Last night, I recorded an ident — that is, a very short insert where a pre-recorded message tells you the email address or the phone number — with Ros, the host of the World Have Your Say show on the BBC. In this case, we recorded something advertising that they accept callers using Skype. He called me on my Skype ID and I read a mini-script. He seemed very happy with what we did and told me, “You’re a lot quicker than our average guest with this.” I replied, “It’s because I’m gabby.” He laughed. Well, brains could be a huge part of that, too, I thought quietly. But, yeah. Gabby helps. He said the ident will be heard a couple hundred times over the next couple of months. I thought that was cool.

I told The Frenchman, who responded, “You did this for free?” He wasn’t exactly, as we say, happy. I explained it’s all about making friends and building allies for when I really need it later. And I will. That made him feel a little better, I think. But not much.

I spoke to The Big D about it, seeing as how he has much expertise in this area. He’s advised me to get the audio clip and start building my voice-over resume. That, I say, is a very fine idea. And a single clip played 200 times on the Beeb ain’t a bad way to start, if starting is what I’m doing.

This morning I’m finalizing Part II of the ErosZine.com article. It was finished, but then The Frenchman sent me another — much better — spanking community site. It’s so naughty, I have to use it. (And, uh, in some ways I already have! Heh.)

And last night I finished Mystic River. A really, really good book. I learned so much about how to create touchable, flawed, interesting and enjoyable characters that I am in awe. Even if I do feel overly manipulated as a reader by his withholding of information in the killer’s head. I could forgive that because by the time I put down the book, I was absolutely saturated with these people, warts and all.

I also received my unbelievably awesome Practical Homicide Investigation manual by Vernon Geberth. You just have no idea how insanely cool this 900+ page book is. It has everything you could ever ask to know about homicide investigations, including autopsies, forensics, ID-ing suspects and the role of the news media. I am ready to kick CSI ass. (Or, uh, will be as soon as I read all 900 pages.)