#who will take one for the team and ask me my top 5 joan paintings i want to see redrawn with gerard

[nedlittle]

Top 5 MCR songs? Also, top 5 Gerard Way Looks?

beginning to think i didn't think this through because i have so much love in my heart that choosing favourite songs feels illegal. they're all my favourite (except for blood which I think is hilarious as a concept but would never voluntarily listen to it) however

vampires will never hurt you - they immediately peaked with this one i genuinely think it's in top 3 songs they've ever written on sheer technical creativity. the first 30 seconds send a spike of pure adrenaline through my body. i could lift a bus if vampires was playing in the bg. absolutely deranged choice for a first single yet absolutely in character for them. love that half the songs off bullets don't even feel like songs that are verse > chorus > verse > chorus > bridge > chorus. they're just stories set against the sicknastiest guitar you've ever heard. but vampires in particular feels like everyone is performing until they pass out the energy doesn't flag for half a second. perfect song. i could listen to it every day and not get tired of it

boy division - iconic from start to finish. the amount of time tourists walked in one me going absolutely sicko mode to this one on slow days is at LEAST 3. love how tongue-in-cheek the lyrics are wrt to legacy and image love that i have listened to this song approximately 4000 times since mid-july and yet i do not know half the lyrics bc someone will not enunciate. putting it after foundations on setlists is such a fun choice because it really doesn't give you a second to breathe. going straight from the healing and awe and resilience of being told to fix your heart IMMEDIATELY into IFALLMYENEMIESTHREWAPARTY--

the foundations of decay - i know i'm prone to exaggeration and hyperbole but this one is dead fucking serious. the first time i listened to foundations i was like oh wow new music! and i liked it well enough but didn't seek it out or really think about it that much the first few times i heard it and then during the summer i saw some fanart and thought oh hm maybe i should give foundations another listen and that time i heard "you must fix your heart" clear as a fucking bell like a bolt of lightning clean through down to the centre of me right when i was experiencing such intense existential dread about turning 25--an age i never thought i'd reach--and not having a stable job or future that i thought i would lay down and die from it. you must fix your heart!! and you must build an altar where it swells!! i just had such a profound experience hearing that lyric and i listened to just the bridge over and over again for a week until i could hear it like static in my ears even when it wasn't playing. you must fix your heart. if i remember and get over my fear of appointments i'm going to get this tattooed on my human body. i mean this forever.

mama - do not need to explain this one. ray toro i would fight god for you thank you for taking a dare to write a rock polka 100% seriously and as a result transgenderizing millions of people across the globe on a daily basis. also up there in top 3 songs they've ever written. screaming YOU SHOULD HAVE RAISED A BABY GIRL I SHOULD HAVE BEEN A BETTER SON with thousands of people would both fix me and make me worse. LIZA MINNELLI is there

our lady of sorrows - the childhood catholicism really jumped out with this one but in my defense stand up fucking tall don't let them see your back and take my fucking hand and never be afraid again. gay-ass epic of gilgamesh-ass punk song. i know the point is that it's short but also i wish it were 10 minutes long

okay jesus christ we're putting the looks under a read more because i'm going to end up writing a phd thesis on each of them and the good people who followed me for other things shouldn't have to scroll 10 km uphill in the snow to see other posts

i am limiting these looks to recent tour fits because otherwise we will be here for the next 7 years and i will end up burning all the hair off my scalp in another bad dye job SO let's watch me get embarrassing

gerard of arc

protestants invented the rapture so they could describe mcr. we knew this one was coming the only question was when a joan outfit was coming and boy howdy did they deliver. i don't know if this one would have been as impactful if there wasn't already a mini-joan canon within their discography but because there have been years and years of build up to gerard going full joan, waking up and seeing this was pure vindication. also helps that i'm a big fan of the og joan fit at voodoofest in 2008 (2007?). love the change from the red skirt that's often associated with joan (especially in millais' painting) to a red cape so that instead it's chainmail all the way down. also there's something so striking about a chainmail gown. apart from the arm braces and the piece at the breastbone there's no real armour, even regular textiles that look like armour--i mean, practicality. you don't wanna pass out midway through na na na. also the BLOOD post-stake joan and the big ass buckle boots! i'm so glad someone got a visual on the boots bc the shoes often make or break an outfit for me and i was trying to figure out wtf they had underrneath the gown without sounding like a perv. the little joan sticker on his wizard noise tower. saints for girls. give this bitch a sword. if i talk about this too long i will be fully insane. moving on

2. high school english teacher who you homoerotically imprinted on but specifically with the jacket + glasses

feel like i do not need to explain this one. best they've ever looked unironically. it was all over for me the second i saw the pearl bracelet. the day after this happened i went to the heterosexual wedding of a high school friend in what i can only describe as a slightly more masc version of this fit which was likened by my friends to both a dead victorian child and a medieval knight. this look was my lockscreen until joan happened and genuinely my life has not known a single moment of peace since. i am not exaggerating when i say that on nights i knew there was a show i had trouble sleeping because i was tormented by the idea of gerard way out in public wearing a cunty little outfit. one night i genuinely woke up in a cold sweat and the first coherent thought was "what if an outfit happened" because i am Extremely Normal. i invented a brand new emotion looking at this and that emotion is 'gender horny' and no i do not know what that means. someone needs to take me out back and old yeller me i can't keep living like this. next

3. cheergate original flavour

i wasn't following the tour rabidly or having Hot Kit Emo Summer yet so the morning after cheergate og i was innocently scrolling through tumblr, saw fanart, and went wait. WAIT. and then mine eyes were blessed by images and the little gay people in my phone going from awe to horniness back to awe at breakneck speed. if this hadn't been on my day off i'm not sure how i would have coped. you think i would have been able to balance a cashbox in the wake of cheergate? i can barely do that under normal circumstances. sometimes gender is a horseshoe that swings back around to you with someone else's euphoria, sometimes it's contagious like laughter. the delicately puffed sleeves are what does me in specifically. puffed sleeves pristine white sneakers tiny little socks smooth ass legs. if i think for more than three minutes about the possibility of the cheerleading dress being the defining outfit of the return era i immediately get a tension headache. there are kids who got into mcr during the break up and this is going to be THEIR gerard....i need to put my head into a blender.

4. cunt dragula/count fagula

99% perfect recreation of bela lugosi in dracula 1931 HELLO?? (1% imperfect because the tailcoat is cut weirdly high both for a beat-by-beat recreation and 1930s evening wear in general and i cannot stop looking at it) i love this one bc it's just so Fun and the details are so theatre kid-y that i am reduced to self-recognition through the other. tinted hair gel. white foundation. drawn-on eyebrows. the way the cape swishes. we love to have fun here this one looked so fun to wear. even though i am not a big fan of dracula 1931 i am Not Immune to dracula 1931. glad there was a gud evening 9 years in the making :)

5. pool boy at the vampire mansion

fully-fledged character in 6 words. pool boy at the vampire mansion is like a mother to me. this falls into the category of outfits that i have deemed in my Big Spreadsheet of Tour Outfits (i am extremely mentally healthy thank you for asking) 'camp counsellor fits'. looks EXTREMELY comfy and even though it's so simple, everything works together so well even the clear face mask which i always forget exists. i love you tiniest shorts on planet earth. i love you crooked hand-lettered t-shirt handmade with love. i love you black converse. i would say more about this but the thing about living with your parents at 25 is that if my mother comes upstairs to drag me to the dinner table she will see me being extremely abnormal about gerard way online.

bonus points to: nurse (made me reread hanif abdurraqib's extremely wonderful black parade essay also gave me insane emotions re: my own concepts of health and chronic pain lol), lil ghostie (my close personal friend :^)), fruit bat drag queen (newark 1, would have been #4 if not for dracula)

[michael-radi-the-glamorous-life]

Hold Your Breath. Make A Wish. Count To Three.

You know how you sometimes have this dream - it could be a nighttime thing, or a daydream, or some lofty ethereal goal - but it’s something you just can’t quite imagine. It’s there and you can almost picture it, but only ever just almost.

