Monday, October 29, 2007

Playing with fire ... bwah ,ha, ha

I gotta tell you a deep dark secret about myself.

I'm a lazy researcher.

In fact, I'm pretty much a non-researcher. I rarely, if ever do anything that might be misconstrued as research.

I mean, sure, during my first book I Googled Dan Quayle quotes to make sure that I was using actual quotes rather than just the quotes that people suggested DQ would have spoken had he thought of it.

We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur.
Dan Quayle, 9/22/90

I stand by all the misstatements that I've made.
Dan Quayle, to Sam Donaldson, 8/17/89


Still though, as research, it wasn't much different than just Googling Knock Knock jokes. Fun, but not particularly informative.

(Oh, sorry Larry, Quayle is from your state, right?)

Anyway, as far as putting effort into researching a book, Dan Brown I'm not. And, uh, as far as book sales, Dan Brown I'm not. ... and, well, okay, enough of that.

But today I did some research! Really!

Woo-hoo!

There's a story that I'm working on a story where a pothead starts a big fire by catching his munchies on fire.

My research? I needed to know if potato (or as Quayle would say, 'potatoe') chips are flammable.

So I collected my resident pyro, my daughter Lauren, and we convened a high council of pyromaniacs on the front porch. I held the chip, glistening with grease, and she had a fireplace match.

I held my breath as the match got near the chip....

You wanna know if potato chips burn? Do your own experiment. Either that, or read my book to find out.

(hmmm... wonder if Cheetos burn?)

Norm

www.normcowie.com
The Adventures of Guy ... written by a guy (probably)
The Next Adventures of Guy ... more wackiness

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