Sure, you’ve worked hard to perfect your manuscript. You’ve taken classes in writing, read books, joined a critique group and edited your work carefully. But now--What if your editor or agent spots the flaws in your knowledge of police work, medical injuries, and forensic science? Why damage your chances of publication success?
Instead, join us for Sisters in Crime’s Forensic University of St. Louis, November 1-4, 2007, at the Hilton St. Louis Airport in St. Louis. Our two-and-a-half intensive days of classes will help you write with authority and accuracy. Our student/instructor ratio will allow you to get your questions answered by experts. The hands-on opportunities will help you bring your scenes to life.
And if you join us for A Muddy Brew-Ha-Ha Party and Auction to benefit the Crime Lab Project Foundation, you’ll be able to bid on such fascinating items as a brick from Edgar Allen Poe’s house or a signed script from the cast of Law & Order. Plus, you’ll be helping crime labs all around the country.
Remember: Attendance is limited to 200. Go online and register today at http://www.sisterincrime.org/ForensicU Early registration ends June 15, and then the price goes up!
Our headliners have offered up 18 samples of what YOU could learn at Forensic University!
Here are the ideas submitted by Headliner Eileen Dreyer:
1) Doctors are forever telling the cop what caliber bullet caused the injury just from entrance and exit wounds. Doctors and nurses NEVER make that determination.
2) People do not pass out from pain. Believe me, they'd be happier if they did.
3) Everybody has a limited number of times they can be conked on the head before they forget to tie their shoelaces (Mannix should have been on life support).
4) If conked on the head hard enough to lose consciousness for any appreciable amount of time, the hero will not remember how it happened. He might not remember anything past breakfast that morning.
Next week, I'll post four things Dr. D.P.Lyle has noticed that most mystery authors get wrong.
See if your face should be red!
Friday, June 8, 2007
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Do you need to know anything about forensic science if you're writing cozies?
Yes, you do!
Your readers are well-informed, intelligent people. Given the viewership of dramatic programs such as "CSI" and "NCIS," and non-fiction programs such as "The Forensic Files" and "The New Detectives," your readers are also likely to have an interest in forensic science.
Mystery novels almost always include evidence of some sort. If your story includes a dead body, anyone with a gun, a poison, a sleeping potion, fingerprints, or any of a thousand other elements, if you don't do your homework, your readers may wonder why something impossible has happened -- why rigor mortis has or hasn't set in, why a body moved from one location to another shows no signs of such, why a dead body is bleeding, how someone detects drowning in salt water without an autopsy. They may ask why the symptoms don't match the type of poison you chose, why a revolver has a safety on it, or why police haven't taken known measures to solve a crime.
Even if your novel is set in the past, natural processes (such as those that occur in a body after death) and chemical reactions (such as those caused by poisons) haven't changed over the centuries. You may also need to be aware of how much was known about some areas of forensic science in earlier times -- and what was not yet known in the period you write about.
There is a long tradition of forensic science in the mystery novel -- Agatha Christie knew her poisons, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes often used trace evidence to solve crimes.
ForUStL will help you to better understand forensic science, teach you how to learn more, and how to incorporate what you learn at the conference in your writing. Who knows? The idea for your next book may be waiting for you in St. Louis!
Your readers are well-informed, intelligent people. Given the viewership of dramatic programs such as "CSI" and "NCIS," and non-fiction programs such as "The Forensic Files" and "The New Detectives," your readers are also likely to have an interest in forensic science.
Mystery novels almost always include evidence of some sort. If your story includes a dead body, anyone with a gun, a poison, a sleeping potion, fingerprints, or any of a thousand other elements, if you don't do your homework, your readers may wonder why something impossible has happened -- why rigor mortis has or hasn't set in, why a body moved from one location to another shows no signs of such, why a dead body is bleeding, how someone detects drowning in salt water without an autopsy. They may ask why the symptoms don't match the type of poison you chose, why a revolver has a safety on it, or why police haven't taken known measures to solve a crime.