I’ve had so many of these dreams that I lost count long ago. But I think it’s something that’s just in the DNA of artists and creative types.

Right?

Well, beginning sometime around the fall of 2016 I had this dream (the goal kind) of what it would be like, feel like, look like, sound like, etc to see The King’s Legacy - which had finally found the correct structure - come to life in a full production.

It simultaneously felt easily attainable and yet a thousand years off. I truly could almost see it happening. But it wasn’t happening - not yet anyway. So all I could do was just keep imagining and letting various scenarios pass through my head.

But I will tell you that, when it came down to the reality, it was nothing like I had imagined.

It was so much better.

Come With Me And You’ll Be In A World Of Pure Imagination

Writers are often asked:

“Do you see the show in your head as you write? Are you staging it? Directing it?”

And I am absolutely certain that some writers can and do.

But not me.

That’s not to say that I’m not imagining how it could possibly go and making sure that it seems workable, both as someone who has directed and continues to perform as an actor. But I either do not have the ability or the synapse wiring to fully direct the show in my brain as I write/create the entire world of a possible production. For me, it’s more a conglomeration of possibilities than it is a concrete idea.

And that’s where Chris J. Handley comes into the story.

I’ve known Chris as an actor since 2014 and one of the first things that struck me about him is that he is - plainly and simply - extremely good at what he does: as an actor, singer, emcee, and overall professional. He is an artistic force to be reckoned with.

Last year I had the pleasure of finally encountering Chris as a director as well (in The Spider’s Web at BVT). I had a small role, but I thoroughly enjoyed sitting in on the rehearsals - even when I was not needed - just to watch Chris work and direct. His intelligence and grasp of overall picture, while never letting the details slip away, is really a special experience.

So when I was told Chris would be the director for The King’s Legacy this summer, I was thrilled.

There is much I could say about the process of working with Chris on the script prior to the actual production, but the biggest takeaway for me from our early conversations was that he had a complete and utter grasp on what the piece was, wanted to be, its flow, its importance, and all of the layers that were on the page. It was like being fully seen for the first time - our conversations were deep and productive and wonderful.

And - if you would indulge me another moment - when we got to the summer and I finally got see the production elements that he had put together with the designers, I knew he truly understood the piece.

There was no doubt: this musical was going to truly come to life.

We’ll Begin With A Spin

There is a flow to the script of The King’s Legacy that is, potentially, a little difficult to find.

With the framing device of having the show performed by a troupe of Elizabethan Players, there are elements of narration and driving storyline that move the piece quickly between scenes and songs. And there’s a great deal of storytelling that must be done very quickly.

What Chris and the entire design team put together was a show that could move as quickly, freely, and easily as the words and performers have to move.

There is space. There is freedom. There is an element of play built directly into the production from the top down. And it’s awesome.

In a show where there is a great deal of information, 20 characters, and countless scene shifts, the whole experience can be somewhat dizzying at times. And when that is appropriate to the piece, they’ve allowed it to continue to exist in that way. And at times when we’d rather not give that experience to the audience, they figured out a way to create a more grounded experience, without losing the sense of movement.

Running through the show for the very first time in the rehearsal room was, as an actor, an exhausting and delightfully rewarding experience. The show is a runaway train that can never slow down or stop until it absolutely must, and it is this movement that Chris has infused throughout the entire show so masterfully.

The core, the heart, of this show has been lain bare for the audience, and it’s a beautiful experience.

Traveling In The World Of My Creation

Now, as the writer, walking into the theater is an awe-inspiring experience. Every time.

They built a world. There is literally a different world built in our space. And it’s the world of the show that I wrote…

I mean, whoa. That’s the coolest thing - like - period. Holy wow.

It’s beautiful. It’s magical. It’s period. Yet it’s not. It’s theatrical. It’s musical. And it’s our world - our home - for the next 9 days.

There have been a number of incredible experiences for me working in theater - as an actor, musical director, educator, and so on - but the experience of walking into this world fully realized for the first time is not something I am going to forget any time soon.

There it is. It’s right there.

Is it what I imagined? Nope. No way.

It’s so much better.

If You Want To View Paradise, Simply Look Around And View It

So, as we walk into our opening night tonight, what do I want to say?

I’m really not sure.

All I know that I can say is that I am so thankful and grateful for having been given the opportunity to bring this show to life for the first time, and with this insanely talented group of people. This team has been nothing short of incredible, and I could not be happier with the work they have done and the world they have built.

This world - this dream - exists because of these amazing individuals, who I must give credit to:

Executive Artistic Director - Karin Bowersock

Associate Artistic Director - Katelyn Cantu

Director - Chris J. Handley

Assistant Director - Kate Reynolds

Set Design - Christopher and Justin Swader

Lighting Design - Mary Ellen Stebbins

Costume Design - Sammi Miller

Costumes/Wardrobe - Valerie Frizzell

Costume Assistants - Joan Luther, Joan York

Sound Design - Rich Miller

Musical Director - Annabelle Revak

Stage Manager - Morgan Montgomery

Assistant Stage Manager - Andrea Armer

Choreographer - Adam Corcoran

Assistant Choreographer (+) - Meaghan Finlay

Dramaturg - Liz Porter Woods

Technical Director - Sam Santoianni

Assistant Technical Director - Mary Atchley

Props Mistress - Ammy Roth

Props/Paints - Mary Claunch

Carpentry - Mars Peterson, Ace Evans

Electrics - Amber Hahn, Amanda Ryan

Marketing/Administration - Emily Haan

Administration - Angela Einwachter

House Manager - Mary Peaty

Box Office/Front of House - Caity Peaty, Angela, Kyle Rook

Player 1 - Mike Kinzer

Player 3 - Mark Poppleton

Player 4 - Jennifer Arfsten

Player 5 - Hannah Karpenko

Player 6 - Alex Loucks

Player 7 - Tess Marshall

Player 8 - Leigh Martha Klinger

Player 9 - Bunny Baldwin (care of Joyce Baldwin)

As you can see, it really does take a village.

And now, all that is left to do is to soak in this paradise together - as artists, as creatives, as audience, and as lovers of theatre.

Yeah. Let’s do this thing.

[nextgennews-blog1]

A Beginner’s Guide To Ryan Murphy by Xander Kozak

Greetings! Welcome to the insane and wildly confusing world of Ryan Murphy’s TV shows. So, you’ve decided that you’d like to binge watch something and you think, “Hey, that Ryan Murphy sure does make a lot of TV shows these days. Maybe I should invest my time into them!”

What a great but mostly terrible idea, potential viewer!

I am here to help you make that decision. Whether it be ‘American Horror Story’, 'Feud: Bette and Joan’, or not watching anything he’s made at all, I am dedicated to making sure you reach the best conclusion. 

The first thing you need to keep in mind is this. Any given Ryan Murphy series has only one good season in it before it starts to get as cocky as the quarterback of a high school football team. It did one thing really well, and will ride that victory for as long as it will go. Which in the case of ‘American Horror Story’ is more than seven years. Why don’t we use that as our prime example? Great idea, I know. 

As an anthology series, the show will have a different theme and set of characters every year. Which is essentially a great way of saying “We are gonna milk this cow until it’s nothing but bones”. Season one, which centered around a haunted house which has the simple curse of harboring the ghosts of people who died inside of it began this congealed ball of tangled Christmas lights on fire.  

To be perfectly honest, this season is legitimately well done, as to say, it is the least terrible of the 6 seasons we have available. That might be a slightly unfair statement, but season 5 is tantamount to ‘Death Bed: The Bed That Eats’, but with more wooden delivery from Lady Gaga and an overly excited Matt Bomer doing a victory dance to Drake’s ‘Hotline Bling’ and less beds that eat people. Not none, just less. 

Once you get past certain terrible dialogue from the pilot such as “I HATE TREES” from perhaps the most annoying set of twins ever shot on film, you have a well thought out and interesting take on horror that blends atmosphere and camp better than it should. 

