The Diary of Someone's Daughter

So, the sequel to 'Dear Journal/Sweets' is FINALLY up. This story will tell Lily's tale through Season 5.

She is now Lily Catherine BOOTH, but still the same old Lily. Please read and review!

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5406181/1/The_Diary_of_Someones_Daughter

Bones- 'The Bond in the Boot'

I have decided to take notes for every episode of Bones because, simply put, it's my favorite. Although, again, this is my second time watching it. I was too busy cleaning to be on the computer when it actually aired.

This episode has Wendell. I love Wendell. I have a Wendell dance. It's quite amusing.

Handcuffed to the briefcase... Intriguing.

And of course he gets killed for it. Although I could have gone without watching him saw the guy's hand off.

Who's shooting now?

That cat is EATING him. Ga-ross.

"They just gave you a Rolex?"

"That's okay, Miss Rolex."

"Hey, you. Parking Guy."

I love how Booth totally knew what she meant.

"Why are the cats staring at us?" Creeeepy.

I love when Michellle gets mentioned. Yay for continuity. Yet I am wondering why a sixteen-year-old keeps asking for a kitten...

Wendell! "Actually, the family dog is much more likely to attack and consume it's owner." Not eat. Consume.

"Ergo, Dead Russian." "I don't get to say 'ergo' very often."

"An ex-Army Ranger with multiple commendations and a pristine record at the FBI isn't good enough for you?" "You shot a clown." "A mechanical clown. Don't tell me you've never wanted to do that."

Did he really just call him old? Really?

"We're not sure of anything." Ooh.

Accent! Lol. Russian accents are cool.

Of course Brennan is with Booth. Why do you even ask?

Um, NO. Wendell is NOT allowed to lose ANYTHING, especially not his scholarship/internship. No Wendell = MAJORLYdepressed!Bryn

I love how everyone likes him the best. This makes me wonder why he isn't just there so they can permanently keep him.

And they all freak out when he comes in. "What's new?" "Um, since you saw me on the Forensic Platform five minutes ago, not much."

That's James Bond's car! And then they start talking in British accents because they are AWESOME.

Please stop dissing the profiling. Tis my future job.

"Would lead any reasonable person to conclude..." "He's a spy." "Spy-ish."

Not Pilates for Dummies.

"There goes AAH."

"You want my advice?" "No." "Okay..." I think she should learn from Booth because it would make him happy.

Ballistics Guy. We have one of those now.

"Booth. I think the car is bleeding." And he magically gets a crowbar.

I could SERIOUSLY go without the melting flesh.

Bond's Car, Bond's Gun...

Mila- Ange, she's always had a lot of money. What are you talking about, "Now"?

Honey, you have enough money for the scholarship AND the poor people.

"I try not to get too attached to my assisstants. I find that even the best ones can dissapoint." Awww. Stupid Zack.

Conversation in between technical splurting.

Conspiracy Theories. I am glad those are back.

"Hey. I pack my lunch."

More freaking out when he comes around.

"It's a little weird. I mean you're loaded."

"Parker, giving me a hug because it's my weekend, and, you know, me and you solving a case... That's not about money." Awww.

"Someone like me?" Why are they all such jerks to Booth? He has Level 3 clearance.

She's sad that she can't stay. "But I can keep a secret." "We know, Bones."

"Oh, you mean The Miracle?" Awww. His mom prays to thank God for it. How can they take it away???

This girl is weird. And oddly familiar.

Pedro. haha. Just a poor little misunderstoood car thief who owns a chop shop. He got a check from the CIA for wrongful something and detriment of something else.

"You can ask my mother." Never a great defense. Kind of embarassing.

"It's always been my dream to work with you." Awww.

"I'll be sorry to see you go," "Um, where am I going?"

NO! DON'T TELL HIM!!!!!!!!!!!! Especially not so callously. Jeez.

"Why such excitement over this particular insect?" "Someone was spying on our spy who was spying on another spy."

"Aw, man. You told him?"

"Book for Imbeciles."

I love how, like everyone else, she thinks they're together.

"Like there's an acceptable protocol for crushing someone's soul."

"Anyone who could take that kind of abuse makes James Bond look like a weenie." "Weenie?"

She bought him the book. =] "Thanks, Bones. That is the sweetest thing."

She wants him to pay her so that he doesn't feel insulted. "No, I don't take credit cards."

Awww. She is taking Sweets' advice.

His mom. Awww.

Booth is NOT a double agent. "All elephants are grey, but not all grey things are elephants."