Even if your novel is set in the past, natural processes (such as those that occur in a body after death) and chemical reactions (such as those caused by poisons) haven't changed over the centuries. You may also need to be aware of how much was known about some areas of forensic science in earlier times -- and what was not yet known in the period you write about.
There is a long tradition of forensic science in the mystery novel -- Agatha Christie knew her poisons, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes often used trace evidence to solve crimes.
ForUStL will help you to better understand forensic science, teach you how to learn more, and how to incorporate what you learn at the conference in your writing. Who knows? The idea for your next book may be waiting for you in St. Louis!
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Adjunct Faculty
We have Jan Burke, Eileen Dreyer, and local member Eleanor Sullivan to thank for this stellar line-up!
** Ann Burgess
Burgess is world-renowned in forensic science. Not only was she one of the authors of Sexual Homicide: Patterns and Motives (with the FBI's John Douglas and Robert Ressler -- an extremely important book, this was one of the first scientific studies of serial killers) and the Crime Classification Manual, Sexual Assault of Children and Adolescents. She’s also the author of more than 21 books and 135 articles) that are in use by those in medicine, psychology, criminology, forensic science, criminal justice -- everywhere. She's also published studies on trauma, violence against women, domestic violence, infant abductions, elder abuse and other important subjects. She founded one of the first hospital-based rape crisis intervention programs in Boston in 1972.
** Detective Joe Burgoon (retired)
With funds from a federal grant, Burgoon is heading an initiative to tackle more than 70 unsolved violent crimes warehoused at the St. Louis County Police Department. Burgoon, a local hero for his work on cold cases, will focus initially on cases likely to have DNA evidence. Burgoon retired after 27 years as a police homicide investigator with the St. Louis Police. He also works with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s Team Adam project. In his tireless pursuit of justice, Burgoon has appeared on Oprah to talk about unsolved crimes.
With funds from a federal grant, Burgoon is heading an initiative to tackle more than 70 unsolved violent crimes warehoused at the St. Louis County Police Department. Burgoon, a local hero for his work on cold cases, will focus initially on cases likely to have DNA evidence. Burgoon retired after 27 years as a police homicide investigator with the St. Louis Police. He also works with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s Team Adam project. In his tireless pursuit of justice, Burgoon has appeared on Oprah to talk about unsolved crimes.
** Mary Case, M.D.
Dr. Case is one of the country's leading medical examiners. A board certified pathologist with training and extensive experience in neuropathy, she has over 30 years of experience in forensic death investigation. She is a professor of pathology at St. Louis University Health Services Center. She's a fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (the leading forensic science organization in the US), the American Society of Clinical Pathology, and the College of American Pathologists. She has been on the Board of the National Association of Medical Examiners (she is currently on their planning and accreditation committees). She also has numerous publication credits.
Dr. Case is one of the country's leading medical examiners. A board certified pathologist with training and extensive experience in neuropathy, she has over 30 years of experience in forensic death investigation. She is a professor of pathology at St. Louis University Health Services Center. She's a fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (the leading forensic science organization in the US), the American Society of Clinical Pathology, and the College of American Pathologists. She has been on the Board of the National Association of Medical Examiners (she is currently on their planning and accreditation committees). She also has numerous publication credits.
** Mary Fran Ernst, B.S.
Ernst has over 40 years of experience in pathology and toxicology. She's a past president of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. She's also the recipient of AAFS General Section’s John R. Hunt Award (for Outstanding contributions to the forensic sciences) and the National Association of Medical Examiners Outstanding Service Award (for significant contributions to the advancement of the medicolegal investigation of deaths in the United States). She has been on the faculty of the St Louis University School of Medicine's Pathology Department since 1972, and coordinator of courses for their Forensic Pathology Elective since 1993, and since 1995 has served as the university's Director of Medicolegal Education. She has been a medicolegal death investigator with the St. Louis County ME's Office since 1975. She is the Co-Director of the Medicolegal Death Investigation Training Course sponsored by the Saint Louis University School of Medicine. She's a Board Certified Medicolegal Death Investigator. She's the author of numerous articles on death investigation, and is a co-author of a widely used text, The Medicolegal Death Investigator, and also the Handbook for Death Scene Investigators.
