B.V. Lawson's Blog, page 26
July 11, 2024
Mystery Melange
Viola Davis and bestselling crime fiction author James Patterson have signed with Little, Brown and Company to co-write a novel. Davis has won the Oscar, Emmy, Tony, and Grammy, and she has already made the bestseller lists with her memoir, Finding Me. Set in the present-day rural south, the novel follows a dynamic and brilliant female judge on the brink of a decision with seismic repercussions for her small county, and potentially the whole nation. It puts her career, principles, and ultimately her life at stake. The yet-to-be-titled novel will be published by Little, Brown and Company in 2025 or 2026.
Frank Price will moderate a conversation between Gregg Hurwitz (of the Orphan X series) and Kevin Compton, both experts in "Thrillers, Tech, and Ethics in a Rapidly Changing World," on July 18 at San Francisco's Commonwealth Club of California. The program is sponsored by the San Francisco Commonwealth Club/World Affairs Council and is in-person only. Potential attendees are requested to sign up by July 10. (HT to Mystery Fanfare)
Mystery Readers Journal has a call for articles on the topic of Partners in Crime. They're looking for articles, reviews, and author essays about mysteries that focus on either "Partners in Crime: A Surfeit of Sleuths" or "Partners in Crime: Writing Teams." Author essays are first person, about yourself, your books, and the "Partners in Crime" connection (500-1000 words); reviews are 50-250 words; and articles are 500-1000 words. The deadline is August 1, 2024. For more information, follow this link.
Happy Anniversary to the Mystery Lovers Kitchen blog, which is celebrating 15 years of eating and writing. Members are sharing remembrances, stories, recipes, and offering some giveaways, too.
In the Q&A roundup, Crime Fiction Lover chatted with Joachim B. Schmidt, a Swiss author who writes a series set in his adopted home of Iceland featuring Kalmann, a charming, quirky neurodivergent man who has been told he has the academic capacity of a six-year-old but equally has the capacity for heroism, acting as Sheriff in the tiny community of Rauferhöfn, where he hunts arctic fox and Greenland shark with his grandfather; and Jeff Pierce over at The Rap Sheet blog spoke with Dean Jobb, author of A Gentleman and a Thief, a new biography about the notorious 1920s gentleman cat burglar, Arthur Barry.
July 10, 2024
Author R&R with J. Luke Bennecke
[image error]J. Luke Bennecke is a veteran civil engineer with a well-spent career helping people by improving Southern California roadways. He has a civil engineering degree, an MBA, a private pilot’s certificate, and is a partner in an engineering firm. He enjoys philanthropy and awards scholarships annually to high school seniors. In addition to his debut novel, bestseller and award-winning thriller Civil Terror: Gridlock, Luke has written several other novels and screenplays, a creative process he thoroughly enjoys. Luke resides in Southern California with his wife of 32+ years and three spunky cats. In his leisure time he enjoys traveling, playing golf, voiceover acting, and spending time with his grown daughters. Bennecke is a member of International Thriller Writers and looks forward to attending ThrillerFest every year in New York.
[image error]In his second Jake Bendel thriller, Waterborne, engineer Jake Bendel finds himself at the heart of a chilling bioterrorism plot when a mysterious illness linked to his revolutionary desalination plants begins affecting men across California. As the architect of these plants, Jake is suddenly embroiled in a lethal crisis, not just fighting to clear his name but also racing against time to find a cure for a rapidly spreading epidemic. With the entire state teetering on the brink of disaster, Jake's journey for survival becomes a complex battle against unseen enemies. From dodging assassination attempts by drones to uncovering the dark secrets of BioStall, the biotech giant involved in the viral outbreak, Jake’s every move is fraught with danger and deceit. The stakes couldn’t be higher as he navigates through layers of betrayal and manipulation in a desperate bid to save millions of lives.
Luke Bennecke stops by In Reference to Murder to take some "Author R&R" about writing and researching his book:
The idea for Waterborne came to me while editing my first novel, Gridlock. I’d been kicking around “what if” questions related to the California drought, giving myself a magic wand, if money were no object, “how would I use science and engineering to solve the drought?” I decided this would be the second novel in the Jake Bendel universe.
In a bit of a “duh moment,” I realized California has 800 miles of coastline, so technically there’s plenty of water here. But, of course, it’s saltwater, right? We’d need a bunch of desalination plants. So, I went down the rabbit hole online and learned as much as I could about the various types of systems to remove the salt from seawater to provide fresh, clean drinking water. I discovered that the process of cleaning the water is notoriously power-hungry.
