Jennifer Chase's Blog, page 88

Free Your Mind by Organizing Writing Goals for 2011

Clear your mind…

Organize your writing space...

Tidy up your computer file folders…

Just let the ideas and writing begin to flow…

It's a new year and time to budget your writing goals. Whether you're a new or an experienced writer, there's always a time that we need to take a good hard look at our projects. If you want to work in a timely manner and finish your projects, you have to budget and work out your yearly goals. Sorry, there's no easy way around it!

Yearly and multi yearly goals are a must! Some people even budget three to five year goals. I can't seem to wrap my head around that, but projects are still simmering in the back of my mind for future projects.

I divide my yearly writing goals into three basic categories: writing, editing, and promotion. Then I expand from there until I get my basic "to do" lists for a weekly or monthly schedule. An important thing to remember is not to get down on yourself if you don't follow your schedule exactly. Praise yourself for writing and completing every task you set out to do.

Generally, I have one specific novel that I concentrate on for the calendar year. Sometimes another novel will spill into the current year, but that's definitely okay and keeps the writing flow moving forward. For 2011, I'm currently outlining and writing my third Emily Stone Novel, titled Dark Mind. I'm very excited and can't wait to get back into the head of Emily Stone along with a very disturbing, interesting serial killer. As the year progresses, I will give updates on my progress and scheduled release date.

Editing and promotion is a big challenge for writers. Mapping out time to complete this is extremely important. What are your goals? How are you going to budget your time? What new ideas are you going to incorporate into promotion this year?

Along with writing, editing and promotion, there are other tasks that many writers want to accomplish. For me, I will be hosting a writer's workshop on " How to Write a Screenplay " along with some other appearances and talks. These all have to be budgeted into the yearly overall goal.

With a new year, there are also new schedules and procedures. It's always nice to revamp your usual routine. It's helps to breathe new life into your daily work schedule. Are you going to write more or less per day? Are you going to outline or not? How many scheduled research trips/interviews do you have?

The best way to budget your yearly goals is to write down the basics and then break down individual tasks from your basic list.

Here's to a very successful, productive, goal-oriented year!


Jennifer Chase
Award Winning Author & Criminologist

Blog: http://authorjenniferchase.blogspot.com/
Website: http://jenniferchase.vpweb.com/
Crime Watch: http://emilystonecrimewatch.blogspot.com/
Book & Crime Talk: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer...

How Can Henna Help Catch Criminals?

Fingerprints have been studied for uniqueness, identification and criminal importance for more than one hundred years. The significance of fingerprints and the criminal justice system can't be undervalued; they can implicate the guilty by linking a criminal to the victim and the scene of the crime and exonerate the innocent. Through technology and expertly trained fingerprint examiners, the fingerprint can be the single most important piece of evidence for solving a crime.

Fingerprints can be located and collected from three main groups: plastic fingerprints caused by a negative three-dimensional impression such as clay or wet paint, fingerprints contaminated with foreign matter such as blood or dust, and latent prints that is generally not visible to the naked eye and must be developed by one of various developing techniques.

Latent fingerprints left on a porous surface such as paper is usually detected by a chemical process called ninhydrin. Ninhydin reacts to the amino acids secreted by the fingers and turns the invisible fingerprints dark purple. I've used this process to develop fingerprints on an anonymous letter sent to a victim. The process takes several hours to develop. And yes, the fingerprints were definitely matched to the perpetrator who was already in prison.

Ninhydrin is an irritant and scientists are looking for a safer alternative. Simon Lewis and colleagues at Curtin University of Technology in Australia have found a compound in henna that can work in a similar way to ninhydrin without causing irritation. Henna is derived from the plant Lawsonia inemis and has been used for skin care, hair dye, and cosmetics without any ill effects for centuries.

Lawson is the compound thought to be responsible for the staining properties of henna. It has been found that the compounds react to the amino acids of invisible (latent) fingerprints. The result is a brown-purple color and is strongly luminescent under a forensic light source.

Research is currently under way along with new possibilities that may lead to improvements in fingerprint detection. Nature is truly amazing and shouldn't be underestimated. I believe that most scientific answers can be found from nature.


Jennifer Chase
Award Winning Author & Criminologist

Blog: http://authorjenniferchase.blogspot.com/
Website: http://jenniferchase.vpweb.com/
Crime Watch: http://emilystonecrimewatch.blogspot.com/
Book & Crime Talk: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase

Honoring King through Service

Today we honor the birthday of a man who changed the cultural landscape of our nation and who promoted a philosophy of justice and non-violence that is still so important to society today. Martin Luther King, Jr. taught us to look at one another as individuals, to avoid rushing to judgment, and to create a world in which all people, regardless of background, would be treated with respect and dignity.