That dude did NOT just call Sweets a kid. I mean, I'm mad at Sweets, but still. They're like the same age. "At least I tuck myself in at night."

Bone Room.

They have ten minutes because the CIA is fail. Rutledge can bury the evidence and make it all go away.

"Let's just pretend this is the Stanley Cup Finals right now. You're down by two goals, you've got nine minutes left. The puck is about to drop. How do you want to go down? How do you want to be remembered?" Best Bones moment EVER.

And he goes into Frantic!Speech.

"You got one shot. One shot on goal to get in the net. What are you gonna do?"

"I'm gonna send you back to The Ukraine."

Major Bomb Squad action for a flash drive.

Can I please have a picture of Wendell in that shirt? Please? Yummm.

And they all hug him...

"Anonymously." Right. He knows.

I love that End Scene of Fluff. I mean, there was hand holding, him practically laying on top of her, and a really cute moment where they got sprayed. Plus they were talking about having no secrets and saying whatever they're thinking. Except for, of course, the Elephant in the Room, being the whole love thing. But, hey. They feel close to each other. I'll take that.

So... Wendell is the Love of My Life. Just so ya know.

'Harbingers in the Fountain' OMGYAYZ!!!!

IT"S CYNDI LAUPER!!!!! She was the best part of the show.

Okay, so I'm taking notes while watching this for the second time because the first time around, I was too busy fangirling.

Temperance... Sick man in a hospital... Dream... She's telling him a story... They're happy... He's excited... ("People are already dead when I get to them." HAHA.) Booth has a lion heart! I love this psychic.

Stubbly!Booth.

Seeley Joseph Booth. I am happy to now know his middle name.

He hasn't even talked to her in six weeks? Holy frick on a stick.

He misses the clothes? Uh-huh.

He thought they were married for days. Awww.

"Were you pregnant?" "What?"

"I'm tired." Code for "This is freaky and too true and it hurts."

Critical turning point between great happiness and... Death?

"Care to hug?" "Why?"

They're all acting like she's been gone for years, not six weeks...

SHE SAT ON HIM!!!! I haven't laughed that hard in a while.

And then they hug. Instantaneously, naturally, happily. =]

Coinky-dink. Heehee.

A furniture mover? Really?

Crack!B&B blowing rasberries. HAHA.

Awkward!Moment.

You do NOT need to shave!

"Bones sees dead people."

Caroline!!! "I did not hear 'psychic', I hear 'anonymous source'!"

He IS worried he lost something. Sad!Booth.

I love the Cam and Booth friendship. Tis awesomesauce.

"Are you hearing voices? Seeley, if you're hearing voices, that's really serious."

And... it totally looks like he grabbed her.

"You're in love with Dr. Brennan." Now it's out in the open.

"Sweet, kick-ass FBI murder-solver with hard-fists and a lion heart?" "Forget your bruised brain and go with your lion heart." I love Cam. Now.

Basically, she just said that Bones trusts Booth with everything, and if he hurts her, she'll never be able to trust someone again.

I love this Cyndi Lauper song.

They have those articles to read. They're cool.

He got scared. And backed out. She wants to spend time with him, but he is afraid. How sad.

"Yay, brain damage joke. Real funny." I love Caroline.

"What I got are multiple degrees in botany, geology and entomology... Which allow me to discern vital clues... Like THIS one." I love the way he says that last part. And his Smart!Bragging.

"What's that? A graph of Russian wheat production in 1955?" Caroline is WIN.

Government conspiracy theory!

And Caroline explains Her vs. Booth.

He was killed from the inside out... Right.

"Awkward. Awkward. Very awkward."

"You should be proud of your excellent work."

"Why did you make a picture of the psychic?" She got bored.

"It's nice to see you together." She's on a first-name basis with them because she's Cyndi Lauper.

The Coffee Shop.

"'Oh, hello Angela. You look pretty today.' "Why, thank you, Booth. And hello to you, too." "Oh, I get it. She's pretending to be you and herself, though I don't know why."

"And Angela is going to work on the Internet..." Nice job description. And way to order her around. That made her sad. I love Angela.

Heck yes he wants a kiss on the forehead!

"Allergic to the whole world?"

Caroline is rankled.

I like how her nails are all white, except for one.

Dr. Brennan is magical.

"Don't touch the bobblehead!"

"Cam ratted me out?"

"Conclusion: Your feelings are not real." Sweets is WRONG!!! What happened to him being the ultimate fangirl?!?!