Again, with the magic wand, what could we power these desalination plants with that won’t kill the environment, make global climate change worse, and at the same time, not break the taxpayer bank? (I assumed in my fictional story the government would fully fund the system.) Not long after searching, I found the solution: Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs)! At the time I started outlining the story (in 2018), MIT researchers had recently resurrected nuclear technology from the 1950s. MSRs are safe, eco-friendly (no carbon footprint, and they can actually run on spent nuclear rods from the OLD light water reactors, the ones creating all of the nuclear waste everyone’s worried about), and relatively inexpensive.
Now that I had the guts of the plot and a science/tech theme, it was time to weave in the rest of my favorite themes: terrorism and safety, environmental issues, survival and perseverance, ethical dilemmas, betrayal/trust, loss/grief, conspiracy/corruption, heroism/sacrifice, and identity/redemption.
I made sure my protagonist, Jake Bendel, went on a journey of self-discovery and redemption by facing challenges that forced him to confront his past, question his identity, and ultimately seek redemption for his perceived failings.
As an author, I’m a hybrid pantser/plotter, and definitely not a full outliner (some authors write 30,000+ word outlines BEFORE they start writing), because as an engineer, I have to have at least a little bit of structure. I wouldn’t want to start building a house or a bridge and “figure it out” as I went along. I’d want at least a skeleton set of plans, knowing where the kitchen would be, how many bedrooms/bathrooms we’d have, and the approximate square footage. And maybe whether the house is one story or two. Big picture stuff like that. Then for the look/feel, the color of the walls, the types of sinks/faucets, tile, flooring, etc. (all the things the homeowners would look/feel/touch), we can figure that out as we go along.
Same thing with Waterborne. I put together an eight-subact structure, with goals/conflict/resolution in each part, and with the underlying plot and themes at the ready, I sat down and started writing as organically as possible.
I think the fact the book has had about 30,000 Amazon downloads and almost 400 4+ star ratings shows that the story ended up providing a wonderfully extraordinary journey for my readers. If this type of story resonates with you, please visit Amazon and give it a read! It’s available in paperback and hardcover (audiobook is currently in production and should be available by the end of August). Hope you enjoy it!
You can learn more about J. Luke Bennecke via his website and follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Waterborne is available via all major booksellers.
July 9, 2024
Author R&R with Matthew Saeman
[image error]Matthew Saeman spent the first twenty three years of his professional life in the industries of construction and sales. He acquired his teaching credential at the age of 47 and now instructs students with Autism and emotional disturbances. Storytelling has always been something he loved to do, but it wasn’t until later in life that he began writing novels. The late Gordon McAlpine was his mentor, inspiring him to take the next step once his short stories began getting published, and once he began writing novels, he knew this was the best way to express his creativity. Matthew enjoys writing in the Suspense/Thriller genre mainly because he loves the concept of keeping the reader constantly wondering what’s going to happen next, which characters might turn out to be bad, and whether or not the hero will win out in the end…which is far from certain. He’s written eight novels thus far, two of which have been published. His most recent, To Preserve, Protect and Destroy was released through Palmetto Publishing in June.
[image error]In To Preserve, Protect and Destroy, NASA geologist Terrence Sullivan is thrust into a perilous mission of universal significance. He is tasked with retrieving volatile stones from Mars, the same stones responsible for the disastrous end to a prior terraforming mission there. Initially, Terrence believes this mission is solely for universal safety. However, as the story progresses, he discovers the chilling reality behind its true objective. The stakes escalate beyond his wildest imagination, with the lives of the crew and millions of innocents at risk as the ship carrying the deadly stones is set to return to Earth…but not to land safely. As time dwindles, Terrence is forced to make decisions that will not only seal his fate but also that of humanity. Will he manage to avert the looming disaster and expose the truth, or will he become just another pawn sacrificed in this deadly Presidential power play?
Matthew Saeman stops by In Reference to Murder to take some "Author R&R" about writing and researching his book:
Having no first hand knowledge of the Geological science, the inner workings of NASA, or a corrupt U.S. President, in order to write this story with any degree of accuracy, I needed to spend countless hours reading novels, watching movies/documentaries, and scouring the internet not only to locate the “technical” information required, but also to make it believable to the reader that I knew everything there was to know about these topics. Of course, before one minute was spent researching anything, I needed to first put together a proper “skeleton” of the story.
