There have been all kinds of private detectives, investigators and amateur sleuths in fiction. It would be hard to come up with a completely new character. But, if that were your challenge... what can you come up with?

How Stuff Works: How Private Investigators Work

It's too much of a stretch to create a private detective as a baby. Though it would be interesting to work out the bugs on that idea, it just seems too much to expect a baby to get around well enough to get the job done. Not to mention the language barrier.

So my idea for a new detective is a teenager, a girl but not at all the Nancy Drew type. This girl is into body art and dresses all in black. People tend to cross to the other side of the street to avoid her. She's actually very clever but hides it, not wanting to look geeky to her friends. Some how she gets wrapped up in a mystery to help a friend or neighbour.

Invent your own detective, give it a try.

The ABCs of Romance: The Duke of Slut, Mary Sue, TSTL, and More!.

Mary Sue/Gary Stu: A critical term reserved for badly-written protagonists who are too perfect—they are simply good at everything, everyone except the Bad Guys loves them, and they have no discernable character flaws. Mary Sues are generally disliked because, since they have no problems of their own, the conflicts they confront tend to be contrived. As well, with no flaws or quirks, many of them are simply not interesting.

Which of these have you done when writing fictional characters? I think I'm holding back on writing longer fiction cause I am horrified that my characters, so carefully developed, will be labeled as any one of these. Mary Sue/ Gary Stu being the one I fear the most!

Still, forewarned is... forewarned. This is a good list. Writers beware!

Curvy Girl Guide asked: "We want to know what items make your life easier. Not counting your phone what life hacks do you use?"

I thought about it for a while and then wrote:

My old TV tray. I use it to sort out the mail in the morning. I use it to sort through stuff that would otherwise clutter my home office desk. I can bring my mini laptop to it and work on small stuff or catch up with family. I like not having to be in the home office for personal computer time. At night I will sometimes set my coffee on the TV tray while I make dinner in the kitchen, keeps it out of my way and yet within reach. I even eat on the TV tray some nights. It's almost a mini home office, but far more casual and I don't get crumbs on my desktop computer!

The old TV tray is kind of neat really. I use it more than I realized. It's just simple, a small flat tray with legs that fold underneath it and then the top falls down to the side. Mine is wood, a secondhand/ thrift store find. I spray painted it with silver colour a few years ago. It could use another round of paint as the wear and tear are showing. But, it's sturdy and reliable. Not something I'd want to use my desktop computer on but it's perfect for the mini laptop and whatever accessories (like my scanner or the digital camera) I want to use with it.

I'm watching TV... not really paying much attention to it.

My little man brings in the coffee. He's wearing that cute little apron we found last week. That's all he's wearing. I watch his bare feet, then up along the backs of his legs to his butt cheeks as he walks away, off to do the laundry.

Weekends are nice, when you're a Domme. What new little torment can I think of for my little man...?

I hear the washing machine start up. Then the clothes dryer starts up. I like the smell of fresh dried clothes and how nice and warm they are when they first come out of the machine.

"Little man...?" I call to him.

His head pops around the doorway, ""Yes, Madam."

"Bring those towels from the dryer, here."

In a minute he is back with the towels, not yet folded. I press one to my face, so warm and soft. There are not half a dozen towels in the pile, but I only need one more. No point in making him re-wash all of them.

Standing up, I take off my shirt, slip my pants down to my ankles and step out of them. From the bottom of the pile, I pull out the warmest towel and set it down on the couch behind me, spread out. Before I sit down I pull off my panties. When I sit down I feel the warm towel on my butt cheeks, it's soothing and comfortable.

"Kneel before me, boy."

He does, his face looking hopeful. His breathing has changed, but I'm pretty sure he hasn't noticed all these little things about himself. His eyes are on my boobs, the only part of me still clothed.

I smile at him then lean forward to kiss him and give his bottom lip a little bite. "Unfasten my bra."

I flip my hair forward, making sure it brushes his face and chest. His hands are sure and quick at the hook and eyes behind me. I hold the front of my bra rather than let it fall off too easily. Leaning back I smirk up at him as I wiggle myself forward inching my hips to the end of the couch. He has to back up before my knees push him away.

"This towel is so nice and warm on my bum. Feel my bum."

His hands start on my knees, one on each side. He slides his hands down my thighs, his fingertips gradually slipping lower until he is cupping my hips. "You feel very nice." He says.

"My boobies are a bit cold." I whisper.

"May I kiss them?" He asks.

"Not yet. Open my legs and kneel between my thighs."

He knows what to do, what I want. His hands slide back up to my knees, on the outside of my thighs. At my knees his fingers slip between my knees, pushing them apart slightly. Then he runs his hands up along the inside of my thighs, gently pushing my legs apart. I'm already wet and I know he can smell and see how much I'm enjoying this. I relax back against the couch, letting my thighs fall open farther.

"Now you can kiss my boobies."

I know this is not exactly what he wanted at that moment. The flicker of disappointment on his face makes me laugh quietly.

My bra is removed, but he holds back a moment, admiring the curves of my breasts and my nipples. He presses his face between my breasts, kissing the valley before moving to the peaks. I pretend not to notice his hands, placed on top of my thighs with his thumbs just brushing the lips of my pussy. The almost there touches are making me want more.

By now he is kissing and sucking one breast and then the other. He makes those funny little noises and I can see the apron has started to tent out in front of him.

"Stop." He freezes in place. "Lean back so I can see you, lift your apron so I can see your cock."

Reluctantly he removes his hands from me and lifts his apron. "Should I take it off?"

"No. It looks cute covering your happy, little cock." He lets the apron fall. "What may I do for you now, Madam?"

"You may kiss and lick my pussy and suck on my clit."

"Thank you, Madam."

"You're welcome." It really is nice being a Domme on the weekends.

Etiquette is about manners and protocol. You can get by with common sense and courtesy. But some etiquette rules really do have to be learned, especially when dealing with cultures other than your own. It could be an interesting career choice.

If you wrote a character who is an etiquette consultant how would she look, speak and what would her (or his) body language be like? Could there be an etiquette consultant who dresses sloppy, maybe even a little on the rough and dirty side? What story would you write behind that character?

Resources:

• Fab Job: Become an Etiquette Consultant
• The Etiquette Institute
• Etiquette Leadership Institute
• The International School of Protocol and Diplomacy
• International Association of Protocol Consultants and Officers
• Wikipedia: Etiquette