Yes, we all know that Bones' rational exterior is a defense for an extremely vulnerable woman. Only Booth REALLY sees that, though. Because she is only vulnerable around him.

Sweets is saying the same thing Cam did: DON'T HURT BONES.

"And that, Ladies, that is why they call me King of the Lab." "No one does that but you." Awww. Hodgins, WE care. You ARE King of the Lab.

He goes to Cyndi Lauper with his Brain/Love problem. She says they're losers. I agree.

"Go to her, now! Go to her! Now! Go! Go to her, now! Right now!" "Bones?" "Go to her right now!" "Bones!" I loved that.

Mila- Why did you lock the door? You DON'T lock the door!

Sneaky Bad Guy Doctor.

He has a scalpel and Bones goes Ninja.

Yay! He shot him! Knight in Shining Armor!!!

That's a lot of blood.

THIS SCENE IS EPIC. WILL ANALYZE.

EPICALLY EPIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HE CALLED HER BABY AND KISSED HER ON THE FOREHEAD!!!!!! EPICALLY EPIC!!!!!!!!!!!

Me = TOTAL FANGIRL. If you hadn't noticed.

"It's Bones' blood." "Is that supposed to be good?"

"I should've been there for her." Awww. Knight in Shining Armor.

"You killed the bad guy dead." As opposed to... Killing him ALIVE? "It always makes me a little glad. Does that make me a bad person?" Caroline = Win.

"Our little psychic friend."

And, apparently, she didn't learn her lesson about visiting suspects in the middle of the night. Although, it's Cyndi Lauper, so...

"Well, they gave me medication, so I feel how I imagine people of average intelligence feel all the time."

"That is a waste of time." "You tell me that AFTER I sent Agent Booth to save you?"

Abandoned child... Afraid of the world... Wrap it up neatly in bonds of reason, education, and proof... She's ah-mazing.

The only riddle she can't solve is why someone can't love her.

"Well, I'm beautiful and intelligent." And oh so modest.

"Yes, he knows the truth of you. And he is dazzled by that truth." Dazzled. Yes.

"Why is facial hair the marker of an adult male? Why not height? I'm tall." Normally, I would sympathize with Sweets, but I'm MAD at him.

"See, she is certain. That is good enough for me." Awww.

"Do not thank me."

FBI People! Yayz!

It's Attack!CyndiLauper! And WeUsePeople!B&B! And Sad!CyndiLauper.

"Is Sneaky good or bad?" "Good... If it holds up in court."

"Still in earshot, cherie, still in earshot."

"I don't want to talk about work."

"I have something to say to you, from inside my heart." "You have blood in your heart."

"Booth, do NOT kill the clown."

Clown Scene = EPIC FAIL.

I think when he shot that clown, she had that exact outfit and expression on.

And now he's doubting himself again.

"I love you."

"Atta-girl kind of way?" She sounds hurt by this.

"Murder isn't the only crime in the world, though it may seem that way to us."

I love Caroline's steering wheel cover.

HAHA. "Yeah, that's right, you SHOULD kiss me."

"Underneath, you're as crazy as I am. And that's a compliment." "It... Doesn't sound like one."

"This is usually the time when we go and get a drink." Yes it is, Booth. Good job.

"You guys are going to keep doing business as usual." "Sometimes, you gotta settle for second best."

"My cards tell me this all works out eventually." "Oh! Really?" =]

No end Scene of Fluff... Well, kind of, but not directly. Oh, well. There was Cyndi Lauper.

No Squintern, either. But Caroline. Also acceptable. Maybe.

I have MANY things to analyze. I think I'll do a separate post and collect my thoughts.

TOTALLY EPIC AWESOMESAUCE EPISODE!

Burn Notice Summer Finale 'Long Way Back'

Show Notes

Awww. Those pictures... He's so sad. I love those pictures. A lot.

There she is! Upset.

This is so sweet. And sad. But mostly sweet.

Ireland? That's far away.

"This isn't about one fight. Honestly, Michael, if you didn't see this coming, you weren't paying attention." Yayyy Fi! She asked The Question... Well, more like stated it.

He's emotional about her GUN. That's a new one.

Irish!Michael. Haha.

Someone is trying to kill Fi? Oh, the look on his face. He loves her, and he just needs to frick-fracking say it.

She definitely lost her accent. I was expecting her to use it with Michael and Sean using theirs.

All of her big guns are packed away. That's not like Fi, even if she is moving.

Thomas O'Neill- Bloodthirsty Hooligan.

They wouldn't accept an American Spy. Fi says Sean better not find out.