It also effectively resurrected the career of the great Jessica Lange, so I certainly owed Murphy one for that. 

You see, season one of AHS wrapped up nicely and left basically no unanswered questions, but still managed to have an ambiguous ending which was both satisfying and excitingly debatable. Season two, which was called ‘American Horror Story: Asylum’, was doing rather well up until they decided “Pssshhh... forget the whole haunted insane asylum thing, let’s go all ‘Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull’ on this bitch and make it about aliens!”. 

A moment such as this is what I like to refer to as the Murphy point. A single moment in a series when he stops trying to make his content great and throws whatever skullduggery the writers think of on screen. It’s like if the ideas were darts, and the writers were the drunk patrons of a bar, throwing them at a target, hoping they will stick. Some of the ideas are bad, some are pretty good, but you can bet your bottom dollar that they weren’t looking when they pick up those darts. Was it a good idea to cast some of the greatest actresses we have such as Angela Bassett and Kathy Bates? It sure was! Was it a bad idea to exploit another great actress by having her masturbate to a Minotaur on screen for shock value? A thousand times yes, my friends. That is how a Murphy program works. Once the aforementioned Murphy point has been reached, for every good idea, there are five bad ones.  

Don’t believe me? 

Well, unfortunately for you non believers, I have first hand knowledge of this. I happened to be in a certain hotel lobby at the time Murphy was staying in a hotel (at the same time American Horror Story: Hotel aired on TV... I can only imagine he was doing research on hotels, but after his series aired, kinda like a high school junior studying for a mid term after already failing it) in NYC. He and some of his colleagues were in the lobby as well, and I decided to myself that I would be a nosy Nancy, because how many of you would say that you wouldn’t listen in on a celebrity conversation in public if you had the chance. I don’t see any raised hands. So I turned off my podcast about cooking while naked, and left my headphones in as to give the illusion that I wasn’t eavesdropping on Mr. Murphy. The following quote from is in fact verbatim. I heard Ryan Murphy himself say, “Is AHS: Hotel good or terrible? Because I can’t tell anymore”. 

There you have it folks, straight from the horse on top of a high horse’s mouth. After enough time on a series, even he has no idea what to make of it. 

If you want to see Murphy at his best, then I will turn you to his adaptations of real life events. Because if he isn’t in control of the original story telling, he can actually paint an excellent and surprisingly compelling picture of events from our past. His 10 episode ‘The People v OJ Simpson: American Crime Story’, and his 8 episode ‘Feud: Bette and Joan’ are two of the best series I’ve ever seen. I’m not joking. I wish I was. I’m actually kind of angry that I have nothing bad to say about them. Because as evidenced by everything above, I clearly love to poke fun at Ryan Murphy. But I can’t scoff even slightly at what he did with ‘OJ’ and ‘Feud’. However... these are both the first seasons of new shows that he has created. Which means there will be more of each. Both anthology series will pick up their second seasons with the Versace murder on ‘American Crime Story’ and the heated relationship between Prince Charles and Princess Diana on ‘Feud’. 

For anyone holding out hope that Murphy will break his formula and actually continue to give legitimately good work in future seasons of his successful shows, all I ask is that you don’t go all in with your chips, because you are betting with a terrible hand against a full house that says he won’t.

My advice to anyone who wishes to try out Murphy’s content is to simply stick to the first season of any of his shows. I can not recommend ‘Bette and Joan’ enough. It is truly genius, and the best thing he is capable of. That sounds like another jab, and it is, but the bar is now very high with television thanks to ‘Bette and Joan’. I struggle to think of many who can do better than that, so it’s not quite out of left field to say that Ryan Murphy will never top it. Few will, but he will definitely not be one of those few. 

I hope this has proven to be helpful to you. I’ve navigated enough television dumpster fires to know that it’s easy to get lost in bad shows. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. 

[shadowfollowweb]

APB Email List Content Archive

April 25, 2017

Story: DNA More commonly referred to as Dioxyribonucleic Acid. Or do I have that backward? Without it, we wouldn't have shows like CSI or Forensic Files. Most crime writers are familiar with the concept of DNA, where it's likely to be found at a crime scene or on a victim, its value as evidence, and how important it is when a Crime Lab confirms a DNA 'hit" in CODIS. Joan asked a great question this week: "Are all incarcerated inmates DNA tested?" I had to dig to find the answer, which is: it depends on the State and this PDF will tell you which State does what. The short answer is most States take DNA swabs during the jail booking process for felonies. Some states take DNA for all felonies, others for specific ones. Check out the PDF for details on the law for where your story takes place.

Scene: DNA So now that you know when DNA samples are collected, it would probably help you paint a better picture if you knew how DNA samples are collected and what a Buccal DNA Collector looks like. Well...you're in luck. Allow me to present you with some official California DOJ Buccal DNA Collection Kit Instructions. A step-by-step guide with pictures. So easy, even a patrol cop can do it. As an aside, the word "buccal" is properly pronounced "buckle." Doctors, CSI Techs, and Homicide Detectives will pronounce this correctly. I have often heard patrol officers mispronounce it as "b-you-cal." While I'm on the topic of mispronunciation, when referring to small blood droplets or spray, the word is "spatter." There is no L. Splatter is when you splash a liquid, usually making a copious mess...like with paint, mud, or cake batter.

Setting: Typical American Courtroom Flip through the channels on TV and you are bound to see several courtrooms fly by. Whether it's Judge Judy or re-runs of Perry Mason during the day or Law & Order of every flavor at night, we have all seen the inside of a courtroom too many times to count. But how well do you really know your way around? This chart is a pretty reasonable representation of an American Superior Court Courtroom. Some key things you might find helpful when describing a courtroom in your writing:

The Prosecutor's Table is always the attorney table closest to the jury. So if the jury box is on the left side of the room, the Defendant's Table would be on the right.

The space between the attorneys' tables and The Bench (where the Judge sits) is called "The Well." Historical rumor has it that The Well was designed to provide two swords length distance between the Judge and the attorneys...er...I mean the defendant. Whether that is true or not, I will leave to your own research. But that anecdote might give insight into why only the Bailiff -okay, okay...the Clerk and Stenographer too- are allowed to be in The Well, unless the Judge specifically allows it. Hence the question, "Permission to approach the Bench (or the Witness), Your Honor?" whenever an attorney wants to enter The Well.

The stenographer (aka The Court Reporter) usually sits between the Witness Box/Stand and the attorney's tables in order to hear everyone speaking.

Often a lectern is set up between the attorneys' tables or between the jury box and the Prosecutor's Table. (A lectern is often incorrectly referred to as a podium. A podium is a floor riser.)

The Jury Box is obviously where the jury sits. However, if the courtroom is being used for arraignments it is common for attorneys to use it as overflow seating. This is where many plea bargains are struck in whispered voices while other arraignments are going on, so as not to interfere with the Stenographer's ability to hear the official proceedings.

April 15, 2017

Story: Police Procedure Most of the questions I am asked start with “How would a cop really…” and most of my answers actually come straight from department policies. Riverside Police Department (in Southern California’s Inland Empire) has their entire policy manual posted online. [Before you ask....no, this is not the agency I work for.] This policy manual is indicative of what you will likely find in police policy manuals around the country, as they are based on yearly changes in case law and best practices. While not every agency will have the exact same policies, this exemplar will offer some great insight into how investigations are handled, what cops can and can’t do, and just how much working-knowledge of policy is required to navigate a workday. I really encourage you to bookmark this link and use it as a reference tool for learning how your characters will handle their investigations.

Story & Character: Serial Killers Who doesn’t want to write the next Silence of the Lambs? Hannibal Lecter was such an iconic character that our perception of serial killers is skewed through a Lecter-esque Lens. The truth is, statistically speaking, most Homicide Detectives will never work a serial killer. The FBI created this publication for investigators, to combat the popular culture myths about serial killers, assumptions about serial murderer psychological profiles, and to keep those misunderstandings from derailing an actual investigation. If you write about serial killers, this is a must-read for creating antagonists that aren’t a repeat of the erroneous stereotype.