Ernst has over 40 years of experience in pathology and toxicology. She's a past president of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. She's also the recipient of AAFS General Section’s John R. Hunt Award (for Outstanding contributions to the forensic sciences) and the National Association of Medical Examiners Outstanding Service Award (for significant contributions to the advancement of the medicolegal investigation of deaths in the United States). She has been on the faculty of the St Louis University School of Medicine's Pathology Department since 1972, and coordinator of courses for their Forensic Pathology Elective since 1993, and since 1995 has served as the university's Director of Medicolegal Education. She has been a medicolegal death investigator with the St. Louis County ME's Office since 1975. She is the Co-Director of the Medicolegal Death Investigation Training Course sponsored by the Saint Louis University School of Medicine. She's a Board Certified Medicolegal Death Investigator. She's the author of numerous articles on death investigation, and is a co-author of a widely used text, The Medicolegal Death Investigator, and also the Handbook for Death Scene Investigators.
** Gwen Haugen
Haugen is a forensic anthropologist who has worked on death investigations in the U.S. and far beyond. As a member of the forensic anthropology team with the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) in Hawaii, she traveled to remote locations throughout the world to recover remains of members of the American military, including many cases from the WWII and Vietnam eras. She was the scientific leader of a team of 13 people, mostly Mortuary Affairs Specialists, who worked in Southeast Asia to search for unaccounted for Americans. An eyewitness account of Haugen’s work appears in Earl Swift’s Where They Lay: Searching for America’s Lost Soldiers.
Haugen is a forensic anthropologist who has worked on death investigations in the U.S. and far beyond. As a member of the forensic anthropology team with the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) in Hawaii, she traveled to remote locations throughout the world to recover remains of members of the American military, including many cases from the WWII and Vietnam eras. She was the scientific leader of a team of 13 people, mostly Mortuary Affairs Specialists, who worked in Southeast Asia to search for unaccounted for Americans. An eyewitness account of Haugen’s work appears in Earl Swift’s Where They Lay: Searching for America’s Lost Soldiers.
** Lt. Kevin Lawson
Lawson is Commander of the St. Louis County Police Department Crime Laboratory. He is responsible for the operational management of the crime laboratory and the forensic staff, which provides support services to the law enforcement agencies within the St. Louis County metropolitan area. The Police Crime Laboratory routinely handles in excess of 9,000 case analysis requests per year. The cases involve the forensic disciplines of chemistry, biology/DNA, firearms and tool marks and photography. Lawson also serves as an instructor in criminal investigation.
** Dr. Rena Roy
Lawson is Commander of the St. Louis County Police Department Crime Laboratory. He is responsible for the operational management of the crime laboratory and the forensic staff, which provides support services to the law enforcement agencies within the St. Louis County metropolitan area. The Police Crime Laboratory routinely handles in excess of 9,000 case analysis requests per year. The cases involve the forensic disciplines of chemistry, biology/DNA, firearms and tool marks and photography. Lawson also serves as an instructor in criminal investigation.
** Dr. Rena Roy
Roy is a DNA specialist who works at the Police Crime Lab.
** Rick McMahan
** Rick McMahan
As a civilian Special Agent for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Rick worked a wide range of person and property crimes from narcotics to theft to sexual assault to white collar fraud. Now, as a Special Agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) Rick has investigated extremist militias, violent street gangs, and outlaw motorcycle gangs, as well as being a firearms instructor and an on-the-job trainer for new agents. Rick's short stories have appeared in anthologies such as Techno Noire, Low Down & Derby, and the Mystery Writer’s of America Death Do Us Part, edited by Harlan Coben.
** Officer Pete St. James
St. James trains and handles his working partner, a 90-lb.German Shepherd named Bo. The dog was bred in and imported from Czechoslovakia. Bo is trained in “bite work” as a patrol dog and to track explosives. St. James also handles a mixed-breed/German Shepherd named Lucy. Lucy is a cadaver dog. Unlike service dogs, the audience can interact with these two canine guests! (That's me, Joanna, Officer St. James and Bo in the photo.)
St. James trains and handles his working partner, a 90-lb.German Shepherd named Bo. The dog was bred in and imported from Czechoslovakia. Bo is trained in “bite work” as a patrol dog and to track explosives. St. James also handles a mixed-breed/German Shepherd named Lucy. Lucy is a cadaver dog. Unlike service dogs, the audience can interact with these two canine guests! (That's me, Joanna, Officer St. James and Bo in the photo.)
Saturday, April 14, 2007
I Can't Believe It, Either
Since this is still my end of the process, I thought I'd update you on the latest in the faculty. This is news I never thought I'd be able to share, because this speaker is so in demand in the forensic and educational community, I never ever thought we might see her in the writing community. I can't begin to tell you how lucky we are that she's joining us.
Let me begin by saying that she is one of my personal heroes. She is the first forensic nurse. She was one of the four people who compiled the statistics and wrote the seminal work, Serial Homicide: Patterns and Motives that led to the founding of the Behavioral Sciences Unit at the FBI, and the practice of profiling. Two of the other names on that study you might recognize are John Douglas and Robert Ressler. The same team also collaborated on the Crime Classification Manual of violent crimes.
Ann Burgess is not a member of the FBI. She is a nurse and an educator who helped found one of the first hospital-based crisis counseling programs in the world. Her work at Boston College has helped revolutionize studies in impacts of violence on children and communities, elderly abuse, cyber-stalking and internet sex crimes. She teaches courses in victimology, forensic science, crime and justice, and continues her research in response patterns of crime victims, forensic markers in the elderly, and stalking and battering.
As Jan Burke said, I'd be perfectly happy to pay the entire tuition for Forensic U just to sit at this woman's feet and soak in her wisdom. Not to mention her experience. The difficulty we're having is in trying to pick one subject from her wealth of knowledge and experience to present. My instinct is to to focus on profiling and stalking. But I'd be happy to hear any interests from you.
The very best part is that, while Ann is the surprise, she is by no means the only star in our pantheon(okay, I get a bit excited when I think of the people we have coming). We now have, in addition to Lee Lofland, DP Lyle, Jan Burke and I, eight active forensic experts coming to share their expertise, another three waiting for agency approval, and one, whom if I don't hear from him soon is going to be about six inches shorter(I can say that because he's a good buddy--and a helluvan expert).
And my feeling is that if you're serious about your research, you can save all that time you troll all the different conferences to be able to listen to one, maybe two experts. We have them all right here, from forensic pathology to bomb and arson to DNA. And not just people who've been in the industry, or who have studied it. People who are working in it right now, who know the current concerns, practices and proclivities.
Joanna will be updating the bios on all the faculty soon. Don't wait too long to sign up. We have a limited number of spaces available. I really hope to see you there. I'll be the one sitting at Ann Burgess's feet vying for room with Jan Burke.
Eileen
Let me begin by saying that she is one of my personal heroes. She is the first forensic nurse. She was one of the four people who compiled the statistics and wrote the seminal work, Serial Homicide: Patterns and Motives that led to the founding of the Behavioral Sciences Unit at the FBI, and the practice of profiling. Two of the other names on that study you might recognize are John Douglas and Robert Ressler. The same team also collaborated on the Crime Classification Manual of violent crimes.
Ann Burgess is not a member of the FBI. She is a nurse and an educator who helped found one of the first hospital-based crisis counseling programs in the world. Her work at Boston College has helped revolutionize studies in impacts of violence on children and communities, elderly abuse, cyber-stalking and internet sex crimes. She teaches courses in victimology, forensic science, crime and justice, and continues her research in response patterns of crime victims, forensic markers in the elderly, and stalking and battering.
As Jan Burke said, I'd be perfectly happy to pay the entire tuition for Forensic U just to sit at this woman's feet and soak in her wisdom. Not to mention her experience. The difficulty we're having is in trying to pick one subject from her wealth of knowledge and experience to present. My instinct is to to focus on profiling and stalking. But I'd be happy to hear any interests from you.
The very best part is that, while Ann is the surprise, she is by no means the only star in our pantheon(okay, I get a bit excited when I think of the people we have coming). We now have, in addition to Lee Lofland, DP Lyle, Jan Burke and I, eight active forensic experts coming to share their expertise, another three waiting for agency approval, and one, whom if I don't hear from him soon is going to be about six inches shorter(I can say that because he's a good buddy--and a helluvan expert).
And my feeling is that if you're serious about your research, you can save all that time you troll all the different conferences to be able to listen to one, maybe two experts. We have them all right here, from forensic pathology to bomb and arson to DNA. And not just people who've been in the industry, or who have studied it. People who are working in it right now, who know the current concerns, practices and proclivities.
Joanna will be updating the bios on all the faculty soon. Don't wait too long to sign up. We have a limited number of spaces available. I really hope to see you there. I'll be the one sitting at Ann Burgess's feet vying for room with Jan Burke.
Eileen
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Plans! We've got plans!
We've had some wonderful experts sign on this week, and more to come! You've already heard that Dr. Mary Case and Gwen Haugen will be joining us. Dr. Doug Lyle, Eileen Dreyer, Lee Lofland and I are also looking forward to presenting information about writing, police procedure, and forensic science in a more in-depth fashion than we can at a fan convention or general writing conference.
This week, we've learned of several other experts who have agreed to join us! We will post more details about our faculty soon, so check back often. For now I'll just hint here that we'll have some nationally recognized professionals on hand to teach you about forensic science and police procedure.
You'll remember that we told you a few weeks ago that the early registrants are eligible for one of the limited spaces for a trip to an indoor shooting range on Thursday, November 1. Those spaces are almost gone, so sign up now and you can join us at Bull's Eye LLC Indoor Shooting Range. The shooting range trip costs an additional $35, but that low fee includes transportation from hotel, ammunition, safety gear, targets, and assistance from a trained range instructor.
This week, we've learned of several other experts who have agreed to join us! We will post more details about our faculty soon, so check back often. For now I'll just hint here that we'll have some nationally recognized professionals on hand to teach you about forensic science and police procedure.
You'll remember that we told you a few weeks ago that the early registrants are eligible for one of the limited spaces for a trip to an indoor shooting range on Thursday, November 1. Those spaces are almost gone, so sign up now and you can join us at Bull's Eye LLC Indoor Shooting Range. The shooting range trip costs an additional $35, but that low fee includes transportation from hotel, ammunition, safety gear, targets, and assistance from a trained range instructor.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Eileen checks in
Sorry I haven't been here before. I'm afraid I was on deadline, and when that's going on, nothing else is. So I'm finished, I'm back, and I'm gearing up to extend some more invitations to some of the best and brightest among the forensics community here in St. Louis and wherever I can find them.
The thing that might not be readily obvious about St. Louis is that we are at the forefront of the forensic community. We boast a past president of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, several of the people responsible for mandating certification and educating death investigators, (not to mention being the first to mandate minimum training for coroners), and a brand new, state-of-the-art crime lab(which Jan can certainly tell you is an aberration in this country). Which is why I'm thrilled that Sisters in Crime let us host the conference. You can't believe the wealth of talent here.
I can, because I trained under many of them. My forensic background is this. My official initials are RN, BS. I spent 20 years working hospitals in St. Louis, 16 in trauma. I trained in death investigation with at least one of our presenters, Dr. Mary Case. More on her later. You should already be salivating. I am a member of the International Association of Forensic Nurses. I do not call myself either a death investigator or forensic nurse, because I no longer practice. But I'm trained. And I've been lucky enough to be trained by the best.
So anyway, when Joanna and Jan said something to me about contacting the people I really respect in the industry to ask them to share their knowledge with us, I jumped all over it like flies on a rump roast. And my first introduction should tell you why.