Background checks. I love Sam. This Sean guy? Not so much.

Awww! She had a sister who was killed.

Danggg. This is sad.

"There's no point in fighting with him. Trust me."

"I am not one of your damn clients." Fiona- The Client.

Strickler, GO AWAY. Fi is like eighteen trillion times more important.

Partners. Ha. Strickler. Jump. In. A. Ditch. Actually, off of a cliff.

One-Man-Ultra-Radical-Splinter-Group. Uh-huh.

"Boys, put those things away." I think Maddy is my favorite.

Oh, no. She CANNOT sell the house.

"First your girl, then you're childhood home."

"But you like Fiona, right?"

Lucky Charms Brigade.

Missing a shot because she broke a nail or dropped her purse? He clearly doesn't know his sister.

Um, she never answers her phone while in danger. Haven't we learned that?

Ms. Reynolds. Uh-huh.

"Aw, just... Don't." Michael is bad for Sam's love life.

"No more ignoring your phone." Because, apparently, that's a problem.

Undercover as an American. Haha.

"Your accent's a bit dodgy." Bahaha. Fi is trying really hard not to crack up laughing.

"Helps unhappy people kill each other..." That is a GREAT description for a gun.

I love the name Glenanne.

"Butch, Sundance, cool it." Maddy is DEFINITELY my favorite.

Strickler. Frick. GO. AWAY.

"Nothing about this is clean." Amen.

Nothin else matters? What freaking ever.

"Why are you coming home without McBride?" That's a great question, Sean.

Of course she's still in love with him. And him with her. Duh.

Okay, maybe Sean isn't SO bad.

Protecting Fi is like Michael Westen Priority Numero Uno.

Okay, I take back the whole Sean thing. Turn the laser OFF!

Signature bomb. Lucky thirteen.

For sale? People hate Fi? Sad.

"How about you shut up?!" Go Fi.

Sean = Jerk.

"It's all right. I don't need to know." Oh, Maddy. You are the greatest.

"You probably won't understand this, but most people- normal people..." I love Maddy.

"It's not easy for everyone." This is ridiculously hard for him.

HE ALMOST SAID IT!!!

Michael got shot with drugs, Sean with bullets, and Fi has been stolen.

This is ah-mazing and yet will become eighteen million times better. Bring on Frantic/Worried/In Love!Michael.

Oh, my gosh, he's SOOO freaked out. I LOVE IT. Like I can't even describe.

Um, yeah, Strickler. This DOESN'T wait.

Oh, my heck. Strickler did this?

"She had to go." Oh, dear. Um... I can't even describe the intensity of this scene or Michael's rage.

"You can't have the girl AND the job." There's The Question.

"Fi isn't my past." Yesss!

HE KILLED STRICKLER!!!

Be still, my heart.

"In my version, I'm stabbing you in the throat with an ice pick." I love Fi.

She's scared but doing an awesomesauce job of hiding it. Fi is ah-mazing.

Hahahah. So is Sam. "Oh, I'm finishing this, Brother. I'm getting Fi out of there, no matter what. Just don't tell her I said that."

And she jumps into the water so I can have my Walking-Out-of-the-Ocean-Carrying-Her Picture, which is my iPod background.

Oh, dear. She hasn't come up... Oh, thank God. She breathes.

Awww! More Face-Holding. And Loving Looks.

I keep squealing. It's pathetic how much of a Fan Girl I am. *facepalm*

I officially hate commercials because they keep me from Fluff.

Awww! He's doctoring her. I love it.

Yayyy for not selling the house.

Sean-the-Jerk is not being such a jerk. Still... Dislikeee.

And her first concious action? Calling for Michael.

Oh, they can't say it, but they know.

I love the Face-Holding. Not many other characters do that.

Oh, don't answer your phone. Don't do it.

Diego is freaked. and drinking. *growls* Fi is more important!

More danger for Michael. Woo-hoo.

Diego died. Greattt.

No more Fluff? *pouts*

Ooh. The Enemy You Don't See. Scary.

How can I go so long without Burn Notice, especially after that awesomesauce? *weeps*

So, apparently, many more Near Death Experiences are in Michael's future.

And, according to Sam, Operation: Un-Burn Michael Westen is Off.

I CANT WAIT FOR JANUARY!

Why did I not tape this? Screw large screened TVs. When can I watch this over and over? The Solution- iTunes.