Character: Cop Psychology I first heard of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder when it was called “Cop Shock,” based on a book of the same name. There has been a lot of media coverage in recent years about PTSD, as our troops return home from war suffering with the psychological effects of what they experienced. What isn’t as commonly reported about is Cumulative-PTSD, the type that is killing cops through suicide from the cumulative effects of police work. This story explains Cumulative-PTSD. Of particular note is the top comment at the bottom of the page (posted by Bigj78) that offers some perspective into why so few cops seek help. To read about what’s being done to combat PTSD in Law Enforcement, this article offers some examples. If you are writing a series of stories featuring the same protagonist, you might consider the long-term psychological toll the horrific scenes and high-stress incidents will take on your character. Even if you never "diagnose" your Detective with PTSD, you can add some depth of character by incorporating some of the PTSD traits listed in these articles.

March 25, 2017

PLOT HOLES: One thing I am frequently asked about is Missing Person Investigations. Hollywood perpetuates the myth that a Reporting Party has to wait 24 hours to report someone missing. Not only is this false in the United States, there are actually laws in place that require police agencies to take Missing Person reports seriously and in a timely manner. Some specific types of cases must be entered into a national database within two or four hours of the initial report. Check out California’s exhaustive guide on missing persons investigations and don’t fall victim to one of the biggest cop story plot holes out there.

CHARACTER: Writing in a way to convey how cops think can be challenging. The first step is understanding why the officer became one in the first place. There is a “chicken or the egg” argument in criminal justice academia as to whether cops are “values-predisposed” before coming on the job or become the way they are later in their careers via a “values-learned” phenomenon. I'd argue that it depends on the individual officer, but I believe most great cops truly feel it is “a calling.” My mother can attest that I’d wanted to be a cop since I was three years old. Nothing was going to stop me. It shaped many of my life decisions growing up. I took notice this week of the grittiest example of this kind of calling and fortitude. Not going to high school parties is one thing, but going through the police academy as a double-leg-amputee (and Marine Corps Combat Veteran) is a whole other level of commitment. I wish Officer Ferrieira a very long and rewarding career.

RESEARCH FIELD TRIP: Last week, I wrote about my Department of Homeland Security's "Global Entry" program interview. Since a few of you inquired about the experience, I thought I would share. I arrived at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX twenty minutes early. I found the Global Entry desk wedged between the twin entrances of Terminal 4 and Terminal 5, where an Asian woman wearing a full Customs and Border Protection uniform waved me up to the counter. There was no line at this early hour. I was immediately allowed through the door to the right of the counter, which opened up into a small office, staffed with eight CBP Officers behind desks. All were armed and wearing external body armor; the kind SWAT teams wear. The officer I spoke to was polite, but efficient. After answering a handful of questions, handing over my Passport and Driver's License, and a LiveScan of my fingerprints, I was back out the door in under ten minutes.

MOTIVATION: Finally, here’s a quick reminder that we’re on the same team and no matter how you are currently feeling about writing, keep chipping away at it because you're creating something awesome! Even if the words you're writing today don't feel awesome, they have to be written to get to the stage of creating the awesome stuff. Keep going and have a great week!

March 18, 2017

AGENCIES: INTERPOL (www.interpol.int) is an international police organization with 190 member countries. Think of it like the U.N., but for police work. INTERPOL is also one of the more misunderstood organizations in fiction. When I was a Homicide Detective, I had a murder suspect flee the country. My local FBI office took my California arrest warrant for First Degree Murder and used it to obtain a Federal "Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution" warrant. Referred to as a UFAP Warrant - pronounced "You Fap." (NOTE: Do not google that term, because it's slang for something else as well. Just don't; you'd thank me. If you do; you'll know I was right and might listen to me next time.) By obtaining a UFAP warrant, the FBI was able to get INTERPOL to flag the suspect's passport/identity for arrest using an INTERPOL RED NOTICE around the world. Check out the links to INTERPOL to learn more about the different color notices used to catch or track international fugitives, known criminals, et cetera.

PLOT RESEARCH: I have Lethal Weapon 2 to thank for introducing me to the concept of Diplomatic Immunity. Unfortunately, it has confused most of movie goers on the concept of Diplomatic Immunity ever since. To learn exactly who has Diplomatic Immunity and to what extent that may actually keep them out of trouble, here is a link to the U.S. Department of State's "Diplomatic and Consular Immunity: Guidance for Law Enforcement and Judicial Authorities." This downloadable PDF will answer nearly every question you may have on the topic.

RESEARCH FIELD TRIP: The reason this week's APB is focused on travel is that I have a little field trip coming up on Monday morning. A few months ago, I enrolled in the Department of Homeland Security's "Global Entry" program. Global Entry is essentially a FastPass for International travel. Not only will it allow me into the shortest/quickest line at the Customs Desk whenever I return to the United States from travel abroad, it also includes TSA PreCheck (the program that lets "pre-screened travelers" get in the short line at airport security screening.) The final hurdle in getting my Global Entry card is completing an interview with TSA at LAX in the Tom Bradley International Terminal on Monday morning. So any of you suffering from Wanderlust or wanting a writing/research field trip to your nearest, most inconvenient, international airport, I encourage you to go through the Global Entry process. Global Entry is $100 for 5 years and includes TSA PreCheck. TSA PreCheck on its own is $85 for five years; so spend the extra $15. You'll thank me the next time you get to cut the wait time at the airport (or cruise ship terminal, or land border crossing) and you'll be feeling like Jason Bourne in no time.

March 11, 2017

RESEARCH: With this week’s Wikileaks claims regarding CIA’s purported cyber spying techniques, I think it’s time to introduce you to Michael Bazzell. Michael was a local Police Detective assigned as a Task Force Officer on a FBI Cyber Crimes Task Force. Years later, he left law enforcement to start a very lucrative career teaching cops how to use the internet to find bad guys and teaching cops to safeguard themselves from the same aforementioned searching techniques. He was also a technical advisor for the TV show “Mr. Robot.” So yes, he's that good. This week, Michael and his podcasting partner, Justin Carroll, discuss the CIA leak. After you’ve listened to the podcast, click the “OSINT Tools” link at the top of the page and then click the “Tools” link. Try using the links in the left column of the page to find new ways to search your favorite social networks. I *may* have used these techniques to connect with writers like you ;) on Facebook. Disclaimer: I accept no responsibility if these techniques lead to you stalking your high school flame.

PROPS: Have you ever wondered what gear your character would actually carry? One of the major providers of “duty gear” is a company called Galls, and they’ve been around for decades. If you are old enough to remember leafing through inch-thick department store catalogs looking for things to ask Santa for, nothing has changed. The Galls Catalog is the definitive cop and firefighter gift guide. As a writer, you might find a few secrets of police work like this one that hides a handcuff key inside a belt keeper. I have carried one exactly like this on my Sam Browne for twenty years. It would be a very bad day if I had my own handcuffs used against me, but it goes back to the law enforcement motto of “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.” If you're writing a thriller where the protagonist finds herself/himself at the mercy of the antagonist, this little gem might prove useful.

MUSE: Writing is tough. Being fiscally successful at writing is even more difficult. It’s natural to think your self-doubt soliloquy is speaking the truth, especially when life isn’t going the way you deserve. We all think these thoughts. The next time this feeling grips you, I want you to think of Jon Morrow. Then I want you to use Jon’s advice and find the opening for your counterpunch. Find out what I mean here, in Jon Morrow’s “7 Life Lessons from a Guy Who Can’t Move Anything but His Face.”

March 4, 2017

RESEARCH: One of the best places to learn about what cops are currently facing and what they think about is at PoliceOne. This is a great way to research a ton of police related topics, such as the equipment your characters might carry, the training they receive, or dashcam/bodycam videos of what actually happens out on the street.