I love that one of the lasting legacies of Dr. King's mission that the national holiday we celebrate today has become a day of service for so many. Everyone from schoolchildren to senior citizens have found ways to get involved in their communities today, through work at a homeless shelter or cleaning up a school or planting trees in a park. Let's hope that the spirit of this day is carried through the rest of the year, because I believe that when we become more invested in our communities, they become safer and more inviting places to live. When you truly know your neighbors, that sense of belonging will bring a greater desire to protect and help one another.

I am not saying that community service projects are going to singlehandedly wipe out crime or deter a sick person from committing a horrible act, but they do make the environment more difficult for those who want to do harm.

If your family and/or community participated in some type of service today, I would love to hear your story. Maybe you will inspire others to the same kind of action. And, I also am interested in reading your thoughts on the impact you believe service has on our neighborhoods and the people around us.

Jennifer Chase's "Silent Partner" Reviewed By Susan Ravagni of Bookpleasures.com

By Susan Ravagni Published January 15, 2011 Crime & Mystery (BookPleasures.com)

Author: Jennifer Chase
Book: " Silent Partner "
ISBN: 978-0-9829536-0-0
Publisher: JEC Press

Woof. Man's best friend gets a special look in Chase's third crime-thriller, " Silent Partner ". Not only does this award-winning author give you a great story, she shines the spotlight on those wonderful dogs that help the police, namely the K9's.

Megan O'Connell and Jack Davis have known each other from early in life. As children, Megan and her sister Teresa witnessed their father brutally murder their mother. Megan now wears the scars of this incident into adulthood in the form of agoraphobia (fear of public places). Jack, the quintessential hero (handsome, brave, strong – sigh!), becomes involved with Megan once again when her sister Teresa is brutally murdered in their shared home. Suspicion falls on Megan.

Jack now works for the local police department as a K9 officer. He puts his career in jeopardy by resuming his relationship with Megan. He believes Megan to be innocent and works to find the true killer.

Enter psychopath Darrell Brooks. He's currently enjoying a cat-and-mouse game with the police. He's evil. He's twisted. You'll love to hate him.

Megan begins to think she's going nuts. Odd and scary things begin happening to her. Darrell wins the award for most-likely-to-be-the-instigator of the odd and scary incidents

But don't close that book yet! Tension builds with each turn of the page and a surprise awaits you at the end.

This is a book for the crime-thrill reader in us. If you love dogs, you'll cheer Jack's K9 partner (the silent one) Keno on as he bravely tracks and takes down the bad guys. If you aren't a fan of dogs you might find a few sections a bit much but they are short and you can skim them if you want. You won't lose the plot line.

I liked the troubled-soul aspect of Megan and it explains, at least partially, some of the ending.

The one part that seemed to stretch credibility was when Jack's superior purposely leaves his office while Jack is in there. This is so Jack can read all the evidence on Teresa's murder case. Hmmm. Why did he do that? Jack's a good guy, his boss likes him. I get it. Perhaps a little back-story on their relationship would have made it more understandable.

Chase does a good job of getting into the minds of each of the characters; from good-guy Jack, to tormented Megan, to the amoral evil of Darrell. She reminded me of Stephen King in her ability to navigate each personality. Well done!

All-in-all Chase delivers a fast-paced thriller with " Silent Partner ". I give it two woofs and a tail-wag.

California Prison Inmate Caught More Than Thirty Years After Escape

Most police investigators will tell you that the initial hours of studying a crime or searching for a missing person are the most crucial. You want to attack the case when the evidence is fresh and before the perpetrator has time to cover his or her tracks. There is even a television program, The First 48 , that details the efforts that law enforcement makes during this critical two-day period.

There are instances, however, when answers are found years or even decades after the crime took place. The discovery of Jaycee Dugard living in her abductor's backyard more than eighteen years after she was reported as missing is one of the amazing instances of this possibility. Another case that is certainly less shocking and severe but that also speaks to the need never to give up on a case unfolded in California this week.

Nancy Garces broke out of a woman's prison in Chino, California back in 1979. She was serving a sentence for credit-card forgery. For the past thirty-two years, she had managed to live under an assumed identity and elude law enforcement. But, that life of freedom ended Tuesday when she arrived by train in Santa Barbra and authorities were waiting to pick her up. It is unclear who provided the tip that Garces would be on that train, but reports are that she was quite surprised to be discovered.

Garces is now being held in county jail without bail. And to think, if she had simply served her time for the original conviction, she still would have been a free woman for the last thirty years (assuming she didn't break the law again) and not have had to worry every day about being caught.

Nancy Garces has been living as Lydia Mendez for more than three decades and even has children under this assumed name. What do you think should happen to her at this point?

