‘…held at gunpoint’
There is a phrase in the proposal for a new book I am working on seems to worry everyone who reads it – ‘…held at gunpoint’. Some people think that suggesting such an incident is so inevitable I can confidently predict it will happen when trying to find a publisher is tempting fate in the worst possible way.
It is really not as bad as it sounds. I am merely extrapolating from what has happened when I have tried to look into certain things before and I am still breathing with both lungs. Besides, I think a good travel book should have a little bit of drama in it.
It is really not as bad as it sounds. I am merely extrapolating from what has happened when I have tried to look into certain things before and I am still breathing with both lungs. Besides, I think a good travel book should have a little bit of drama in it.
5 Comments:
"Held at gunpoint" is a damn sight better than "Shot at", or even just "Shot".
Bring it on, I say!
I have done the ‘shot at’. Not much fun. My defence against those worrying about ‘held at gunpoint’ is going to be to mention my friend Matt’s experiences in the pursuit of journalistic excellence and say: ‘It is not that bad, at least I am not facing off violent transsexuals.’
Violent transexuals? Hormones will do that to about anyone who is getting too much or little of them.. Why do I get a picture of drag queens bashing you with their over priced handbags??
Kinda makes a difference if it's a thug with a revolver who wants cash, the Guardia Civil with an old sub-gun who wants obedience, or an arab with an AK and god-knows what he wants. All different flavors and degrees. I got shot at during a riot in Barcelona once...
I am not too sure handbags were involved. It happened in Basildon, so anything is possible. To make it clear, I have never yet faced off a violent transsexual, I just know someone who has. His experience is one I will now be quoting as a worse thing that could happen to me when people get queasy at the though of me being held at gunpoint during the research for the next book.
As Dirtcrashr rightly points out, context and who is holding the weapon is everything. I sincerely hope that whilst the British and US military might hold me at gunpoint, they will not actually shoot me.
If anyone wants to compete with Dirtcrashr for shooting stories, please feel free to post.
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