CHARACTER: You might be familiar with comedian Whitney Cummings, but you've probably never heard her like this. In her second appearance on the Tim Ferriss Podcast, she gets deep and meaningful. This is a long podcast, but her explanation of co-dependence and the character traits that are indicative of being co-dependent are 100% worth taking the time to listen. I found it enlightening you will absolutely find it useful for character creation. Whitney begins talking about co-dependence at the [6:10] mark.

One gem I pulled from this episode was, "Perfectionism leads to procrastination, which leads to paralysis." [16:35] Sound familiar? Yeah...me too. You can find the show notes (including discussion topics by timeline mark) for Whitney's "Return of the Money Shot" episode at tim.blog, grab the podcast on itunes, or stream it directly using these links.

WRITING TOOLS: Many of us have streaming music. I personally have XM Radio, Pandora, and my Amazon Prime membership gives me Amazon Music. Last year, I tried yet another streaming service called Focus@Will that claimed to provide music that boosts productivity. I am definitely the type that prefers to write and read in silence, but Focus@Will changed that for me. They scientifically determine which music increases your focus to get work done and stay in the zone. When I am working, nothing irritates me more than music that pulls me out of my zen-happy-zone (or even worse: commercials.) Focus@Will does neither of those and excels in creating that focused atomosphere.

I have renewed my subscription for a second year now and have even participated in one of their scientific focus studies. Focus@Will offers a free 15-Day trial*, and I wholeheartedly recommend at least trying it out. If you click on the affiliate link I've provided above, it will give you $5 off the normal price.

February 25, 2017

Story: The Art of Storytelling – Pixar partnered with the Khan Academy to teach a free course on The Art of Storytelling. It’s a 30,000 foot overview of storytelling, but it’s fun to see the Creative Brains behind animated movies like Cars and Toy Story offer insight into Pixar’s storytelling practices. Did I mention that it's free?

Setting: Stories like One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest burned the mental image of what an insane asylum might look like into our collective mind’s eye. My wife and I visited Bath, England last year and stayed at the Bailbrook House. This stunning mansion looked like any number of stately homes featured in Downton Abbey. While flipping through the hotel’s Welcome Book in our room, I quickly discovered we were staying in a former 19th Century lunatic asylum known for its advances in cranial drilling. This week, I discovered the article: Human Zoos of the 19th Century which reveals how North American mental institutions in the 1800s were public attractions with complete with tours for the whole family.

Time Management: The only way to write that book (or that APB or that blog post) is to get your butt in your seat and start typing. “But I don’t have the time!” Does that sound familiar? This NY Times article provided some insight into the benefits of tracking your time.

Crime Writer's Mug: Crime Writer’s Miranda Admonishment coffee mug*. If you ever wanted a Miranda Admonishment card for your crime story interviews, this is it…conveniently printed on the side of a coffee mug, because you have the right to remain caffeinated.

February 18, 2017

Character: Lost Boy of Sudan becomes an Atlanta Police Officer – An uplifting true story about perseverance and following your dream through adversity.

Setting: A succinct description of heroin production. – If you want to accurately describe how heroin is actually manufactured, this is the most concise and accurate description I've seen.

 Story: The Soup Maker – If you write about drug cartels, this blog will introduce you to the eye opening reference source called BorderlandBeat.com WARNING: This site often shows graphic images of the real death and devastation of narcoterrorism. While I highly recommend reading the articles, think twice about joining in the commentary. The Cartels are certainly reading these posts as well. The Soup Maker link is to a real life story of what I can only describe as The Heisenberg Body-Disposal-Method. It's definitely gross, but start asking yourself how articles like these could lead to new story ideas. After you read The Soup Maker, consider this writing prompt: HOW and WHY did the Cartel know to reach out to the "Israelites" as experts in this field? WHAT does that mean is going on elsewhere in the world? Taking an analytical approach to reading any news article and then asking the right questions is a sure-fire Rx for killing writer's block.

 Writer's Reference: 5 Secrets of Story Structure: How to Write a Novel That Stands Out (Helping Writers Become Authors Book 6), by K.M. Weiland. I am a big fan of K.M. Weiland's writing tools. As I send this email today (2/18/2017), the Kindle Edition is currently FREE. Download it before the price goes back up!

[*Some links may be affiliate links, where I might earn money if you click and then purchase anything. Any affiliate links are marked with an asterisk like this: *, so you can decide whether I get any money from your sale. I won't provide any affiliate links for products I haven't used or don't really believe in.]

APB Email List Content Archive published first on your-t1-blog-url

[harolddetective]

APB Email List Content Archive

April 25, 2017

Story: DNA More commonly referred to as Dioxyribonucleic Acid. Or do I have that backward? Without it, we wouldn’t have shows like CSI or Forensic Files. Most crime writers are familiar with the concept of DNA, where it’s likely to be found at a crime scene or on a victim, its value as evidence, and how important it is when a Crime Lab confirms a DNA ‘hit” in CODIS. Joan asked a great question this week: “Are all incarcerated inmates DNA tested?” I had to dig to find the answer, which is: it depends on the State and this PDF will tell you which State does what. The short answer is most States take DNA swabs during the jail booking process for felonies. Some states take DNA for all felonies, others for specific ones. Check out the PDF for details on the law for where your story takes place.

Scene: DNA So now that you know when DNA samples are collected, it would probably help you paint a better picture if you knew how DNA samples are collected and what a Buccal DNA Collector looks like. Well…you’re in luck. Allow me to present you with some official California DOJ Buccal DNA Collection Kit Instructions. A step-by-step guide with pictures. So easy, even a patrol cop can do it. As an aside, the word “buccal” is properly pronounced “buckle.” Doctors, CSI Techs, and Homicide Detectives will pronounce this correctly. I have often heard patrol officers mispronounce it as “b-you-cal.” While I’m on the topic of mispronunciation, when referring to small blood droplets or spray, the word is “spatter.” There is no L. Splatter is when you splash a liquid, usually making a copious mess…like with paint, mud, or cake batter.

Setting: Typical American Courtroom Flip through the channels on TV and you are bound to see several courtrooms fly by. Whether it’s Judge Judy or re-runs of Perry Mason during the day or Law & Order of every flavor at night, we have all seen the inside of a courtroom too many times to count. But how well do you really know your way around? This chart is a pretty reasonable representation of an American Superior Court Courtroom. Some key things you might find helpful when describing a courtroom in your writing:

The Prosecutor’s Table is always the attorney table closest to the jury. So if the jury box is on the left side of the room, the Defendant’s Table would be on the right.

The space between the attorneys’ tables and The Bench (where the Judge sits) is called “The Well.” Historical rumor has it that The Well was designed to provide two swords length distance between the Judge and the attorneys…er…I mean the defendant. Whether that is true or not, I will leave to your own research. But that anecdote might give insight into why only the Bailiff -okay, okay…the Clerk and Stenographer too- are allowed to be in The Well, unless the Judge specifically allows it. Hence the question, “Permission to approach the Bench (or the Witness), Your Honor?” whenever an attorney wants to enter The Well.

The stenographer (aka The Court Reporter) usually sits between the Witness Box/Stand and the attorney’s tables in order to hear everyone speaking.

Often a lectern is set up between the attorneys’ tables or between the jury box and the Prosecutor’s Table. (A lectern is often incorrectly referred to as a podium. A podium is a floor riser.)

The Jury Box is obviously where the jury sits. However, if the courtroom is being used for arraignments it is common for attorneys to use it as overflow seating. This is where many plea bargains are struck in whispered voices while other arraignments are going on, so as not to interfere with the Stenographer’s ability to hear the official proceedings.

April 15, 2017

Story: Police Procedure Most of the questions I am asked start with “How would a cop really…” and most of my answers actually come straight from department policies. Riverside Police Department (in Southern California’s Inland Empire) has their entire policy manual posted online. [Before you ask….no, this is not the agency I work for.] This policy manual is indicative of what you will likely find in police policy manuals around the country, as they are based on yearly changes in case law and best practices. While not every agency will have the exact same policies, this exemplar will offer some great insight into how investigations are handled, what cops can and can’t do, and just how much working-knowledge of policy is required to navigate a workday. I really encourage you to bookmark this link and use it as a reference tool for learning how your characters will handle their investigations.

