But then again, what a great business!

Despite the occassional odd email (see yesterday's entry), sometimes I really love being a writer. Had breakfast with Officer Doug Monge today. Doug - "Taz" - is a former Dallas PD Special Gang Unit cop, that's been in Longview for several years, and works as one of the four negotiators for the TRT. He cleared up a lot of bits about negotiation, making SWAT even shinier (once I get his comments integrated). But once again, not only is he an excellent cop, but I think he's a great guy as well. He's got a serious determination to help out the community - to protect and serve - and isn't just out there trying to haul in a quota or something. The world needs more cops like him.

So anyway, he's hooking me up with the Longview TRT (Tactical Response Team) entry guys later this week, so I should be able to glean a few more bits and pieces, and perhaps even tag along on their next tactical training session or two. More to come as it happens.

As for the SWAT manuscript, it's coming along nicely. It's feeling a little ungainly and slippery at the moment, since it's going through so many revisions now. And it's already breaking the word count so I'm going to have to end up cutting something eventually. Just trying to 1) figure out what, and 2) trying to edit it down to size without reducing content. Hopefully it'll end up a very tight, informative book. Honestly, at this point, I'm pretty proud of it. We'll see what the reviewers say six months from now.

For now, I'm on my way out the door, laptop in hand, to update the Negotiation @B-Head. I wonder if I can negotiate a discount at Burgerville while I'm there...