Ideas for the stories I write hit me totally at random. Once I get an idea, I allow it to percolate for at least a day. If I still feel I want to pursue it, I take it to the next stage which is where I’ll write a very brief synopsis from start to finish. There’s a feeling I get in my gut that tells me if it’s an interesting concept and if I’d have fun writing it. With To Preserve, Protect and Destroy, my gut kept telling me to take it to the next stage, which is extending the brief synopsis into a longer one and incorporating more details, to include character names and bios. At this point, the story had begun building momentum, and so I went with it. Stage 4 is the process of developing a chapter outline. The first draft is always minimal but it’s a “living” document that grows as time passes. The outline for this book took about four months to complete… and that’s when I began doing my research.
In today’s world, with access to any and all information at the stroke of a key, the process of educating oneself on any subject is tremendously simpler than it was twenty years ago. But persistence and drive are the keys to success. Once I’d dedicated myself to writing this novel, I’d also dedicated substantial time to not only doing the necessary research, but also incorporating this newfound knowledge with the characters I’d created. Emulating aspects of myself or people that I knew helped me make the characters more real. As I said previously, the outline is a living document, so even after I began writing the chapters, there were changes I made in order for the story to work.
This process is not the same for every writer. In fact, I’d bet every writer does it different. The one aspect that is identical however is sticktoitivity. I love to write and so I manage my time appropriately. When I’m working on a story, there are hours dedicated to the writing process. If I’m unwilling to do this then the stories don’t get written. With To Preserve, Protect and Destroy, I dedicated part of every day to doing something that advanced where I was with that story. To me, writing is like exercising. Once you get into the rhythm of the process, it becomes easier to do each day. If you let days or weeks pass without writing, finding the right words can feel like pulling teeth.
You can learn more about Matthew Saeman and his writing via his website and follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. To Preserve, Protect and Destroy is now available via all major booksellers.
July 8, 2024
Media Murder for Monday
[image error]It's the start of a new week and that means it's time for a brand-new roundup of crime drama news:
THE BIG SCREEN/MOVIES
Lionsgate has set a release date of Labor Day weekend, August 30, for the action crime thriller 1992, which is one of Ray Liotta's final film roles. The story follows Mercer (Tyrese Gibson), who is desperately trying to rebuild his life and relationship with his son (Christopher Ammanuel) amidst the turbulent 1992 L.A. uprising following the Rodney King verdict. Across town, another father and son (Liotta and Scott Eastwood) put their own strained relationship to the test as they plot a dangerous heist to steal catalytic converters, which contain valuable platinum, from the factory where Mercer works. As tensions rise in Los Angeles and chaos erupts, both families reach their boiling points when they collide. Ariel Vromen directs, from a screenplay and story written by Vromen and Sascha Penn.
Zaid Abu Hamdan has begun principal photography in Jordan on the new film Boomah ("The Owl"), which is described as an "expansive crime thriller" set against the backdrop of Jordan’s underworld, with a similar gritty edge as City of God, Gomorrah, and La Haine. Rakeen Saad stars as "Boomah," a notorious and knife-savvy female gang member who becomes embroiled in a power struggle between street thugs and religious extremists while battling the traumas of her harrowing orphaned past. Saad is joined by Joanna Arida in the role of Boomah’s best friend and confidant, Anoud.
TELEVISION/SMALL SCREEN
Patrick Brammall is set to star in a six-part series adaptation of Ryan David Jahn’s book, The Dispatcher, for Apple TV+. Brammall will play police detective Ian Hunt, whose life fell apart ten years ago when his young daughter Maggie disappeared without a trace. Now working as a police dispatcher, the only thing that has kept him going is his implacable refusal to accept that she might be gone forever. When he receives a distress call from a young girl he is certain is Maggie, he will stop at nothing to find her and reunite his broken family, whatever the cost. The book, which was published in 2011, is set in East Texas and features a bullet-strewn, cross-country chase from Texas to California in a wild ride that passes through the outlaw territory of No Country for Old Men.
Rian Johnson celebrated the first day of filming the sophomore season of Poker Face, sharing a photo of the show’s clapboard, which listed star Natasha Lyonne as the director for episode two. Inspired by the inverted detective format of Columbo and similarly described by Johnson as a "howcatchem" (as opposed to the "whodunit" structure of Knives Out), Poker Face follows Vegas casino worker and human bullshit detector Charlie Cale (Lyonne) as she runs from the mob while solving a string of murders along the way. The star-studded series has featured such guest stars as Adrien Brody, Ron Perlman, Chloë Sevigny, Rowan Blanchard, and Rhea Perlman.