Story & Character: Serial Killers Who doesn’t want to write the next Silence of the Lambs? Hannibal Lecter was such an iconic character that our perception of serial killers is skewed through a Lecter-esque Lens. The truth is, statistically speaking, most Homicide Detectives will never work a serial killer. The FBI created this publication for investigators, to combat the popular culture myths about serial killers, assumptions about serial murderer psychological profiles, and to keep those misunderstandings from derailing an actual investigation. If you write about serial killers, this is a must-read for creating antagonists that aren’t a repeat of the erroneous stereotype.

Character: Cop Psychology I first heard of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder when it was called “Cop Shock,” based on a book of the same name. There has been a lot of media coverage in recent years about PTSD, as our troops return home from war suffering with the psychological effects of what they experienced. What isn’t as commonly reported about is Cumulative-PTSD, the type that is killing cops through suicide from the cumulative effects of police work. This story explains Cumulative-PTSD. Of particular note is the top comment at the bottom of the page (posted by Bigj78) that offers some perspective into why so few cops seek help. To read about what’s being done to combat PTSD in Law Enforcement, this article offers some examples. If you are writing a series of stories featuring the same protagonist, you might consider the long-term psychological toll the horrific scenes and high-stress incidents will take on your character. Even if you never “diagnose” your Detective with PTSD, you can add some depth of character by incorporating some of the PTSD traits listed in these articles.

March 25, 2017

PLOT HOLES: One thing I am frequently asked about is Missing Person Investigations. Hollywood perpetuates the myth that a Reporting Party has to wait 24 hours to report someone missing. Not only is this false in the United States, there are actually laws in place that require police agencies to take Missing Person reports seriously and in a timely manner. Some specific types of cases must be entered into a national database within two or four hours of the initial report. Check out California’s exhaustive guide on missing persons investigations and don’t fall victim to one of the biggest cop story plot holes out there.

CHARACTER: Writing in a way to convey how cops think can be challenging. The first step is understanding why the officer became one in the first place. There is a “chicken or the egg” argument in criminal justice academia as to whether cops are “values-predisposed” before coming on the job or become the way they are later in their careers via a “values-learned” phenomenon. I’d argue that it depends on the individual officer, but I believe most great cops truly feel it is “a calling.” My mother can attest that I’d wanted to be a cop since I was three years old. Nothing was going to stop me. It shaped many of my life decisions growing up. I took notice this week of the grittiest example of this kind of calling and fortitude. Not going to high school parties is one thing, but going through the police academy as a double-leg-amputee (and Marine Corps Combat Veteran) is a whole other level of commitment. I wish Officer Ferrieira a very long and rewarding career.

RESEARCH FIELD TRIP: Last week, I wrote about my Department of Homeland Security’s “Global Entry” program interview. Since a few of you inquired about the experience, I thought I would share. I arrived at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX twenty minutes early. I found the Global Entry desk wedged between the twin entrances of Terminal 4 and Terminal 5, where an Asian woman wearing a full Customs and Border Protection uniform waved me up to the counter. There was no line at this early hour. I was immediately allowed through the door to the right of the counter, which opened up into a small office, staffed with eight CBP Officers behind desks. All were armed and wearing external body armor; the kind SWAT teams wear. The officer I spoke to was polite, but efficient. After answering a handful of questions, handing over my Passport and Driver’s License, and a LiveScan of my fingerprints, I was back out the door in under ten minutes.

MOTIVATION: Finally, here’s a quick reminder that we’re on the same team and no matter how you are currently feeling about writing, keep chipping away at it because you’re creating something awesome! Even if the words you’re writing today don’t feel awesome, they have to be written to get to the stage of creating the awesome stuff. Keep going and have a great week!

March 18, 2017

AGENCIES: INTERPOL (www.interpol.int) is an international police organization with 190 member countries. Think of it like the U.N., but for police work. INTERPOL is also one of the more misunderstood organizations in fiction. When I was a Homicide Detective, I had a murder suspect flee the country. My local FBI office took my California arrest warrant for First Degree Murder and used it to obtain a Federal “Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution” warrant. Referred to as a UFAP Warrant – pronounced “You Fap.” (NOTE: Do not google that term, because it’s slang for something else as well. Just don’t; you’d thank me. If you do; you’ll know I was right and might listen to me next time.) By obtaining a UFAP warrant, the FBI was able to get INTERPOL to flag the suspect’s passport/identity for arrest using an INTERPOL RED NOTICE around the world. Check out the links to INTERPOL to learn more about the different color notices used to catch or track international fugitives, known criminals, et cetera.

PLOT RESEARCH: I have Lethal Weapon 2 to thank for introducing me to the concept of Diplomatic Immunity. Unfortunately, it has confused most of movie goers on the concept of Diplomatic Immunity ever since. To learn exactly who has Diplomatic Immunity and to what extent that may actually keep them out of trouble, here is a link to the U.S. Department of State’s “Diplomatic and Consular Immunity: Guidance for Law Enforcement and Judicial Authorities.” This downloadable PDF will answer nearly every question you may have on the topic.

RESEARCH FIELD TRIP: The reason this week’s APB is focused on travel is that I have a little field trip coming up on Monday morning. A few months ago, I enrolled in the Department of Homeland Security’s “Global Entry” program. Global Entry is essentially a FastPass for International travel. Not only will it allow me into the shortest/quickest line at the Customs Desk whenever I return to the United States from travel abroad, it also includes TSA PreCheck (the program that lets “pre-screened travelers” get in the short line at airport security screening.) The final hurdle in getting my Global Entry card is completing an interview with TSA at LAX in the Tom Bradley International Terminal on Monday morning. So any of you suffering from Wanderlust or wanting a writing/research field trip to your nearest, most inconvenient, international airport, I encourage you to go through the Global Entry process. Global Entry is $100 for 5 years and includes TSA PreCheck. TSA PreCheck on its own is $85 for five years; so spend the extra $15. You’ll thank me the next time you get to cut the wait time at the airport (or cruise ship terminal, or land border crossing) and you’ll be feeling like Jason Bourne in no time.

March 11, 2017

RESEARCH: With this week’s Wikileaks claims regarding CIA’s purported cyber spying techniques, I think it’s time to introduce you to Michael Bazzell. Michael was a local Police Detective assigned as a Task Force Officer on a FBI Cyber Crimes Task Force. Years later, he left law enforcement to start a very lucrative career teaching cops how to use the internet to find bad guys and teaching cops to safeguard themselves from the same aforementioned searching techniques. He was also a technical advisor for the TV show “Mr. Robot.” So yes, he’s that good. This week, Michael and his podcasting partner, Justin Carroll, discuss the CIA leak. After you’ve listened to the podcast, click the “OSINT Tools” link at the top of the page and then click the “Tools” link. Try using the links in the left column of the page to find new ways to search your favorite social networks. I *may* have used these techniques to connect with writers like you on Facebook. Disclaimer: I accept no responsibility if these techniques lead to you stalking your high school flame.

PROPS: Have you ever wondered what gear your character would actually carry? One of the major providers of “duty gear” is a company called Galls, and they’ve been around for decades. If you are old enough to remember leafing through inch-thick department store catalogs looking for things to ask Santa for, nothing has changed. The Galls Catalog is the definitive cop and firefighter gift guide. As a writer, you might find a few secrets of police work like this one that hides a handcuff key inside a belt keeper. I have carried one exactly like this on my Sam Browne for twenty years. It would be a very bad day if I had my own handcuffs used against me, but it goes back to the law enforcement motto of “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.” If you’re writing a thriller where the protagonist finds herself/himself at the mercy of the antagonist, this little gem might prove useful.

MUSE: Writing is tough. Being fiscally successful at writing is even more difficult. It’s natural to think your self-doubt soliloquy is speaking the truth, especially when life isn’t going the way you deserve. We all think these thoughts. The next time this feeling grips you, I want you to think of Jon Morrow. Then I want you to use Jon’s advice and find the opening for your counterpunch. Find out what I mean here, in Jon Morrow’s “7 Life Lessons from a Guy Who Can’t Move Anything but His Face.”