How to Prepare to Write a Screenplay

You have a movie idea in your head. Maybe you even have some scenes worked out with the main character or characters. And, maybe you even know how it's going to end. But you need to start at the beginning and build from there to end up with a solid screenplay.

It can be frustrating and tedious, but it's important to start at the beginning and then prepare to write the screenplay. There are great books out there that describe how to write a "selling" screenplay and how to layer your depth and pace of the story. That still doesn't answer how to prepare to write or the best way to outline so that you can see your story.

I have some tips for you to help you get started. First, don't look at the entire screenplay as a whole at the moment. You need to get down to the nitty-gritty of the story. It's the simplified version.

What's your screenplay about? Write down a few sentences or even a few paragraphs of the basic story. Let it simmer for a while. Do you have a story? Keep adding to these ideas.

Let me make it even easier…

Start with the premise of the screenplay. This is the foundation or principle idea of the storyline, which will ultimately become the completed screenplay. Simply stated, this is where you begin to lay the groundwork. Don't think about the complexities at this point.

Write down notes or the basic idea of a screenplay. The premise will most likely change as you begin to develop your story. You will begin to see what will work and what will not. Keep the brainstorming process flowing by writing out these premises in your chosen genre. Sometimes genres can overlap, like action/adventure or historical/drama. Don't worry about the overlapping genres right now. Just start the process.

To begin with this step, write out basic ideas that interest you in one complete sentence. Remember, keep ideas brief, and don't go into any detail yet. You will find what works and what doesn't for your screenplay. On your computer or on 3x5 index cards, whatever media you prefer, jot down 10-20 simple ideas that interest you.

Sometimes just getting started can be the most difficult obstacle to overcome. But once you start writing out ideas, believe me you won't be able to stop. It's like opening the floodgates to creative writing. The premise is what inspires and awakens the creativity of the screenwriter.

For more information and a complete step-by-step process of getting your first screenplay draft, check out my book on Amazon Kindle :

"How to Write a Screenplay" - A simple building block process to write a professional screenplay from beginning to end.

Jennifer Chase
Award Winning Author & Criminologist

Blog: http://authorjenniferchase.blogspot.com/
Website: http://jenniferchase.vpweb.com/
Crime Watch: http://emilystonecrimewatch.blogspot.com/
Book & Crime Talk: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase

Book Review -- "A Touch of Deceit" by Gary Ponzo

" A Touch of Deceit "
By Gary Ponzo

5 Stars

Everything A Thriller Should Be – And More!

Many novels these days are tagged as a "Thriller". Sometimes I'm a little disappointed because they don't always seem to fit that genre. I was pleasantly surprised that " A Touch of Deceit " checked every box for me that a thriller should be – and more. I was immediately engrossed in Gary Ponzo's debut, award winning thriller from the first page.

The hero, Nick Bracco works as an anti-terrorism FBI agent. The reader is instantly thrown into the high-stakes life of this true-life action hero. The clock is ticking down as Bracco tries to stop a Kurdish terrorist from blowing up random homes across America. Everyone's nightmare has been realized. Bracco is forced to recruit his close cousin Tommy, a member of the Italian Mafia, to help track down this assassin before more lives are lost.

" A Touch of Deceit " is a cleverly written thriller with plenty of twists and turns, action, and strong dialogue to keep you turning the pages well into the night. The characters show strength and depth. The plot moves quickly, leaving the reader to want more. The dialogue is direct and well written. Gary Ponzo is an author that everyone should add to their reading list. I highly recommend for thriller, suspense, and mystery fans.

I will be interviewing Author Gary Ponzo on my show Book & Crime Talk tomorrow.

Check it out:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase/2011/01/13/interview-with-award-winning-author-gary-ponzo-with-thriller-a-touch-of-deceit

More information about Author Gary Ponzo:
www.garyponzo.com

Jennifer Chase
Award Winning Author & Criminologist
Blog: http://authorjenniferchase.blogspot.com/
Website: http://jenniferchase.vpweb.com/
Crime Watch: http://emilystonecrimewatch.blogspot.com/
Book & Crime Talk: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase

Man Suspected of Being "The Twilight Rapist" is Arrested

All three of my novels have featured the psychological terror that is involved when a serial killer is on the loose. This terror is not only seen in those who are afraid to venture out in their own communities for fear of being the next victim, but also when we take a look into the thoughts of the killer himself. What kind of mindset justifies such despicable behavior? The same question can be asked not only of serial killers, but also of those who are charged as serial rapists. One recent case is particularly startling in that the alleged rapist is assigned with guarding us from other violent criminals.

