One
of the best parts about Stonecoast, the MFA
program I completed, was the opportunity to meet writers in other genres –
fiction and poetry of course, but Stonecoast offers one of the nation's only
MFA concentrations in popular fiction. Which is how a nonfiction writer like me
got friendly with Karen Pullen. Karen's debut mystery novel, Cold Feet (published by Five Star Cengage), was
released in hardback in January, and in ebook format last month. She's
published stories in Ellery Queen Mystery
Magazine, Spinetingler, Every Day Fiction and anthologies,
and teaches occasional workshops at Central Carolina Community College.
Please
welcome Karen Pullen.
The
typical mystery writer is a voracious reader who made her literary way from
Nancy Drew to Agatha Christie and now devours Ruth Rendell, PD James, and Sue
Grafton. She’s probably an introvert, a homebody, a mild soul. She owns cats. She’s a mom, a teacher, a
social worker, a librarian. (No kidding,
this description fits me and 90 percent of the mystery writers I know.)
Her
only contact with law enforcement and the criminal justice system has been jury
duty and her vote for a sheriff. She’s never been in a jail, known anyone who
went to prison, compared fingerprints, interpreted blood spatter, or
interviewed a “person of interest.”
But
her readers expect and deserve authenticity, whether she’s writing about the
FBI, evidence analysis, or the local police department.
So
what’s a writer to do? How can she write convincingly of courtroom procedure,
forensics, prison, DNA evidence, drug smuggling, human trafficking – with virtually
no personal experience?
Lee Lofland – retired
police investigator, author and consultant -- to the rescue. Four years ago, he
organized an intensive three-day, hands-on conference
held at Guilford Technical Community College in Jamestown NC, the site of a law
enforcement, EMS, and firefighter training facility -- Writers’ Police Academy.
WPA is a blast. I’ve been twice. In 2012, I managed to
squeeze in less than half the offerings, so of course I had to go back, along
with about 160 other mystery writers.
This year’s WPA began with a vehicle
extrication. We watched a heavy rescue team take apart a car by prying open
doors, removing its roof and lifting the dashboard. Impressive teamwork.
Heavy Rescue 1, car 0.
Kathy Bradley,
a writer, smart lady, and juvenile court DA from Georgia, told us how to get it
right in the courtroom – the layout, who’s there, order of business. So many details! For example, I didn’t know
that a defendant can waive a jury trial and ask for a bench trial before a
judge, when the crime is so heinous that a jury won’t be sympathetic. And the
most important characters in the courtroom? Lawyers, with witnesses a close
second.
The chief of police of Thibodaux,
Louisiana, Scott Silverii,
gave an overview of law enforcement organizations and their structure, and told
us fascinating anecdotes about small-town policing after Hurricanes Katrina and
Rita devastated his area. Did you know that it’s better to be stopped for
speeding by a sheriff’s deputy than a policeman? Since sheriffs are elected,
they court good will. Scott also shared the three most common calls to a police
department: false alarms, animal complaints, and keys locked in car. Not very
glamorous!
Dr. Dan Krane,
a professor and DNA expert, described the science of DNA analysis and also the potential for
misuse of DNA as evidence. DNA can be
planted, old, transferred innocently, contaminated in the lab, or
misinterpreted. I’m definitely going to watch his videos.
DNA misuse would make a twisty mystery plot.
When we gathered outside on Saturday
morning, someone observed an abandoned backpack and summoned a bomb squad. Reno, a beautiful German Shepard and trained
bomb-sniffer alerted to explosives in the backpack. A remote-controlled robot picked it up
and carried it farther away, then a technician in a bomb suit laid a charge
next to it, to be detonated remotely. Phew! We were safe, and wiser in the ways
of bomb squads.
Even the bloggers among us found too
much to describe – ride-alongs, firearms training simulation, underwater
evidence recovery, traffic stops, new recruit training, building search, microbiology,
fire scene investigation, arrest techniques, street prostitution, cold case
investigation. The professionals were there to teach us what they do, the
departments to bring their equipment to demonstrate, the scientists to explain
the research.
Equally important to me were the
personalities. Generally speaking, I find cops to be reserved, wary. They are
not selling anything, they are not trying to entertain. At WPA, they seemed to
uphold my impressions -- protective of each other, skilled, committed, and preferring
never to fire their weapon. They answered any number of questions honestly,
fully, and carefully. They seemed to appreciate the opportunity to explain so
writers could get our facts right.
subsidizes members’ cost for WPA, making
it very affordable for seven members of our chapter (only $100 each for the
three days).
WPA sells out very quickly, and no
wonder. It’s the coolest, most exciting (writing, or maybe any!) conference
I’ve ever attended.
Note: Karen will stop by the blog several times over the next few days, to answer any questions you'd like to ask her, about the WPA, mystery writing, her book, etc. Just leave it in comments.
