I chose a famous line from the movie Chinatown (starring Jack Nicholson as the PI Jake Gittes) for my title. Why? Because I just wrapped up two back-to-back deadlines in my writing career, and now I’m back to being a PI in my other career. I always surprise people when they find out I’m a PI because I guess I don’t look like one. I don’t talk tough, I’m seriously directionally challenged (mapquest is my best friend), I don’t carry a gun (well, a stun gun, but that’s different), I never walk out the door without wearing make-up, and my idea of a great night at home is to curl up with a bowl of popcorn and watch Casablanca for the zillionth time.
But I am a PI. In fact, I was supposed to be serving a subpoena right now except I forgot that it was my turn to write this blog, so my business partner is out serving the papers. After I finish this blog, I’m heading out to do a surveillance in a domestic relations case (I’m very glad our cold snap is over…it’s pleasant, spring-like weather so I won’t be freezing my you-know off out there). Then, after I get home, I’ll continue working on the outline for an upcoming online class I’m giving on “Writing PIs in Novels.”
Which I thought I’d talk about in this blog, and ask if people have questions–like, is there anything about a PI’s work that you’d like to learn in such a class? Any “PI folklore” you’d be interested to know if it’s true or not? Any characters in a book, movie, or TV show who’ve done something and you’re curious if PIs do that in real life, too? I thought it’d be fun to pick a name from those who post questions/comments and invite that person to take the class free. Or, if the person picked would prefer a book instead, I’ll send them one of their choice from my backlist.
For me, it’ll help to hear the areas of PI work that interest people, and I can use that as I finalize the course outline.
Maybe I’ll chat a bit here about a day in my PI life. Like today. Well, after waking up and being extremely happy again that I finished my recent deadlines, I walked to a local coffee shop with my business partner to review what was on our To Do list for today. I always carry my PDA so I can check our work tasks, and I always carry my cell phone (calls to the office phone roll over to my cell).
As we drank coffee, we reviewed the subpoena that was Fed-ex’d to our office yesterday from an attorney in Washington state. We read the information, discussed the best means of catching the individual at either his home or office. We discussed another meeting my business partner was having today with a local attorney who wants us to handle a domestic relations surveillance as well as some skip tracing. I pondered some topics I might cover in the online class on writing PIs. After talking about a few other less urgent cases we’re currently handling, we focused on our roles in this afternoon’s surveillance (many surveillances we handle as a team because our success rate increases when there’s two of us watching/following a subject).
One PI I know claims that all one-person mobile surveillances (mobile being when you’re following in a vehicle) have a 5% success rate, but a 50% success rate when two PIs are involved. I’ve done one-person mobile surveillances in the past, and I have to admit, my success rate hasn’t been outstanding because it’s tough driving through traffic and being a careful driver (yes, I obey all the traffic laws!) while also trying to follow someone who’s changing lanes, speeding up through intersections, gunning it down highways. One myth buster right here: in the movies or on TV when a sole PI toodles around town in his/her beat-up [funky car of choice], successfully tailing someone for hours on end…that’s a scenario in some writer’s imagination, not how it is in the real world.
After I returned to the office, I double-checked the person on whom we were serving the subpoena to verify his work and home address (and discovered they’re one in the same). Then, I (posing as a potential customer) called the person’s business and learned what time he was going to be in the office today.
About this time, I got the nicest email from Bekke at Access Romance reminding me I had a blog to write. So I quickly paged my business partner and asked him to finish the process service, what time to be at a particular address, directions, etc.
And then I started writing this blog…
I’ll switch gears now and plug my next book, which is only currently available in the UK and Germany. It’s The Perfect Girlfriend, which will be out in May ‘06. It’s part of a 2-book romantic comedy series with my good friend and talented author (and she’s also an Access Romance author, too): Barbara Dunlop (whose book is titled The Perfect Boyfriend). To read book blurbs, check out either or our websites (I’ll be posting a blurb as of April 1). Below is the cover of my book, The Perfect Girlfriend.