Billy Joe Harris was arrested in Texas on Monday and is a suspect in a dozen rapes that occurred over the past two years. He is being held on the charge of burglary with intent to commit a felony and DNA samples link him to five other assaults or attempted assaults. Before his capture, he was considered one of the most wanted men in the state, earning the nickname of "The Twilight Rapist," and Governor Rick Perry even formed a task force to find him.

Harris is a longtime employee with the state prison system who once worked as an officer with the Texas Youth Commission . It is sad to think that someone who was given the honorable duty of ensuring safety for his fellow citizens may have been a perpetrator of violence against women when off-duty.

Of course everyone who stands accused of a crime is innocent until proven guilty. But, if it is proven that he is the serial rapist for whom so many have been looking, I hope that the women in small towns across his part of Texas who lived in fear of "The Twilight Rapist" will be able to rest a little easier.

Inspiration for Writing a Crucial Scene in Silent Partner

In creating my newest novel Silent Partner , I found that there are times some of the smallest things help to inspire a specific scene. Originally, this story was a screenplay that I wrote several years ago. There's a big difference between a screenplay and a novel. A screenplay is written in a lean manner with action and dialogue to drive the story forward; whereas, a novel has more description and detail. A novel can be written in third or fist person and you can literally get inside a character's head.

This lonely, creepy warehouse plays a pivotal location that takes place in Silent Partner . As the book begins in chapter one…

"It was dark. It was cold. It was completely quiet. There were no windows or doors. Escape was futile. There was a distinct smell of disinfectant along with a hint of mold that attacked the senses. It made it difficult to breathe and air seemed to get trapped in the lungs without anywhere else to go. The waiting game was only putting off the inevitable. Death."

Again, later in the book this particular warehouse is visited again…

"Inside the dark warehouse, Jack clicked on his flashlight and proceeded with caution. He had his gun drawn, targeted, and could feel goose bumps form on his arms and the back of his neck. The building was heavily encrusted with dust and cobwebs. The air was thick and had an old moldy smell to it. There was an old rickety scaffolding, unused lumber, plastic utility buckets, paint cans, and two large storage containers. Everything had been dumped and just left were the last workers had left them. It was a strange feeling to see that a construction job was abandoned and no one had bothered to come back and pick up the supplies."

I find it interesting how the look of a particular location can lead to feelings of uneasiness. This photograph conjured up many ideas. Why would there be someone here? What's so creepy about it? Does it play upon our fears? What if you can't escape? Will anyone find you?

I delved into these questions and answered them in Silent Partner .


Jennifer Chase
Award Winning Author & Criminologist

Blog: http://authorjenniferchase.blogspot.com/
Website: http://jenniferchase.vpweb.com/
Crime Watch: http://emilystonecrimewatch.blogspot.com/
Book & Crime Talk: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase

What Bite Mark Evidence Leaves Behind at a Crime Scene

There has been a considerable amount of controversy surrounding criminal cases with bite mark evidence. It is true that it isn't an "exact" science, but it can be helpful in to exclude or include a suspect who could have inflicted the bite.

Investigators should be vigilant if they see anything that resembles a bite mark on a victim, especially in a rape or homicide case. Human bite marks are used as a weapon of anger, passion, control and destruction on a victim. Even if the bite mark can't be identified, it still holds value to the behavioral pattern of the perpetrator. This could hold the key to unlocking the case and shouldn't be underestimated.

For example, one of the most famous cases was for Ted Bundy. This key piece of evidence led to the conviction based on the bite marks left on Lisa Levy who he had attacked at the sorority house at Florida State University. Bundy's teeth marks were very distinct in their imprint.

This type of impression evidence can be left in the skin of a victim, but also can be in food, chewing gum, and other miscellaneous items, such as pens and pencils. There are distinct features and characteristics in the dental structure, such as distance and angles between teeth, missing teeth, fillings, dental work, and unique wear.

There are limitations because skin is elastic and easily distortable. Time, movement, and pressure can affect the results of bite mark evidence. There are many changing natures to the body and many times forensic dentists wait until the lividity stage (pooling of blood) allowing for the details to become more visible for photographs and documentation. The evidence left by a biter is based on pressure that caused the distinct wound. It is divided into three basic categories: clear, obvious, and noticeable.

There are seven types of forensic terms used to describe the type of bite mark left on a victim:

Abrasion – a scrape on the skin.
Artifact – when a piece of body part is removed through biting.
Avulsion – removing of skin through biting.
Contusion – a bruise.
Hemorrhage – a profusely bleeding bite wound.
Incision – a clean, neat wound.
Laceration – a puncture wound.


Jennifer Chase
Award Winning Author & Criminologist

Blog: http://authorjenniferchase.blogspot.com/
Website: http://jenniferchase.vpweb.com/
Crime Watch: http://emilystonecrimewatch.blogspot.com/
Book & Crime Talk: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase