Today the nation celebrates Veteran’s Day. A day of thanks for our veterans’ service.

I celebrate it every day because I married a veteran (Marine) and my brother is one (Naval Air Force). My husband was in communications, not on the front lines, and hasn’t had to deal with PTSD or physical injuries, so those years haven’t had a large impact on our lives. However, he is a proud Marine, and I know his years of service helped make him the man he is. It also has helped me as a writer. If I have a question about artillery or ammunition, I go to him for information. When we first moved to Michigan, he taught me how to hold and shoot a variety of pistols, rifles, and shotguns. (Also, at the Writers’ Police Academy I took advantage of the sessions when we could actually shoot a variety of weapons.)  I’ve never had to shoot at anyone thank goodness, but my heroines have.

I think it’s important for anyone writing a story that involves guns to learn all she or he can about the terminology used to describe each weapon, the feel of a weapon (Holding a handgun is very different from holding a shotgun or rifle), the sound, the kickback, and even if there’s a smell. I’ve listened to writers (especially those who were raised and live in a city) who make big mistakes about the number of shots a character can take before reloading, types of bullets, how many in a clip (if the weapon uses a clip), if the weapon has a safety, and the smell of the gunpower (which nowadays is nil). These mistakes aren’t monumental, but if the reader knows it’s a mistake, the reader will begin to distrust the writer’s accuracy.

When I started writing mysteries, I was lucky, I not only had my husband’s help and the help of in-laws who are or have been in law enforcement, I was also able to attend (over the years) several Writers’ Police Academy events. At those three day events, I listened to lawyers, retired police detectives, FBI agents, weapons experts, firemen, judges, ATF and DEA agents, medical examiners, and many more experts. I’m sorry to see, as of mid-2026, there are no plans for a 2027 live, in-person Writers’ Police Academy event. However, the organization is offering ongoing virtual and on-demand instruction through the official Writers’ Police Academy Online platform. You can check for updates, course catalogs, and registration details directly on the Writers’ Police Academy Website.

Meanwhile, thank a vet for his or her service. They put their life on the line when they sign up to serve.