Discussion

Face-Holding

I have noticed in the last two episodes, that asa sign of affection, Michael likes to hold or stroke Fiona's face. This doesn't happen with many other characters I can think of (Booth has done it to Bones a few times when she has been hurt), and I love it. Their not a normal couple, so they don't do all of the normal stuff, such as holding hands or kissing, but Michael does have a way of touching her to show his affection. It's very gentle, very sweet, and... What can I say? I love it. I hope to see a LOT more of it in the future.

"We're so not good at this."

A major... I guess you could say 'problem' in Mike and Fi's relationship is their lack of ability to put their feelings into words. Particularly three little words. In this episode, each came dangerously close. And while they didn't say it in the way normal people might, they said it, in different words.

Both of them began to voice their feelings, obviously struggling to string the words together. And then, the other one says, "It's okay. We're so not good at this."

They know.

Pick Up the Phone!

In the episode before the Summer Finale, 'Friends Like These', Fi was in danger from some psycopathic chick who they thought was the victim. The second Michael found this out, he called Fiona. Over and over. It REALLY worried him when she wouldn't pick up the phone. Same thing in this episode.

Fi has a bad habit of not answering her phone when in danger and worrying the crap out of Michael.

This time, Sam called to warn her that there were more men, and she ignored her phone.

Now, it's sweet to see Michael worried, but he's going to drive himself crazy.

Fi, Querida, please pick up your phone.

The Question

It was answered in this episode when Michael shot Strickler.

"You can't have the job AND the girl." Strickler put the question out there and Michael HAD to answer.

"Fiona is not my past!" BANG. BANG. BANG.

Michael answered the question.

After he's already tried to tell Fi he... Yep. Loved her.

I am satisfied now.

Wait? What relationship problem shall we have next?

Gee, I don't know. I'd be a little mad if I just regained conciuosness after being kidnapped, was trying to tell the man I loved that I loved him, and then he answered his phone two seconds later and ran off.

I would like an ACTUAL relationship now. THOSE problems will be interesting.

But, if not... I'm happy that The Question was addressed. In an even better way than I could have imagined.

The Criminal Intent Corner

Law and Order: Criminal Intent is one of my favorite shows, and Bryn holds it in high regards as well. I’ve watched most of the episodes, and seen them on DVD as well. I know quotes from the episodes, and Bryn claims I’m obsessed. Recently we were watching a rerun at one on the CW and talking to each other over the phone. Here are some of the things we discussed that we thought would make good discussion topics for the blog.
1) No Continuation
Every now and then there is an episode of Criminal Intent that really stands out (Bryn said: In some shows like Bones every now and then you get a bad episode, but in Criminal Intent every now and then you get a good episode.). Certain episodes rank high on my favorites list, and I want to watch them over again (Purgatory, Amends, Blind Spot, Ladies Man). These episodes have everything from amazing acting to an awesome script, and great character interaction. But there is absolutely no continuation. Eames gets kidnapped and in the next episode it mentions one therapy session and that’s it. There are no story arcs, which, let’s face it, are really interesting. The only reoccurring theme, I guess you could say, is Nicole Wallace, and that’s spread out over seasons not episodes. Now, to be fair, I guess it would be harder to keep up a continuing story arc with the characters schedules (they alternate weeks), but it could be done. A story could be continued with the viewers knowing the next part every other week. And things aren’t ever mentioned after an episode is done. For example, Goren never asks how Eames is after the kidnapping, and things like that. To be fair, there was a little story arc with Wheeler and her now ex-fiancé. Though this was probably written in to coincide with Nicholson’s pregnancy.
2) Little Characterization
The characters of Criminal Intent are a big part of the reason why I love the show. Eames is a no-nonsense tough (not to mention sarcastic) woman cop, and Goren is a quirky yet intelligent profiling detective who still manages to amaze everyone (though, perhaps not Eames). Previous characters that we loved include Logan and Barek, my personal favorite Deakins. The current characters (including Wheeler and Nichols, Rodgers and Ross, and of course, Goren and Eames) are all amazing, and add a strange kind of quirky personality to the show.
However, the only time we learn anything about the characters is in those aforementioned amazing episodes. Sure, in the first few seasons there would be moments when we learned something about the characters, but these moments seem fewer and far between. It was a while before we learned anything about Eames. While it has been said that this Law and Order is character driven, I believe that it could be more so.
Aside from those awesome episodes, the rest can be classified as just procedurals. I personally don’t mind, I’ll watch any episode.