Have a great day, everyone! I’d love to year your PI questions/comments, Colleen
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That definitely sounds like an interesting profession!!!
by Jennifer Yates
on March 15th, 2006 at 5:18 pm
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Often in books and on television the police and PIs clash and the police are portrayed as having no respect for the PIs. Is this really true?
Also, I have to ask what does your partner think of your books?
And is it just you and your partner or do you employ other PIs?
by Maureen
on March 16th, 2006 at 6:12 am
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Wow, interesting job! Though I’ve often wondered: during those surviellance assignments, when you might be spending a lot of time in a car just waiting around, how do you keep yourself focused and not let your mind wander? What keeps you from giving into the monotony of the work? In your case, are you plotting out your next book?
How do you handle a really dangerous situation? You are in a profession where the reaction of the other person can be completely unpredictable and I’m sure it gets scary. Just be careful out there!
by Stacy ~
on March 16th, 2006 at 6:40 am
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Hi Colleen!
Being a PI sounds like such an exciting profession. One thing I’m wondering is if most of your time is actually spent on the street or if the majority of your work is office work; for example, background checks, telephone calls, paperwork required? Or is it a pretty equal mix? Thanks!
by Cheryl S.
on March 16th, 2006 at 7:40 am
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Hi Colleen!
That sounds like such an interesting career. Have you ever found yourself in a dangerous situation? If so, how did you handle it? Also, what is your favorite thing about the job? Thanks!
by Zara
on March 16th, 2006 at 9:11 am
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The Perfect Girlfriend-romantic comedy- love that aspect b/c one can never laugh
too much.
As a P.I., how do you not bring home the worries at the end of the day? Thanks.
by Robyn
on March 16th, 2006 at 9:20 am
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Hey Colleen! It’s Marilyn from Writers Unlimited, but now trying to be less of a reviewer and more of a writer at the Writing Playground. So good to “see” you again! And how cool that you’re a PI!
How unfair that your books are only available in the UK and Germany.  Good for those folks but sad for us here in the US of A.
Gosh, right off the top of my head, I don’t have any PI questions. I have an idea for a book that will involve a PI but all I have right now is the opening scene and he hasn’t been introduced yet. It’s in the teensy-weensy itsy-bitsy kernal of an idea stage now. And I’m not sure if/when it will ever move beyond that.
But you’ve already given us a great glimpse into your PI life. For example now I know that instead of whipping out a dog-eared memo pad and ballpoint pen that doesn’t work half the time to take notes, you’d reach into your purse (designer no doubt  ) and pull out your PDA. Of course my hero wouldn’t have a purse but he’d pull the PDA from his coat pocket and surprise the heroine who would say “I thought you guys always used a dog-eared memo pad and a ballpoint pen that doesn’t work half the time.” :mrgreen:
by Marilyn
on March 16th, 2006 at 9:30 am
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I always thought the PI biz would be a very interesting profession.
What exactly does one have to do to be “legal” as a PI, so to speak?
And what are the perks and the pitfalls of the profession?
by Angie
on March 16th, 2006 at 9:54 am
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Hi everyone!
Maureen, my business partner has a stronger feeling about cops vs PIs re: respect–he thinks most police don’t respect PIs unless they’re former cops (and many PIs are former law enforcement officers). For myself, I pick up on a lack of respect sometimes, but for the most part, interactions with law enforcement have gone smoothly. My business partner gets a kick out of my books. And yes, we employ a third part-time PI (who looks as though he walked out of a PI movie, honest to God–he’s tall, Apache heritage, hunky, and cool). I’m the one who hired our third PI, which my business partner never lets me forget (”It’s just like you to hire the handsomest guy in the city!”).
