posted on September 15, 2014 by Linda Wisdom

Stalkers Are A Scary Bunch

by Linda Wisdom

Double JeopardyStalkers are scary.  They do whatever it takes to find out everything about your life and wiggle into it. They think either convince themselves that you actually love them, that you see them as your BFF, or any reason that happens to pop into their demented minds.

One story that has always kept the stalker image in my mind is the sad case of actress Rebecca Shaeffer who was killed by her stalker and brought about laws regarding the conviction of stalkers. It’s sad it took her death to bring these laws about.

I normally write fun and snarky, but sometimes an idea that’s dark and dangerous creeps into my mind and I can’t get rid of it until it’s written down. I enjoy reading romantic suspense and straight mysteries, so it’s no wonder I want to write a darker story at times.

An incident years ago has always stayed in my head and would be something you’d equate with a stalker. I heard something out front and looked out a window to find a man going through our trash. While a part of me wanted to go out and ask him just what did he think he was doing, another more cautious part didn’t know if that was a good idea. Luckily, a neighbor’s husband was home and he came over to question the man. It turned out the man was a private detective going through our trash for personal information because the private party we were buying the house from had headed for parts unknown and our address was the only one recorded for the man. The man’s hiding place was never found, but the idea of someone going through our trash looking at our papers had me marking out names and addresses after that and we’ve used a shredder for years. That gave me an idea what it was like to have a stalker even if it was only for a half hour.

Think about it. That’s what a stalker does. They dig wherever they can to find out everything about you. It’s their way of infiltrating your life. That’s why they’re interesting to write about. You have someone lingering in the shadows that would know more about you than you might know about yourself. They see you as the love of their life that you know how special they are to you even if you don’t admit it. Writing about a woman who was willing to do whatever it took to keep the man she was obsessed with wasn’t easy because you have to tap into a darker side of your imagination you might not want to access. Plus, then you could be in public muttering things that could unnerve people. It’s never a good idea to think out loud about ways to torture the man you’re in ‘love’ with. People tend to move away. But it does help you move up in line faster.

Think of someone who’s on the dark side of love. Someone who’s thinking ‘if I can’t have him/her, no one can’. Someone who’s determined to know everything there is to know about you even if there are a lot of secrets you’d prefer kept hidden.

I don’t know why stalkers fascinate me. Perhaps it’s because them, and serial killers, have a skewed personality that many of us can’t even comprehend. Years ago I had a chance to talk to a sheriff’s detective who’d worked on the Richard Ramirez, The Nightstalker, case and we talked about the two subjects and another time I did the same with an FBI agent in the Anchorage office. Funny thing is both men said I didn’t look like the type to enjoy talking about stalkers and serial killers. Hm, does that mean I could suddenly turn evil and no one would guess it was me? I do have that innocent look, you know.

Do you enjoy reading about stalkers? Is there something about the subject that interests you?

Author Website /  Author Blog /  Author TwitterAuthor Facebook

DOUBLE JEOPARDY

A thrilling romance from Entangled’s Suspense imprint…

He’s exactly what she needs…and everything the other woman wants.

Assistant District Attorney Josh Brandon has made a life of helping women escape violence and abuse in his small desert town outside Los Angeles. But in doing so, he’s gained himself a new admirer who refuses to be ignored. She sends flowers. Leaves phone messages. Everywhere Josh goes, she goes, too. And when he meets Lauren, the gorgeous new Medical Examiner, his stalker takes notice.

Lauren Hunter swore off men after an attack led to her scandalous divorce from an LA detective. But she hadn’t counted on Josh, the sexy cowboy assistant DA she meets when she escapes to the dusty old town. He’s exactly what her damaged soul needs…until the threats begin.

Falling in love was never the plan, but as Josh and Lauren butt heads over a case, their arguments turn from heated to hot. But someone is determined to come between them. Someone whose rage is growing. And she won’t stop her attacks until Josh and Lauren are separated forever.

GoodreadsAmazon /  Barnes & Noble / Entangled 

 

 

 

 

Linda Wisdom

Linda Wisdom

Maybe it was because I was an only child that my imagination always seemed to be at work. That way you always have someone to play with. Writing stories was something I always enjoyed doing. It was a way to create people I'd like to know as friends. Hopefully, my readers will enjoy them just as much.

Silhouette Romance bought my first two novels in 1979 on my wedding anniversary. Ironically, selling the books caused me to be fired. It was a question whether to try writing full time or not. Writing full time won out.

My husband, Bob, doesn't mind people asking him what it's like to be married to a romance writer. He usually tells them it isn't boring! We have two dogs, Bogie, a terrier/Chihuahua who's my spoiled rotten puppy and believes it's his duty to stay close to me while I work. Fergie, a St. Bernard/Lab who's confident the world revolves around her, four parrots and Florence, a tortoise with major attitude who we've had since she was a baby. Most of them have been featured in one or more books. We're lucky enough to live in a part of Southern California where we can go to the beach or the mountains depending on our mood.

It's pretty much a known fact that fellow author, Mary Anne Wilson and I can be found at the movies on Fridays. Have to do our research. Reading is always a great way to relax. I like to collect Pocket Dragon figurines and stuffed animals. It's also fun anytime I can get together with close friends who are also authors. And we're not always talking about writing either!

http://www.occrwa.com/lindawisdom/

One thought on “Stalkers Are A Scary Bunch”

  1. Kay James says:

    I had a stalker for over twenty years, so I don’t find books about stalkers ‘exciting’ at all. I’ve lived in hiding for most of that time, except during the periods when he was confined to the state psychiatric hospital. He assaulted me, broke into my house repeatedly, poisoned my cat, and forced me to live in hiding during what should have been the best years of my life. During that period, I had to move 14 times because he kept finding me; even relocating to another state only slowed him down for about 6 months. Just heard from one of his relatives that he had died and I’ve never felt such intense joy, though I don’t know whether to trust this info or not, so I’m waiting for confirmation from Victim Witness.

    I’ve had a few brain dead women tell me that they thought having a stalker would be ‘so romantic.’ They seem to take obsession as a sign of “true love.” Trust me, stalkers aren’t motivated by love, or what you describe as “the dark side of love.” Love had absolutely nothing to do with stalking. These animals are motivated by the need for power and control over their victim, and fear is the weapon they use to accomplish their goal. To me, the idea that stalking is romantic is just plain sick.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Latest from our Blog

Mahoney & Squire – Military Women’s Fiction – Meet The Characters

Have you met the men and women of Mahoney & Squire, my high-stakes, high-octane military action adventure series? Let me introduce you! Captain Kathryn “Kate” Mahoney, USN Call Sign “Scarlett” Ambitious, strong-willed, patriotic, and assertive, Kate Mahoney is often derided as a “bitch” by the old school naval aviation community. She struggled through dysfunctional relationships,… Read More

Read More