Onyx is not proceeding with Not Cops, a pilot from former Insecure showrunner Prentice Penny, which had scheduled filming to begin in mid-July when the plug was pulled last week. The drama revolved around residents of the Los Angeles neighborhood of Leimert Park who take charge of the safety in their community after defunding the police. Not Cops was in the middle of casting when the axe fell, with Bethlehem Million, Suzy Nakamura, and Chi McBride among those already on board.
Essence Atkins (First Wives Club), Melissa Ponzio (Chicago Fire) and Vaughn W. Hebron (The Oval) have signed on for recurring roles in Season 2 of Onyx Collective's Reasonable Doubt. The drama centers on Los Angeles-based, high-powered criminal defense attorney Jacqueline "Jax" Stewart (Emayatzy Corinealdi) as she deals with past traumas, a failing marriage, motherhood, and a murder case, all while trying to keep her life together.
Garret Dillahunt (Fear the Walking Dead) is set to recur in the new ABC drama High Potential, premiering this fall. Created by Drew Goddard based on a French film, the series stars Kaitlin Olson as Morgan, a single mom with three kids and an exceptional mind who helps solve an unsolvable crime when she rearranges some evidence during her shift as a cleaner for the police department. When they discover she has a knack for putting things in order because of her high intellectual potential, she is brought on as a consultant to work with by-the-book seasoned detective Karadec (Daniel Sunjata), and together they form an unusual and unstoppable team. Dillahunt will portray Lieutenant Melon, a bit of a jerk who heads up the Robbery Division of the LAPD precinct, but he’d much rather be running Major Crimes.
If you're wondering about the status of your favorite returning TV shows or eagerly anticipated new ones, Deadline compiled a handy list of TV premiere dates.
PODCASTS/VIDEO/RADIO
On Crime Time FM, Laura Sims chatted with host Paul Burke about her new novel, How Can I Help You, libraries, and the discipline of poetry.
The Red Hot Chili Writers spoke with thriller fiction legend Karin Slaughter, discussing her latest book, This Is Why We Lied, and touching on the cricket world cup in America.
THEATRE
Hot-on-the-heels of the critically acclaimed new BBC TV series, Ian Rankin’s much-loved detective is set to return in the stage production of Rebus: A Game Called Malice, which visits Edinburgh's Festival Theatre from September 10-14. Best known for his roles in Coronation Street, Peak Practice, and Casualty, Gray O’Brien plays John Rebus, with Billy Hartman returning to the role of Jack Fleming, having created it for the stage in 2023, and Abigail Thaw playing Stephanie Jeffries.
Related StoriesMystery Melange
July 5, 2024
Dagger Delights
The Crime Writers’ Association announced the winners of the 2024 Dagger Awards during a CWA gala dinner and awards ceremony last evening. Created in 1955, the world-famous CWA Daggers are among the oldest and most respected awards in the genre and celebrate the he very best in the crime-writing genre. Congrats to all the winners and finalists!
Gold Dagger: Tell Me What I Am, by Una Mannion (Faber and Faber)
Also nominated:
Over My Dead Body, by Maz Evans (Headline)
The Secret Hours, by Mick Herron (Baskerville)
Small Mercies, by Dennis Lehane (Abacus)
Black River, by Nilanjana Roy (Pushkin Vertigo)
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, by Jesse Sutanto (HQ)
Ian Fleming Steel Dagger: Everybody Knows, by Jordan Harper (Faber and Faber)
Also nominated:
All the Sinners Bleed, by S.A. Cosby (Headline)
Ozark Dogs, by Eli Cranor (Headline)
The Mantis, by Kotaro Isaka (Harvill Secker)
Gaslight, by Femi Kayode (Raven)
Drowning, by T.J. Newman (Simon & Schuster)
ILP John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger: In the Blink of an Eye, by Jo Callaghan (Simon & Schuster UK)
Also nominated:
The Golden Gate, by Amy Chua (Corvus)
The Maiden, by Kate Foster (Mantle)
West Heart Kill, by Dann McDorman (Raven)
Go Seek, by Michelle Teahan (Headline)
The Tumbling Girl, by Bridget Walsh (Gallic)
Historical Dagger: Viper's Dream, by Jake Lamar (No Exit Press)
Also nominated:
Clara & Olivia, by Lucy Ashe (Magpie)
Harlem After Midnight, by Louise Hare Harlem (HQ)
A Bitter Remedy, by Alis Hawkins (Canelo)
Scarlet Town, by Leonora Nattrass (Viper)
Voices of the Dead, by Ambrose Parry (Canongate)
Crime Fiction in Translation Dagger: My Husband, by Maud Ventura, translated by Emma Ramadan (Hutchinson Heinemann)
Also nominated:
Red Queen, by Juan Gómez-Jurado, translated by Nick Caistor (Macmillan)
The Sins of Our Fathers, by Åsa Larsson, translated by Frank Perry (Maclehose Press)