Thanks for writing! Colleen
by Colleen
on March 16th, 2006 at 10:51 am
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Hi Stacy:
I’m one of those PIs who can sit for hours on surveillance, and I blame that talent for the hours and hours I’ve sat at computers writing :) It can be monotonous, and yes, my mind typically mulls over a character or plot.
I’m trying to think of the scariest situation I’ve been in…probably doing surveillance at night in a drug-infested neighborhood (a child had been abducted, so we were working a lot of hours to try and find her). Seeing groups of people trolling the streets in the wee hours was frightening (I learned they were mostly dealing meth). My business partner, who doesn’t get scared easily, was even scared. Fortunately, nothing bad happened…and we eventually found the little girl, which made it all worthwhile.
I’ll be careful out there, I promise. Thanks, Colleen
by Colleen
on March 16th, 2006 at 10:59 am
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Hi Cheryl,
I seem to have a knack for locating people (using the Internet) so I do the bulk of our skip traces and locates. I’m also the business accountant, God help us, so I do the invoicing, etc.
My business partner does the bulk of the asset searches and background checks, so I’d say our time at the computer is pretty half and half. As for time spent outside on the job, that depends on the cases we’re covering.
Thanks, Colleen
by Colleen
on March 16th, 2006 at 11:04 am
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Dear Zara:
As for dangerous situations, I mentioned one above. What’s my favorite thing about the job? It’s never boring! And I love the different cases that come in–it seems there’s always something new to learn.
Thanks, Colleen
by Colleen
on March 16th, 2006 at 11:06 am
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Robyn,
Unfortunately, I often do bring home the worries of the job. Especially if it involves a child.
Are you Robyn in Canada? Nice to connect with you again! Colleen
by Colleen
on March 16th, 2006 at 11:10 am
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Marilyn! Long time!
Actually only one book (The Perfect Girlfriend) is being released only in Europe. The two books after that (Harlequin Blaze & Harlequin anthology) are being released everywhere.
Have fun writing that PI story! Nice to talk to you again, Colleen
by Colleen
on March 16th, 2006 at 11:11 am
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Hi Angie:
Every state has it’s requirements for licensing (7 states don’t require licenses at this point). I think just about every state has its own PI organization, too, which helps newbies learn the ropes.
Perks and pitfalls? Perks I mentioned above (I love the different jobs). Pitfalls? Sometimes it can get intense with either a client or someone in the course of the business. I’m not wild about off-the-wall, out-of-the-blue intensities :)
Take care, Colleen
by Colleen
on March 16th, 2006 at 11:15 am
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Hi Colleen,
I am the Robyn from Canada and glad to be here. Thanks.
by Robyn
on March 16th, 2006 at 11:23 am
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very cute cover, hott. good luck:neutral:
by KIM H
on March 16th, 2006 at 2:00 pm
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Wow, didnt know that about you. What was the craziest case you had? And however do you stay away on stakeouts?
by Pat
on March 16th, 2006 at 8:21 pm
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Thanks, Kim, for liking the cover! I didn’t realize I had put such a BIG cover in the blog.
Pat, the craziest case…maybe a domestic relations surveillance on a nefarious character’s ex-wife. It was crazy and dangerous and whacky and I almost lost my mind. I also had moments where I laughed really, really hard (like the time I took off following another car and forgot I had a smothered burrito still sitting on my lap. On that same surveillance I set down the video camera and forgot it was still on…ended up with 20 minutes of footage of my private parts (I was clothed, but still…).
Well, everyone, today’s blog was fun. Tomorrow I’ll have someone randomly pick a name and I’ll get in touch, ask if that person would like to join the class free or be sent a book. Have a great St. Patrick’s Day! Best, Colleen
by Colleen
on March 16th, 2006 at 9:54 pm
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Such interesting comments Colleen!
LOL on the video camera thing…I have do that and I am not a PI!
by Jennifer Yates
on March 16th, 2006 at 11:24 pm
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I meant “done”…man I can’t type!
by Jennifer Yates
on March 16th, 2006 at 11:25 pm
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