Jennifer Chase's Blog, page 53

Signature Behavior vs. Modus Operandi

Sometimes it’s confusing for people to differentiate between a criminal’s signature versus the criminal’s modus operandi when a criminal commits a specific type of crime.

Are they the same?

No, they are distinctly different because one feeds on emotional needs, while the other is a procedure. Modus operandi is the method that is used to commit the crime and signature behavior is what helps to serve the criminal’s emotional and psychological needs.

A modus operandi or MO comes from the Latin phra...

Would You Leave Your Child to Play at a Park?

When you were a kid, how often did you hop on your bike and race down to the nearest playground with a group of your buddies from up and down the street? How much of your play time was spent without the direct supervision of an adult? One writer, Lenore Skenazy, believes that we should allow our kids those same freedoms as a way of building independence and confidence.

You may recognize Skenazy for being the mom who allowed her nine-year-old to ride the subway by himself, resulting in national...

Thriller Thursday Guest — Author Richard C Hale

I welcome today Author Richard C Hale with his Young Adult Thriller Frozen Past. Let’s find out what makes him tick.

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Synopsis:

Luke is only fourteen. Eliana is his whole world and for a fourteen year old, the burden is immense. You see, Eliana is being stalked. Stalked by a madman who wants nothing more than to see her dead. The madman knows things that no one should know and sees things that no one should see. He tells them if they say a word to anyone, they will both die. And Luke can’t...

When Your Child is a Sex Offender

How did you celebrate Mother’s Day this past weekend? Did you call your mom or take her out to brunch? If you are a mom, maybe you were treated to breakfast in bed or a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Over the holiday weekend, CNN decided to shine a light on one group of moms that we may not think about too often – those women who raised convicted sex offenders.

Have you ever thought about what it must be like to live every day with the fact that a molester or a rapist or a hoarder of child porn...

Me, Myself and Hitchcock

I have lived most of my life in the Northern California area. I find that I still enjoy the beautiful cities, towns, and various attractions every year. California is a large state with vast climates of mountains, deserts, ocean, bay, and lakes in both rural and city settings. It’s one of the reasons that I enjoy living and writing here.

It’s no secret that I love the cinema and photography. Artists, filmmakers and writers love to use California as a backdrop to their stories.

One particular fi...

13 Reasons to Read DARK MIND

It’s almost summer and I wanted to lighten things up a bit.

One of my favorite beach memories was sitting on a deserted beach in Kauai a couple of years ago – it was what actually inspired my latest thriller Dark Mind.

The white sandy beaches and the perfect temperature of 80 degrees made it difficult to leave. There is nothing better than the warm tropical breeze against your face, scrunching the sand between your toes, the sound of the waves lapping against the shore, and of course a nice icy...

Thriller Thursday Guest — Author Robert Stanek

I welcome Author Robert Stanek today with this thrilling NSA novel, The Pieces of the Puzzle.

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Book Synopsis:

Scott Madison Evers is the son-in-law of the Chairman of the National Security Council. His wife is pregnant with their first child. While in Munich conducting a rendition of a known terrorist, Scott’s cover is blown. Before Scott can get away, his entire operations team is wiped out, and he alone escapes into the night. When he returns to the US, he finds himself a wanted man, and...

Officers Face Evidence of Their Violence in a California Courtroom

Family Photo of Kelly Thomas

As I’ve shared many times on this blog, I have had the honor of shadowing some amazing police officers and learning about the risks they face and the split-second decisions they must make all the time. I have the highest respect for the men and women who determine law enforcement to be their professional calling. So, when two men appear to degrade the uniform through excessive, deadly force, I get angered on behalf of all the great cops out there.

Many of you will r...

First Watch – A Short Story

I’ve been a big fan of all types of horror stories throughout my life. I love to write thrillers and will always stay true to them, but I’d also like to branch out into another genre – horror suspense.

I’ve just released a short story on Amazon: First Watch

Synopsis:

What started out as a routine traffic stop on a deserted country road, turned into a terrifying battle of life and death. Could all the horror stories be true?

The chase is on…

First 3 Sentences:

I ran northeast to the railroad tracks...

Winners of DARK MIND eBook!

April 17th I posted a photo of a tree and asked readers to identify it to receive a free ebook copy of Dark Mind – Click here

Thank you to everyone that left comments! This was a tough challenge!

The correct answer: California Pepper Tree

These amazing trees were planted in California along with Olive trees at the historic mission sites. This particular tree resides at Mission San Juan Batista. Some of these trees are a couple of hundred years old. The trunks have so much character and individua...