Nothing Is Lost, by Cloé Mehdi, translated by Howard Curtis (Europa Editions UK)
The Consultant, by Im Seong-sun, translated by An Seong Jae (Raven)
The Prey, by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, translated by Victoria Cribb (Hodder & Stoughton)
ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-fiction: Ian Fleming: The Complete Man, by Nicholas Shakespeare (Vintage)
Also nominated:
The Art Thief, by Michael Finkel (Simon & Schuster)
No Ordinary Day: Espionage, Betrayal, Terrorism and Corruption—The Truth Behind the Murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher, by Matt Johnson with John Murray (Ad Lib)
Devil’s Coin: My Battle to Take Down the Notorious OneCoin Cryptoqueen, by Jennifer McAdam with Douglas Thompson (Ad Lib)
Seventy Times Seven: A True Story of Murder and Mercy, by Alex Mar (Bedford Square)
How Many More Women?: The Silencing of Women by the Law and How to Stop It, by Jennifer Robinson and Keina Yoshida (Endeavour)
Short Story Dagger: “The Divide,” by Sanjida Kay (from The Book of Bristol, edited by Joe Melia and Heather Marks; Comma Press)
Also nominated:
“Safe Enough,” by Lee Child (from An Unnecessary Assassin, edited by Lorraine Stevens; Rivertree)
“The Last Best Thing,” by Mia Dalia (from Bang!: An Anthology of Modern Noir Fiction, edited by Andrew Hook; Head Shot Press)
“The Also-Rans,” by Benedict J. Jones (from Bang!: An Anthology of Modern Noir Fiction)
“The Spendthrift and the Swallow,” by Ambrose Parry (Canongate)
“Best Served Cold,” by F.D. Quinn (from An Unnecessary Assassin)
Dagger in the Library (for a body of work): Anthony Horowitz
Also nominated:
Louise Candlish
M.W. Craven
Cara Hunter
L.J. Ross
Publishers’ Dagger: Pushkin Press
Also nominated:
Canelo
Headline (Hachette)
Joffe Books
Michael Joseph (Penguin Random House)
Simon & Schuster
Red Herring Award: Jean Briggs and Dea Parkin
July 4, 2024
July 3, 2024
Mystery Melange
The results of the judges' Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award Top Picks are in for the 2024 Silver Falchion Awards for published novels and the Claymore Award for unpublished manuscripts. The announcement of the finalists in each category will be announced soon, with winners revealed at the Killer Nashville Awards Dinner on August 23, 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Framingham and Ashland Public Libraries are presenting the panel, "When the Mysteries Aren't Cozy: The Intersection of Horror and Crime Fiction," on July 17 from 6:30-8:30pm in Framingham, Massachusetts. Errick Nunnally will oversee the panel, featuring participating authors V. Castro (Bram Stoker award nominated writer), Margot Douaihy (Scorched Grace, named a Best Crime Novel of 2023 by The New York Times), and Gabino Iglesias (author of the Shirley Jackson and Bram Stoker award-winning novel, The Devil Takes You Home). The authors will also be available for a book sale and signing following the panel.
Marcy McCreary (The Disappearance of Trudy Solomon), Tracy Sierra (Nightwatching), and Vanessa Lillie (Blood Sisters) will participate in a "Women in Crime Fiction" panel discussion, Q&A, and book signing on Saturday, July 20th at 3:00 at the Hingham, MA, Barnes & Noble. Journalist Marisa Olsen will be moderating the panel for a discussion of what inspires the authors to create stories with compelling female protagonists, the women writers they admire, and some of their favorite female characters in the mystery/thriller/suspense genre.
Heading Downunder, the Woollahra Library at Double Bay will host "Writers & Readers: Wine & Crime Panel" on July 24, featuring a panel discussion with crime authors Candice Fox (winner of the Ned Kelly Award and a collaborator with James Patterson), Dinuka McKenzie (author of the Detective Kate Miles crime series), and Petronella McGovern (The Last Trace), hosted by Claudine Tinellis.
Left Coast Crime announced that the 2026 conference will be held in San Francisco, California from February 26 to March 1, returning to the city for the first time since Left Coast Crime #1 and #2 were held there in 1991 and 1992. The 36th annual convention will be held at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco on the Embarcadero, complete with San Francisco Cable Car stops and the Presidio Go Shuttle, which provides free trips to the historic Presidio (a National Park Site). From the nearby Port of San Francisco, you can catch a ferry to Alcatraz, Angel Island, Treasure Island, Jack London Square in Oakland, and many other destinations. More information about the convention's schedule will appear on the LCC 2026 website this fall.