March 4, 2017

RESEARCH: One of the best places to learn about what cops are currently facing and what they think about is at PoliceOne. This is a great way to research a ton of police related topics, such as the equipment your characters might carry, the training they receive, or dashcam/bodycam videos of what actually happens out on the street.

CHARACTER: You might be familiar with comedian Whitney Cummings, but you’ve probably never heard her like this. In her second appearance on the Tim Ferriss Podcast, she gets deep and meaningful. This is a long podcast, but her explanation of co-dependence and the character traits that are indicative of being co-dependent are 100% worth taking the time to listen. I found it enlightening you will absolutely find it useful for character creation. Whitney begins talking about co-dependence at the [6:10] mark.

One gem I pulled from this episode was, “Perfectionism leads to procrastination, which leads to paralysis.” [16:35] Sound familiar? Yeah…me too.

You can find the show notes (including discussion topics by timeline mark) for Whitney’s “Return of the Money Shot” episode at tim.blog, grab the podcast on itunes, or stream it directly using these links.

WRITING TOOLS: Many of us have streaming music. I personally have XM Radio, Pandora, and my Amazon Prime membership gives me Amazon Music. Last year, I tried yet another streaming service called Focus@Will that claimed to provide music that boosts productivity. I am definitely the type that prefers to write and read in silence, but Focus@Will changed that for me. They scientifically determine which music increases your focus to get work done and stay in the zone. When I am working, nothing irritates me more than music that pulls me out of my zen-happy-zone (or even worse: commercials.) Focus@Will does neither of those and excels in creating that focused atomosphere.

I have renewed my subscription for a second year now and have even participated in one of their scientific focus studies. Focus@Will offers a free 15-Day trial*, and I wholeheartedly recommend at least trying it out. If you click on the affiliate link I’ve provided above, it will give you $5 off the normal price.

February 25, 2017

Story: The Art of Storytelling – Pixar partnered with the Khan Academy to teach a free course on The Art of Storytelling. It’s a 30,000 foot overview of storytelling, but it’s fun to see the Creative Brains behind animated movies like Cars and Toy Story offer insight into Pixar’s storytelling practices. Did I mention that it’s free?

Setting: Stories like One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest burned the mental image of what an insane asylum might look like into our collective mind’s eye. My wife and I visited Bath, England last year and stayed at the Bailbrook House. This stunning mansion looked like any number of stately homes featured in Downton Abbey. While flipping through the hotel’s Welcome Book in our room, I quickly discovered we were staying in a former 19th Century lunatic asylum known for its advances in cranial drilling. This week, I discovered the article: Human Zoos of the 19th Century which reveals how North American mental institutions in the 1800s were public attractions with complete with tours for the whole family.

Time Management: The only way to write that book (or that APB or that blog post) is to get your butt in your seat and start typing. “But I don’t have the time!” Does that sound familiar? This NY Times article provided some insight into the benefits of tracking your time.

Crime Writer’s Mug: Crime Writer’s Miranda Admonishment coffee mug*. If you ever wanted a Miranda Admonishment card for your crime story interviews, this is it…conveniently printed on the side of a coffee mug, because you have the right to remain caffeinated.

February 18, 2017

Character: Lost Boy of Sudan becomes an Atlanta Police Officer – An uplifting true story about perseverance and following your dream through adversity.

Setting: A succinct description of heroin production. – If you want to accurately describe how heroin is actually manufactured, this is the most concise and accurate description I’ve seen.

  Story: The Soup Maker – If you write about drug cartels, this blog will introduce you to the eye opening reference source called BorderlandBeat.com WARNING: This site often shows graphic images of the real death and devastation of narcoterrorism. While I highly recommend reading the articles, think twice about joining in the commentary. The Cartels are certainly reading these posts as well. The Soup Maker link is to a real life story of what I can only describe as The Heisenberg Body-Disposal-Method. It’s definitely gross, but start asking yourself how articles like these could lead to new story ideas. After you read The Soup Maker, consider this writing prompt: HOW and WHY did the Cartel know to reach out to the “Israelites” as experts in this field? WHAT does that mean is going on elsewhere in the world? Taking an analytical approach to reading any news article and then asking the right questions is a sure-fire Rx for killing writer’s block.

  Writer’s Reference: 5 Secrets of Story Structure: How to Write a Novel That Stands Out (Helping Writers Become Authors Book 6), by K.M. Weiland. I am a big fan of K.M. Weiland’s writing tools. As I send this email today (2/18/2017), the Kindle Edition is currently FREE. Download it before the price goes back up!

[*Some links may be affiliate links, where I might earn money if you click and then purchase anything. Any affiliate links are marked with an asterisk like this: *, so you can decide whether I get any money from your sale. I won’t provide any affiliate links for products I haven’t used or don’t really believe in.]

APB Email List Content Archive syndicated from http://ift.tt/2k7p7z2

[iseeuseepage]

APB Email List Content Archive

April 25, 2017

Story: DNA More commonly referred to as Dioxyribonucleic Acid. Or do I have that backward? Without it, we wouldn’t have shows like CSI or Forensic Files. Most crime writers are familiar with the concept of DNA, where it’s likely to be found at a crime scene or on a victim, its value as evidence, and how important it is when a Crime Lab confirms a DNA ‘hit” in CODIS. Joan asked a great question this week: “Are all incarcerated inmates DNA tested?” I had to dig to find the answer, which is: it depends on the State and this PDF will tell you which State does what. The short answer is most States take DNA swabs during the jail booking process for felonies. Some states take DNA for all felonies, others for specific ones. Check out the PDF for details on the law for where your story takes place.

Scene: DNA So now that you know when DNA samples are collected, it would probably help you paint a better picture if you knew how DNA samples are collected and what a Buccal DNA Collector looks like. Well…you’re in luck. Allow me to present you with some official California DOJ Buccal DNA Collection Kit Instructions. A step-by-step guide with pictures. So easy, even a patrol cop can do it. As an aside, the word “buccal” is properly pronounced “buckle.” Doctors, CSI Techs, and Homicide Detectives will pronounce this correctly. I have often heard patrol officers mispronounce it as “b-you-cal.” While I’m on the topic of mispronunciation, when referring to small blood droplets or spray, the word is “spatter.” There is no L. Splatter is when you splash a liquid, usually making a copious mess…like with paint, mud, or cake batter.

Setting: Typical American Courtroom Flip through the channels on TV and you are bound to see several courtrooms fly by. Whether it’s Judge Judy or re-runs of Perry Mason during the day or Law & Order of every flavor at night, we have all seen the inside of a courtroom too many times to count. But how well do you really know your way around? This chart is a pretty reasonable representation of an American Superior Court Courtroom. Some key things you might find helpful when describing a courtroom in your writing:

The Prosecutor’s Table is always the attorney table closest to the jury. So if the jury box is on the left side of the room, the Defendant’s Table would be on the right.

The space between the attorneys’ tables and The Bench (where the Judge sits) is called “The Well.” Historical rumor has it that The Well was designed to provide two swords length distance between the Judge and the attorneys…er…I mean the defendant. Whether that is true or not, I will leave to your own research. But that anecdote might give insight into why only the Bailiff -okay, okay…the Clerk and Stenographer too- are allowed to be in The Well, unless the Judge specifically allows it. Hence the question, “Permission to approach the Bench (or the Witness), Your Honor?” whenever an attorney wants to enter The Well.

The stenographer (aka The Court Reporter) usually sits between the Witness Box/Stand and the attorney’s tables in order to hear everyone speaking.

Often a lectern is set up between the attorneys’ tables or between the jury box and the Prosecutor’s Table. (A lectern is often incorrectly referred to as a podium. A podium is a floor riser.)

The Jury Box is obviously where the jury sits. However, if the courtroom is being used for arraignments it is common for attorneys to use it as overflow seating. This is where many plea bargains are struck in whispered voices while other arraignments are going on, so as not to interfere with the Stenographer’s ability to hear the official proceedings.

