Tammy: For the slang in the Beka Cooper books, I relied on a couple of books on slang from historical periods—I used those words directly. I got lucky and found a book called Slang Through the Ages—which goes as far back as the 1100s. I always say this, and no one believes me—I’m not good at making stuff up. So I steal, and it’s really better that way. The critic Lionel Trilling said the immature artist imitates, the mature artist steals.
SOURCE: [On the Hunt with Tamora Pierce]
Words of Tamora Pierce 