Janet Rudolph has updated her list of crime fiction titles themed around The Fourth of July (Independence Day), with a little something for everyone's taste.
In the Q&A roundup, Rachel Howzell Hall, a two-time Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist as well as an Anthony, Edgar, International Thriller Writers, and Lefty Award nominee, applied the Page 69 Test to her new novel, What Fire Brings; Kellye Garrett spoke with Crime Fiction Lover during the recent Capital Crime Festival in London about her latest novel, Missing White Woman, and her journey as a crime author; and Writers Who Kill's E. B. Davis interviewed Susan Van Kirk about Death in a Ghostly Hue, her third book in the Art Center Mystery series.
Related StoriesMystery Melange
July 2, 2024
Author R&R with Jennifer Moorhead
[image error]Jennifer Moorhead graduated from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Geaux Tigers! She has written and produced three indie short films that each made Top 20 at the Louisiana Film Prize and were awarded at festivals around the world. She lives in Louisiana with her husband, two needy golden doodles, one very un-needy shelter kitty, and a plethora of farm animals. Her grown daughters are off creating their own life stories. When she’s not writing, she’s photographing the swamps and winding trails in her backyard or she’s on a tennis court laughing and providing job security for her coach.
[image error]Her debut thriller, Broken Bayou, follows Dr. Willa Watters, a prominent child psychologist at the height of her career. But when a viral video of a disastrous television interview puts her reputation on the line, Willa retreats to Broken Bayou, the town where she spent most of her childhood summers. There she visits her aunts’ old house and discovers some of her unstable mother’s belongings still languishing in the attic—dusty mementos harboring secrets of her harrowing past. Willa’s hopes for a respite are quickly crushed, not only by what she finds in that attic but also by what’s been found in the bayou. With waters dropping due to drought, mysterious barrels containing human remains have surfaced, alongside something else from Willa’s past, something she never thought she’d see again. Divers, police, and media flood the area, including a news reporter gunning for Willa, and Travis Arceneaux—a local deputy and old flame.
Jennifer stops by In Reference to Murder to take some Author R&R about writing and researching her book:
When it comes to writing and researching, I work backward. I don’t do a lot of research before writing the first draft. Research can turn into quicksand for me so I like to get that first draft down the way I want it to happen first Then, in the next drafts, I change it to what should happen, according to my research.
With Broken Bayou, I started my research online and with the actual town. I printed out a map of southern Louisiana and marked where my made-up town would be on it.
Then I hand-drew a map of the town. I named the streets and added in the stores mentioned in the first draft. One of those stores is a place called Taylor’s Marketplace and Bait Shop. I fashioned it after a real store from my past, the halfway mark between my house and my grandparents’ house called Taylortown Store.
I also downloaded a floorplan to use as a reference for the house my protagonist returns to, Shadow Bluff.
Google Street View helped me look at police stations in small Louisiana towns and I watched several police press conferences on YouTube. I studied the details, the questions, the phrases used. And I compiled a folder with newspaper articles about the story that first gave me the idea for Broken Bayou. The articles were about a missing schoolteacher in New Orleans who accidentally drove her car into a bayou and when divers went in to fish it out, they discovered more than they bargained for. This quote from one of the articles stayed with me:
"Waterways are good dumping grounds…”
Once I was done with setting, I moved on to the delightfully gruesome task (yes, I’m one of those people) of interviewing a forensic pathologist and someone in Louisiana law enforcement. These interviews were over the phone and via email. The men I spoke with told me stories ranging from the strangely high numbers of serial killers in south Louisiana to a body farm in Tennessee to the rate of decomposition once a body is in water. More than once I asked for them to pause during a story so I could take a minute to shake off the images in my head. But that’s where I needed to go to get those pesky details right.
I also had the pleasure of visiting the North Louisiana Crime Lab where I took a tour of the morgue, the DNA sample room, and my favorite, the firearms room where they fired guns recovered from crime scenes to get the markings from the bullets. The room contained something called a firing tank which allowed a tech to fire a weapon into a long rectangular tank of water because water preserves the markings.
Guns are another area I wanted to research. In the past, I’ve taken gun safety classes and growing up in the Sportsman’s Paradise, I’ve had ample opportunities to shoot a gun. I know what one feels like in my hand, how it kicks, what it smells like. All important things to understand if any character at any time uses a gun.