I met Dr. Mary Case when she was just a forensic pathologist working for the St. Louis County Medical Examiner's office. You see, in our jurisdiction, all ER deaths must be cleared by the ME. The nurses were the ones who did the evaluating, so we talked regularly with the office. Anyway, now Mary is the ME for not only St. Louis County, but about six surrounding counties, in addition to being a consultant for several out of state jurisdictions. Her two certifications are in forensic and neuropathology(I'm going to hear her speak on concussions this summer--something pertinent to anybody who's ever had his or her protagonist hit over the head). Her special interest is pediatric situations. Mary made some of the most important discoveries in early infant shaken baby syndrome findings. She helped pass a law in Missouri that set up a panel to review every death under the age of 15 so that the burden wouldn't fall on small county coroners without sufficient funds or resources to do proper justice to these delicate cases. She is a world expert, and one of the finest teachers I've ever had.
Here's the best part. She's a passionate reader. She loves mysteries. In fact, you'll see her name in every one of my acknowledgements, because she is forever helping me with making sure the pathology and procedure in my books is accurate. When I invited her to join us, she didn't even have to think about it. She can't wait. And I can't wait until you meet her.
So that's my first introduction. There will be more later, next being Gwen Haugen....but you'll have to wait just a bit for her. After her, well, I'm making the calls now. But if I can get half of the people we're considering, I know we'll have a conference that will set the standard.
I can't wait.
Eileen Dreyer
The thing that might not be readily obvious about St. Louis is that we are at the forefront of the forensic community. We boast a past president of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, several of the people responsible for mandating certification and educating death investigators, (not to mention being the first to mandate minimum training for coroners), and a brand new, state-of-the-art crime lab(which Jan can certainly tell you is an aberration in this country). Which is why I'm thrilled that Sisters in Crime let us host the conference. You can't believe the wealth of talent here.
I can, because I trained under many of them. My forensic background is this. My official initials are RN, BS. I spent 20 years working hospitals in St. Louis, 16 in trauma. I trained in death investigation with at least one of our presenters, Dr. Mary Case. More on her later. You should already be salivating. I am a member of the International Association of Forensic Nurses. I do not call myself either a death investigator or forensic nurse, because I no longer practice. But I'm trained. And I've been lucky enough to be trained by the best.
So anyway, when Joanna and Jan said something to me about contacting the people I really respect in the industry to ask them to share their knowledge with us, I jumped all over it like flies on a rump roast. And my first introduction should tell you why.
I met Dr. Mary Case when she was just a forensic pathologist working for the St. Louis County Medical Examiner's office. You see, in our jurisdiction, all ER deaths must be cleared by the ME. The nurses were the ones who did the evaluating, so we talked regularly with the office. Anyway, now Mary is the ME for not only St. Louis County, but about six surrounding counties, in addition to being a consultant for several out of state jurisdictions. Her two certifications are in forensic and neuropathology(I'm going to hear her speak on concussions this summer--something pertinent to anybody who's ever had his or her protagonist hit over the head). Her special interest is pediatric situations. Mary made some of the most important discoveries in early infant shaken baby syndrome findings. She helped pass a law in Missouri that set up a panel to review every death under the age of 15 so that the burden wouldn't fall on small county coroners without sufficient funds or resources to do proper justice to these delicate cases. She is a world expert, and one of the finest teachers I've ever had.
Here's the best part. She's a passionate reader. She loves mysteries. In fact, you'll see her name in every one of my acknowledgements, because she is forever helping me with making sure the pathology and procedure in my books is accurate. When I invited her to join us, she didn't even have to think about it. She can't wait. And I can't wait until you meet her.
So that's my first introduction. There will be more later, next being Gwen Haugen....but you'll have to wait just a bit for her. After her, well, I'm making the calls now. But if I can get half of the people we're considering, I know we'll have a conference that will set the standard.
I can't wait.
Eileen Dreyer
Friday, March 9, 2007
Further progress!
I'm just dropping a quick note here on a week that has been a little crazy for all of us, to let you know that we have added a couple of great speakers! More about this next week, but let's just say that you will be hearing from a great forensic anthropologist and...okay, Eileen, I won't steal your thunder re: the other announcement!
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