The Gun on the Counter

The old saying goes that if there's a gun in your writing, it better be shot. In other words, don't needlessly place an item in a scene unless you have a use for it. I don't know if I agree with this thought because I like being surprised. It takes an awful lot to surprise me. I guess when you're young and naive you can be duped but I guess age hardens the brain.

I've been working on a detective novel that takes place in Utica, NY which is right down the road from where I live. It's an interesting city that Stephen King throws a mention to in his novel The Stand. It's a neat city with a colorful past. Some people would say you need to base your novels in a large city or a familiar place. I don't agree because some of the best stuff I've read takes place in remote locations. One example is Precinct Puerto Rico. Great writing transcends cities, boundaries, and borders. If the story is great it can take place in a single room.