In addition, I took an online class taught by a detective about gun myths and things that can happen on TV shows but not in books. Books are held to a different standard. Did you know that a car door will not block a bullet? I see characters hiding behind them all the time on TV. This is a no-no for a book though. Even in a fictitious town with made-up characters, the details still need to be factual.
Great YouTube video on these myths here: https://youtu.be/U6T0Za3aRI4?si=0ptF2Yu4z5dMyaeC
The most fun I had with my research though were the visits with a friend of mine who is a child psychologist, the profession of my protagonist. In the summer of 2020, we sat on her back porch and talked for hours. She led me through everything it takes to get a Ph.D. in her field - from college to grad school to dissertations and clinicals – all information I would only use as backstory. But I had to know what it took for my character to accomplish what she did. I learned phrases and tricks of the trade as well as a deeper understanding of children who have suffered trauma, are neurodiverse, or both. It was fascinating and heartbreaking and gave me such a deep respect for the profession.
I love to learn so research is something I look forward to. I also know if I start with it, I may never write the novel. I can get lost online or listening to stories or watching YouTube clips. That’s why I put it off until after the first draft. And a lot of what I researched for Broken Bayou never made it into the novel. As writers, we must pick and choose not only our words but also what research is important to include in those words. Too much research will bog down the pace, too little will fail to set up the moment. It’s quite the fine line. I treat research like a giant buffet. I spread it all out on the table, but I only put my favorites on the plate.
You can learn more about Jennifer Moorhead and her books via her website and follow her on Instagram and Facebook. Broken Bayou was just released via Thomas & Mercer and is available from all major booksellers.
July 1, 2024
Media Murder for Monday
[image error]It's the start of a new week and that means it's time for a brand-new roundup of crime drama news:
THE BIG SCREEN/MOVIES
Mishel Prada (The Continental) is joining Kiernan Shipka, Kiefer Sutherland, and Krysten Ritter in the action-thriller, Stone Cold Fox, currently in production in Los Angeles. In the ’80s-set revenge story, the defiant Fox (Shipka) breaks out of an abusive commune in search of her family. But when the queenpin (Ritter) kidnaps her little sister and sends a crooked cop (Sutherland) after her, Fox has no choice but to infiltrate the very place she escaped. Prada stars as Frankie, the ex-combat medic who joins forces with Shipka’s character to rescue her kidnapped sister from the abusive commune she once belonged to. Written by Sophie Tabet and Julia Roth, the project will mark Tabet’s directorial debut.
After a competitive auction, Amazon MGM Studios has landed the project Murder 101, with Jon Watts attached to direct. Watts will also produce alongside Dianne McGunigle and KT Studios’ Stephanie Lydecker. The film is based on the true story that unfolds in the true crime podcast of the same name from KT Studios and iHearts #1. Set in a small Tennessee town, the podcast told a story about how a group of high school students and their teacher, Alex Campbell, profiled a local serial killer which led to his capture.
IFC Films has snapped up North American rights to Skincare, a crime thriller starring Elizabeth Banks (A Mistake). Also starring Lewis Pullman (Top Gun: Maverick), Luis Gerardo Méndez (Charlie’s Angels), Nathan Fillion (The Rookie), and Michaela Jaé Rodriguez (Pose), the film is set to hit theaters on August 16. A fictional story inspired by true events, Skincare follows famed aesthetician Hope Goldman (Banks), who is about to take her career to the next level by launching her very own skincare line, though complications arise when rival facialist Angel Vergara (Méndez) opens a new skincare boutique directly across from her studio. She begins to suspect that someone is trying to sabotage her reputation and business, and together with her friend Jordan (Pullman), she embarks on a mission to unravel the mystery of who is trying to destroy her life.
TELEVISION/SMALL SCREEN
George Clooney’s remake of the French political drama series, The Bureau, has officially found its lead. Michael Fassbender is now confirmed to star in the series, which is now known as The Agency, having previously been titled The Department. Given a straight-to-series order at Showtime in 2023, the drama will premiere on Paramount+ with Showtime later this year and follows Martian (Fassbender), a covert CIA agent ordered to abandon his undercover life and return to London Station. When the love he left behind reappears, romance reignites. His career, his real identity and his mission are pitted against his heart; hurling both him and his love into a deadly game of international intrigue and espionage.
