Obsessed with True Crime discussion
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The Rules Of Life According To TC
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Fishface wrote: "This discussion is for rules we've learned about life from TC books, or rules about TC books themselves as gleaned from our extensive reading. I'll start:Rule 1:
There is always "room for one mo..."
LOL true -- and the theories keep changing
Rule 2: All TC books require that the word "obsession" appear at least once on the jacket blurb, preferably more than once.
Rule 3: A black-and-red color scheme is not required on the jacket of a TC book, but other color schemes are, shall we say, frowned upon -- the way a ruffled tuxedo shirt is frowned upon when everyone else appears at the event without ruffles.
Rule 4: All books on serial killers are about the MOST infamous serial killer.
Fishface wrote: "This discussion is for rules we've learned about life from TC books, or rules about TC books themselves as gleaned from our extensive reading. I'll start:Rule 1:
There is always "room for one mo..."
Speaking of which I just posted a new Ripper book in the TC Published in 2017 section.
Rule # 52 There must be "dark corners" in the history of every victim in a true crime book, at least in the blurbs.
Shelley wrote: "Fishface wrote: "This discussion is for rules we've learned about life from TC books, or rules about TC books themselves as gleaned from our extensive reading. I'll start:Rule 1:
There is always..."
:) So did I!
Rule #363: According to federal law, the word "obsession" must appear at least once on the jacket of every TC book published. Jacket copy writers using that term correctly face up to 150 years in a federal penitentiary or a fine of $75.
Rule #13 Always be suspicious of anyone with the name Wayne
Terri wrote: "Rule #13 Always be suspicious of anyone with the name Wayne"TOTALLY.
And #13a - Do not name your kid something weird, like Coral.
K.A. wrote: "And #13a - Do not name your kid something weird, like Coral."LOL
Rule# 279: Never give your son a girl's name, like Carroll or Leslie.
Shelley wrote: "Rule 4: All books on serial killers are about the MOST infamous serial killer."And Prolific! Don't forget Most Prolific!
Jlsimon wrote: "Shelley wrote: "Rule 4: All books on serial killers are about the MOST infamous serial killer."And Prolific! Don't forget Most Prolific!"
Rule #273: If the serial killer is run-of-the-mill, with nothing unusual about his M.O. and only a small number of victims, the jacket blurb is required, on pain of a lengthy prison sentence, to include the phrase "most prolific."
I don't know what rule number this is but one thing I have learned is: Do not actually talk about your True Crime obsession because people will start to wonder about you (or so I am told by my grandchildren).
"Jlsimon wrote: "And Prolific! Don't forget Most Prolific!""Case in point: "The Bundy Secrets: Hidden Files on America's WORST Serial Killer"
Bundy was not the worst if we go by numbers. I was looking at my books and so many of them have the word "most" in the title as in "most evil, most shocking, most dangerous, most notorious or most vile". Geez, they all can't be top dog.
Here's some that are a bit more imaginative (being sarcastic) that I am literally using copy/paste from Calibre where I keep track of all book reads and to read:Most Unthinkable and Heinous
Most Sadistic
Most Grotesque
Most Barbaric
Most Wicked
Most Savage
Most Mysterious and Horrific
Most Terrifying
Shelley wrote: "Bundy was not the worst if we go by numbers. I was looking at my books and so many of them have the word "most" in the title as in "most evil, most shocking, most dangerous, most notorious or most vile". Geez, they all can't be top dog."TC Rule #363: Some of the dead are less dead than others. Some deaths are more tragic. The murder of a single blonde child from a wealthy family is worth more than the cruel deaths of two dozen African-American prostitutes. Thus, the pretty middle-class gals who lost their lives to Bundy make him the worst of the worst. Well, that, and also because we ought to be able to trust such a nice-looking young feller who made it into law school.
There has to be a rule that to be an authentic true crime book which includes the trial of the suspect, that trial has to be the most sensational trial of the year (decade, century). For you criminal lawyers out there, how does one measure sensational-ness?
