officers instructed us on the different weapons. And where I learned that I am a speshul snowflake ... apparently, it's not only unusual to be left handed but right-eye dominant, it really screws you up for target shooting. Whoops! But that was the cool thing about having  a whole day to play--I experimented with shooting lefty, righty and using different stances, until I figured out what worked for me.

And ... pictures!


This is me killing balloons. Okay, maybe I was pretending they were zombies.


And bowling pins. Which were really Mayan demons.


Death to clay pigeons ... Or Mayan bat demons. Those suckers can fly!


A crossbow. For when gunpowder just won't cut it. And, well, when you suck at using a compound bow because of that whole left-hand-right-eye thing. I'm digging the point-and-shoot here!

And, finally, the hand cannon:


I nailed the bullseye with this one, but my hands tingled for a good five minutes after, and I ate some serious gunpowder. At least there was a cute-ish guy standing there with his hand on my back, ready to catch if I went flying backward!

All in all, a totally fun day, and something out of our usual routine. Except that I still have a Mustang Ridge book to finish before I can get to the running-and-screaming books. I'm off now to make sure my subconscious doesn't try to sneak something scary into Gran's kitchen. 

Though, come to think, I bet she could handle it ;) 

14 comments:

  1. Yay. Looking forward to running & screaming. Also, so feeling ya with the left handed right eye dominant issue. It annoys the crap out of righties who try to shoot my nine that's tricked out for a lefty.

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    1. *knuckle tap* and ha! Right-eyed lefties unite. I wound up lefty for handguns, righty for long guns except skeet, and f-ed for archery. (Well, actually he told me to wear an eyepatch, forcing me to my left eye. Hee!) I suspect there's some customization in my future, too!

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    2. An eye-patch wearing author with a long-bow! Look out zombies. Your days are numbered. Love the imagery...

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    3. Hmmm ... *envisions new author photo ...*

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  2. Wow your weekend was much more interesting than mine. I just got to spend money at Banana Republic (for my kidlets).

    My memory with guns.. was participating in drill team when I was in NROTC. My dad determined I wasn't soldier material since I would much rather learn to spin a rifle than shoot one.

    Did I read new series by Jess Andersen.. Can't wait for more deets. Not that I want Mustang Ridge books to stop. We'll just keep you in your room to write and write for us. :)

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    1. LOLOL on learning to spin the rifle. I bet you rocked it. Pics? ;)

      And yes, more running and screaming to come, soon ... ish ... Hm. Better get writing!

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  3. No firearms in my weekend, but Saturday I ran around in the woods wearing vaguely medievalish garb, throwing "lightening bolts" at "dark spawn", arguing with a cat-humanoid over the bushel of apples he owes me, and generally tiring myself the heck out. Good times!

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    1. Awesome! I had to imagine all my enemies ... you actually got to go after yours!

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  4. Gran is totally capable of filling any intruder full of buckshot. If he's still dumb enough to act wiggly and dangerous, she could dispatch him to nighty-nightland - or Mayan hell - with a cast iron skillet. A Jess Andersen/Jesse Hayworth mashup. :)

    A few years ago, I went to a SinCNE gun day where we had an AR-15 -- oh, excuse me, a Sporter rifle -- decked out for us fairer sex folk with a pink barrel grip and stock. Fully functional, too.

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    1. *considers writing own fan-fic mashup ...* LOL on getting to play with the Sporter-I'm jealous!

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  5. Jess, I'm right handed but left eye dominant. It can be a real challenge. My husband has been kind enough to outfit my shotguns and rifle with a modified scope for left eyed shooters. I've learned to adjust my stance with the hand guns. We must go shooting!
    Your range or mine?

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  6. LT Camlann here :) Yeah, I know how that goes, being from the same "tribe" of lefties...with the same dominance :) I taught myself how to compensate with a bow. I'm no "Robin Hood", but I do okay.
    Haven't shot muzzle loader in a long time. My Aunt shot it...once. She didn't want to wrinkle her blouse, and didn't butt the gun up against her shoulder. When she pulled the trigger, she landed on her butt, and nearly dislocated her shoulder.

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  7. I so want to go play T the rang. I haven't been in years. Used to be a marksman when younger and spent my youth on the range cause dad did competition shooting with police across the eastern seaboard. I'm not sure if I could hit the side of a barn with vision issues, but it would be fun. I had some screwed up dominance issues, too, but that just makes it more interesting. Glad you had fun and can't wait for Jessica to start kicking assistance on paper again.

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  8. I so want to go play T the rang. I haven't been in years. Used to be a marksman when younger and spent my youth on the range cause dad did competition shooting with police across the eastern seaboard. I'm not sure if I could hit the side of a barn with vision issues, but it would be fun. I had some screwed up dominance issues, too, but that just makes it more interesting. Glad you had fun and can't wait for Jessica to start kicking assistance on paper again.

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