It's not always about "write what you know!" It's also about "research" on subjects you don't know.

Another Side of Evil is a dark suspense novel about how certain crimes affect not only the victims, but their families, friends, co-workers, etc.

The same crime may affect the victim one way, and his or her sibling, just the opposite. The victim's co-worker or boss, will be affected yet still another way, and so on. These thoughts can take your imagination as a writer anywhere it wants to go.

However, locations, time sense, types of cars, boats, and in this case, a prison, all need to be researched to the fullest if you expect to get away with a realistic fictional story.

If your location is a ficitional city in a well known town, travel to that town and get your bearings. I live near Tahoe so this is my "write what you know" part. If your city is Paris, you better know all about it before you write it. Do research!

In my books, the Nevada State Prison is a big part of the story. And, since I haven't had the opportunity, (thank God), to spend the night in a cell, I called the warden for an interview. All done on the phone, he was very kind and spent about two hours filling me in on everything from cell sizes to food to yards to clothes to . . . well, you get the point.

So, great tip! Travel a little, make phone calls, do interviews, just do research. Fill in the rest of your story with imagination, then take a deep breath. It's easier than trying to fictionalize everything yourself.