Fishface wrote: "Shelley wrote: "Bundy was not the worst if we go by numbers. I was looking at my books and so many of them have the word "most" in the title as in "most evil, most shocking, most dangerous, most no..."Fishface wrote: "Shelley wrote: "Bundy was not the worst if we go by numbers. I was looking at my books and so many of them have the word "most" in the title as in "most evil, most shocking, most dangerous, most no..."<
I totally agree with TC rule #363, Fishface. Btw, what is the backstory of the (I hope) nickname?
I got the nickname Fishface my first year in college, given to me by a friend who was still in high school. We all had goofy nicknames and very often some interest of theirs got connected to the word "Face" to create a total identity. I happen to be crazy about fish, especially goldfish, so Fishface was sort of an inevitable monicker for me. It's expanded over time. I now write a column for fish who are planning to take over the human race: http://walkingcatfish.blogspot.com/
Speaking of "Most" and other overblown descriptions...What's up with all the trials claiming to be the trial of the century (last century)?
O J Simpson
Leopold and Loeb
Lindbergh kidnapping
Manson Family
and so on...
I would pick the O J trial because I watched a lot of it.
Fishface wrote: "I got the nickname Fishface my first year in college, given to me by a friend who was still in high school. We all had goofy nicknames and very often some interest of theirs got connected to the wo..."Ahh... Interesting... My college nickname was Bull... I have a short, stocky neck which led to some interesting intractions with locals in Alberqueque, N M, Honduras, and Korea. The good old days
Rule #27: Every lawyer involved in a high-profile court case is to be described as "flamboyant," even if he looks and acts like a retired IBM salesman.
Flamboyant Lawyer sounds like a good name for a band.
If it were my band I would call it Attorney of Record. Somehow that has extra zing.
Rule #279, once more, is NEVER give your son a girl's name. Carroll Eddie Cole, Richard Fran Biegenwald, and Leslie Williams are all good examples. Guys who choose to go by a girl's name, like Coral Watts, are simply asking for trouble.The follow-up to that is rule #280: that you should never dress your son like a girl. Henry Lee Lucas and Charlie Manson were both sent to their first day of kindergarten in dresses, and look how they turned out. Guys who choose to dress like girls -- examples being Jeff Gorton, Denis Rader, and Frank Spisak -- are just asking for trouble.
Rule #1003: Never name your son Ivy. See Stolen Away: The True Story of California's Most Shocking Kidnap-Murder and Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde.
Ivy Toms
Rule #72: O.J. totally did it.Corollary to Rule #72: No, he didn't. It's a conspiracy against him.
Corollary to the corollary: Yes, he did too. And then he stole some stuff.
Corollary to the corollary to the corollary: Oh, please, he didn't steal anything. Get real.
Fishface wrote: "Rule #72: O.J. totally did it.Corollary to Rule #72: No, he didn't. It's a conspiracy against him.
Corollary to the corollary: Yes, he did too. And then he stole some stuff.
Corollary to the corol..."
And he's not Black - he is OJ
Rule #377: Ignore Travis Alexander's reprehensible behavior. Jodi Arias is nothing but a flaming B-word and that's the end of it.
Rule #22: Never have anything to do with a guy named Peterson. If you do you'll be sorry. Marrying him is the same as signing your own death warrant.
Koren wrote: "I don't know what rule number this is but one thing I have learned is: Do not actually talk about your True Crime obsession because people will start to wonder about you (or so I am told by my gr..."
LOL Yeah, my niece actually told her boyfriend that even though her dad is a state cop that if he tried anything she would sick me on him. I knew all the best ways to hide a body.
Rule #33, sub-paragraph B: Any serial killer caught inside the Continental U.S. before 1888 can, according to federal, state and local laws, be called "America's First Serial Killer!" on the book jacket.Sub-paragraph C: If you file the right forms with the proper agency, you are also allowed to call any serial killer caught before 1935 "America's First!!" without legal ramifications. Be sure to keep a copy in case the FBI comes knockin.'
Modelling your life after the life of a criminal who was caught and punished is a fool's errand. As Jeff Dahmer once observed:
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Obsessed with True Crime
Books mentioned in this topic
Stolen Away: The True Story of California's Most Shocking Kidnap-Murder (other topics)Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde (other topics)
Rule 1:
There is always "room for one more" when it comes to books about Jack the Ripper.