CBS is developing a new take on the detective series, Einstein, from Monk creators Andy Breckman and Randy Zisk. Brilliant but directionless, the great grandson of Albert Einstein spends his days as a comfortably tenured professor until his bad boy antics land him in trouble with the law and he is pressed into service helping a local police detective solve her most puzzling cases. This is the third attempt at developing the project for American television, including a version of the show that ran for three seasons in Germany, a gender-swapped version, and another that was in development at NBC. The German series, written by Martin Ritzenhoff and Matthias Dinter, was based on the 2015 movie they penned, and starred Tom Beck as Professor Dr. Felix "Einstein" Winterberg and Annika Ernst as police commissioner Elena Lange.
Fox is developing a supernatural crime procedural based on the Image Comics property, Proof. The book, which was created by Alex Grecian and Riley Rossmo, pairs two unlikely heroes together – disgruntled FBI Agent-in-Training Ginger Rodriguez and John "Proof" Prufrock, a jazz-loving Bigfoot – to protect the world from Cryptids: obscure creatures whose existence has yet to be proven. While these two start out as a surprising duo, they strike up an unlikely friendship, partnership, and even potential romance as they help save the world side by side.
PODCASTS/RADIO
On Crime Time FM, Erin Kelly (The House of Mirrors), Chris Whitaker (All the Colours of the Dark), and Vanessa Walters (The Lagos Wife) joined moderator Victoria Selman at the Capital Crime 2024 conference to discuss their panel, titled "The Ties That Bind," and their favorite reads, characters, and settings.
Meet the Thriller Writer welcomed Ace Atkins, a New York Times best-selling author and former crime beat reporter, to discuss his journey from journalism to fiction writing, emphasizing the importance of real-world experience and good writing skills. He also talked about his extensive career, including his role in continuing Robert B. Parker’s iconic Spencer series, and his own Quinn Coulson series.
On Wrong Place, Write Crime, Adam Plantinga, police sergeant and best-selling author of The Ascent, chatted with host Frank Zafiro.
This week's episode of the Crime Cafe podcast featured an interview with Clay Stafford, bestselling and award-winning author, poet, screenwriter, and playwright. He's also founder and CEO of Killer Nashville.
A new Mysteryrat's Maze Podcast is up featuring the prologue and first chapter of Lorie Lewis Ham's latest novel, One of You, read by actor Cady Mejias.
The Cops and Writers podcast looked into the mysterious world of death investigations with expert death investigator and host of the popular Death Calls podcast, Emily Speed.
The latest Pick Your Poison podcast investigated what pacifiers have to do with drugs, what toxin causes your brain to swell and how drinking too much water increases the risk, and which drug of abuse is currently under review by the FDA as medicine.
Related StoriesMedia Murder for Monday
June 29, 2024
Shamus Finalists for 2024
This year's finalists for the 2024 Shamus Awards, which are handed out by the Private Eye Writers of America, have been announced. (Note: PWA has apparently decided not to award in the Best Debut Novel category this year.) Winners will be revealed at the Bouchercon Opening Ceremonies in Nashville, Tennessee on Thursday, August 29th from 6:30 to 8:00pm (Delta Ballroom A, floor 2) at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. Congrats to all!
BEST PI HARDCOVER
Hard Rain by Samantha Jayne Allen (Minotaur Books)
Go Find Daddy by Steve Goble (Oceanview Publishing)
The Mistress of Bhatia House by Sujata Massey (Soho Crime)
The Bell in the Fog by Lev AC Rosen (Forge Books)
Heart of the Nile by Will Thomas (Minotaur Books)
BEST ORIGINAL PI PAPERBACK
Drums Guns ’N’ Money by Jonathan J. Brown (Down & Out Books)
Gillespie Field Groove by Corey Lynn Fayman (Konstellation Press)
The Truth We Hide by Liz Milliron (Level Best Books)
Bring the Night by J.R. Sanders (Level Best Books)
Liar’s Dice by Gabriel Valjan (Level Best Books)
BEST PI SHORT STORY
“Errand for a Neighbor” by Bill Bassman (January/February 2023, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine)
“Beyond Belief” by Libby Cudmore (May 2023, Tough)
“The Soiled Dove of Shallow Hollow” by Sean McCluskey (January/February 2023, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine)
“Imperfect Data” by Bob Tippee (January/February 2023, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine)
“Making the Bad Guys Nervous” by Joseph S. Walker (2023, Black Cat Weekly #102)
The Private Eye Writers of America thanks this year's panel of judges:
David Bart
O’Neil DeNoux
Lori Duffy Foster
Gay Toltl Kinman
Andrew McAleer
Paul McGoran
Patrick H. Moore
Richie Narvaez
Jim Nesbitt
Stephen D. Rogers
Kevin Burton Smith
Rosalie Spielman