If you have any thoughts on this show, we’d love to hear them.
All the best,
~Mila

The Importance of Research and Criticism in Writing

As a writer I tend to find myself being a critic as well sometimes. It comes in handy when I get the honor of editing work for other amazing authors on www.fanfiction.net. However, there is a difference between constructive criticism (which is what I give out), and just cold hard criticism. I prefer to not use the Gordon Ramsey/Simon Cowell type of criticism.
What I’m trying to say is this: I recognize mistakes in writing. But it isn’t simple spelling mistakes that bother me the most. What I find annoying is un-researched writing. Let me explain.
Since cop stories are my story of choice, I’ll use that as an example.
If there is a story saying that there was a ‘cop’ who worked in ‘this building’ and worked for ‘the murder unit’ I can tell that it’s been un-researched. But if there is a story saying that there was a Detective who worked at One Police Plaza for the Homicide Department, I can tell that this person did their research (or just knows what they’re talking about).
If someone were writing a story about an FBI Agent, it would be nice to look up a few things. Would this person have a partner? What type of cases would they work? What other law enforcement personnel would they work with?
If someone were writing a story where their characters go to another country it’d be beneficial to research the culture, the weather, the sights of the place.
Remember, other people are reading your work. They believe you. Misinformation is usually not a good thing, and pretending to be knowledgeable on something you don’t know much about can have bad results.
Ask for help. There are people who know more than you in some areas. They can help you. Another thing I find helpful are disclaimers. Often times you can get help through them. For example, “I’m sorry if the little music scene I have is wrong. I don’t play piano, so if I messed something up please feel free to tell me”.
See, I think that people are afraid to give - and receive- criticism. And I suppose that is plenty reasonable. No one likes having their mistakes pointed out to them; no one likes being told what doesn’t work. And no one likes to be on the giving end of criticism either. They’re afraid of coming off too…well, critical. But the truth is, constructive criticism can do wonders to your work. Often times you understand how you want something interpreted, but when you see it through someone else’s eyes you realize what needs improvement.
Often times the best reviews or critiques are the ones who are truthful, not the ones that tell you what you want to hear.

It’s all about balance, remember that.
Until next time,
~Mila

True Crime Vs. Fiction

Bones. Law and Order: Criminal Intent. CSI. Criminal Minds.
It’s the Crime sensation gripping the nation. America is obsessed with crime, and it seems that as the crime rates rise in the world today the number of shows devoted to crime rise as well. All throughout literature crime has been making its mark, from Agatha Christie’s amazing work to children’s series such as “Encyclopedia Brown”. Crime shows have been on for a number of years now as well, with series such as “Law and Order” spanning over many years. And all the crime has been immensely popular.
Crime is one of those things we as a culture are captivated by. Grisly murders give us the chills, but we can’t rest until we figure out the whodunit; we want to know more. Like a horror movie (or a train wreck) we can’t look away.
But, a thought occurred to me as I was reading an old article in TVguide magazine about the fascination America has with crime. Which is more popular, True Crime (real events which happen to real people) or Fiction (crimes written by authors, where everything from the crime itself to the people involved is created by the author)?
If you go to your local bookstore or perhaps library and find the crime section you’ll notice that both these…genres, have well developed sections, with many kinds of crime books. Books by such authors as Ann Rule explore the chilling details of real life murders and murderers, while books such as those by Max Collins focus on fiction cases involving characters from well-known TV shows. I’ve read books by both authors, and enjoyed them equally.
I recently set up a poll on fanfiction.net, asking which the voter preferred, true crime or fiction. So far, there haven’t been enough voters to give a conclusive response to which is more popular (you can find the still open poll at www.fanficiton.net/~missmila). So far, however, voters tend to lean towards Fiction, since it isn’t as ‘creepy’, since it isn’t real. Which is reasonable. As much as we love crime we don’t want it happening to or near us. We want to distance ourselves from it, and reading works of fiction give us the ability to do just that while still enjoying the crime aspect.
On the other hand, I talked to a person who didn’t vote on the poll, but prefers True Crime. They argue that True Crime is real, and that’s why it appeals to them. Everything is portrayed accurately. Things don’t always fall into place, and the reader (or author) doesn’t always know the end result. Everything is told how it happened (hopefully).
As for me? I don’t mind much. If there’s a decent crime or murder and amazing Detectives it can be real OR fiction and I’ll read it. Though with True Crime I’m often amazed by the real actions of amazing, hardworking Detectives who do all they can to find a person, or to bring closure to a family.
The poll is still opened, and if you have time to visit the site (though I recently found out you have to have an account on the site...I think), please do so. Or, leave a comment right here in the comment section below. I’m interested to hear what you think.

All the best,
~Mila