Right after 9/11, Cindy Combs was the go-to lady. A political science and public administration professor at UNC Charlotte, Cindy’s expertise in terrorism and conflict resolution continues to make her a valuable resource to local, national and even international agencies that focus on preventing and responding to terrorist attacks. I had met Cindy more than 10 years ago when I worked at UNC Charlotte, but had forgotten about her until I came across her book on terrorism in the course of my research. Last Friday, I took the day off and over coffee, Cindy provided me with a wealth of information that is helping me to define my protagonist. She suggested additional resources and, more importantly, she gave me his motive. Her insight provided the piece I was missing for my American terrorist to transition from frustration to action.