April 15, 2017

Story: Police Procedure Most of the questions I am asked start with “How would a cop really…” and most of my answers actually come straight from department policies. Riverside Police Department (in Southern California’s Inland Empire) has their entire policy manual posted online. [Before you ask….no, this is not the agency I work for.] This policy manual is indicative of what you will likely find in police policy manuals around the country, as they are based on yearly changes in case law and best practices. While not every agency will have the exact same policies, this exemplar will offer some great insight into how investigations are handled, what cops can and can’t do, and just how much working-knowledge of policy is required to navigate a workday. I really encourage you to bookmark this link and use it as a reference tool for learning how your characters will handle their investigations.

Story & Character: Serial Killers Who doesn’t want to write the next Silence of the Lambs? Hannibal Lecter was such an iconic character that our perception of serial killers is skewed through a Lecter-esque Lens. The truth is, statistically speaking, most Homicide Detectives will never work a serial killer. The FBI created this publication for investigators, to combat the popular culture myths about serial killers, assumptions about serial murderer psychological profiles, and to keep those misunderstandings from derailing an actual investigation. If you write about serial killers, this is a must-read for creating antagonists that aren’t a repeat of the erroneous stereotype.

Character: Cop Psychology I first heard of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder when it was called “Cop Shock,” based on a book of the same name. There has been a lot of media coverage in recent years about PTSD, as our troops return home from war suffering with the psychological effects of what they experienced. What isn’t as commonly reported about is Cumulative-PTSD, the type that is killing cops through suicide from the cumulative effects of police work. This story explains Cumulative-PTSD. Of particular note is the top comment at the bottom of the page (posted by Bigj78) that offers some perspective into why so few cops seek help. To read about what’s being done to combat PTSD in Law Enforcement, this article offers some examples. If you are writing a series of stories featuring the same protagonist, you might consider the long-term psychological toll the horrific scenes and high-stress incidents will take on your character. Even if you never “diagnose” your Detective with PTSD, you can add some depth of character by incorporating some of the PTSD traits listed in these articles.

March 25, 2017

PLOT HOLES: One thing I am frequently asked about is Missing Person Investigations. Hollywood perpetuates the myth that a Reporting Party has to wait 24 hours to report someone missing. Not only is this false in the United States, there are actually laws in place that require police agencies to take Missing Person reports seriously and in a timely manner. Some specific types of cases must be entered into a national database within two or four hours of the initial report. Check out California’s exhaustive guide on missing persons investigations and don’t fall victim to one of the biggest cop story plot holes out there.

CHARACTER: Writing in a way to convey how cops think can be challenging. The first step is understanding why the officer became one in the first place. There is a “chicken or the egg” argument in criminal justice academia as to whether cops are “values-predisposed” before coming on the job or become the way they are later in their careers via a “values-learned” phenomenon. I’d argue that it depends on the individual officer, but I believe most great cops truly feel it is “a calling.” My mother can attest that I’d wanted to be a cop since I was three years old. Nothing was going to stop me. It shaped many of my life decisions growing up. I took notice this week of the grittiest example of this kind of calling and fortitude. Not going to high school parties is one thing, but going through the police academy as a double-leg-amputee (and Marine Corps Combat Veteran) is a whole other level of commitment. I wish Officer Ferrieira a very long and rewarding career.

RESEARCH FIELD TRIP: Last week, I wrote about my Department of Homeland Security’s “Global Entry” program interview. Since a few of you inquired about the experience, I thought I would share. I arrived at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX twenty minutes early. I found the Global Entry desk wedged between the twin entrances of Terminal 4 and Terminal 5, where an Asian woman wearing a full Customs and Border Protection uniform waved me up to the counter. There was no line at this early hour. I was immediately allowed through the door to the right of the counter, which opened up into a small office, staffed with eight CBP Officers behind desks. All were armed and wearing external body armor; the kind SWAT teams wear. The officer I spoke to was polite, but efficient. After answering a handful of questions, handing over my Passport and Driver’s License, and a LiveScan of my fingerprints, I was back out the door in under ten minutes.

MOTIVATION: Finally, here’s a quick reminder that we’re on the same team and no matter how you are currently feeling about writing, keep chipping away at it because you’re creating something awesome! Even if the words you’re writing today don’t feel awesome, they have to be written to get to the stage of creating the awesome stuff. Keep going and have a great week!

March 18, 2017

AGENCIES: INTERPOL (www.interpol.int) is an international police organization with 190 member countries. Think of it like the U.N., but for police work. INTERPOL is also one of the more misunderstood organizations in fiction. When I was a Homicide Detective, I had a murder suspect flee the country. My local FBI office took my California arrest warrant for First Degree Murder and used it to obtain a Federal “Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution” warrant. Referred to as a UFAP Warrant – pronounced “You Fap.” (NOTE: Do not google that term, because it’s slang for something else as well. Just don’t; you’d thank me. If you do; you’ll know I was right and might listen to me next time.) By obtaining a UFAP warrant, the FBI was able to get INTERPOL to flag the suspect’s passport/identity for arrest using an INTERPOL RED NOTICE around the world. Check out the links to INTERPOL to learn more about the different color notices used to catch or track international fugitives, known criminals, et cetera.

PLOT RESEARCH: I have Lethal Weapon 2 to thank for introducing me to the concept of Diplomatic Immunity. Unfortunately, it has confused most of movie goers on the concept of Diplomatic Immunity ever since. To learn exactly who has Diplomatic Immunity and to what extent that may actually keep them out of trouble, here is a link to the U.S. Department of State’s “Diplomatic and Consular Immunity: Guidance for Law Enforcement and Judicial Authorities.” This downloadable PDF will answer nearly every question you may have on the topic.

RESEARCH FIELD TRIP: The reason this week’s APB is focused on travel is that I have a little field trip coming up on Monday morning. A few months ago, I enrolled in the Department of Homeland Security’s “Global Entry” program. Global Entry is essentially a FastPass for International travel. Not only will it allow me into the shortest/quickest line at the Customs Desk whenever I return to the United States from travel abroad, it also includes TSA PreCheck (the program that lets “pre-screened travelers” get in the short line at airport security screening.) The final hurdle in getting my Global Entry card is completing an interview with TSA at LAX in the Tom Bradley International Terminal on Monday morning. So any of you suffering from Wanderlust or wanting a writing/research field trip to your nearest, most inconvenient, international airport, I encourage you to go through the Global Entry process. Global Entry is $100 for 5 years and includes TSA PreCheck. TSA PreCheck on its own is $85 for five years; so spend the extra $15. You’ll thank me the next time you get to cut the wait time at the airport (or cruise ship terminal, or land border crossing) and you’ll be feeling like Jason Bourne in no time.

March 11, 2017

RESEARCH: With this week’s Wikileaks claims regarding CIA’s purported cyber spying techniques, I think it’s time to introduce you to Michael Bazzell. Michael was a local Police Detective assigned as a Task Force Officer on a FBI Cyber Crimes Task Force. Years later, he left law enforcement to start a very lucrative career teaching cops how to use the internet to find bad guys and teaching cops to safeguard themselves from the same aforementioned searching techniques. He was also a technical advisor for the TV show “Mr. Robot.” So yes, he’s that good. This week, Michael and his podcasting partner, Justin Carroll, discuss the CIA leak. After you’ve listened to the podcast, click the “OSINT Tools” link at the top of the page and then click the “Tools” link. Try using the links in the left column of the page to find new ways to search your favorite social networks. I *may* have used these techniques to connect with writers like you on Facebook. Disclaimer: I accept no responsibility if these techniques lead to you stalking your high school flame.

PROPS: Have you ever wondered what gear your character would actually carry? One of the major providers of “duty gear” is a company called Galls, and they’ve been around for decades. If you are old enough to remember leafing through inch-thick department store catalogs looking for things to ask Santa for, nothing has changed. The Galls Catalog is the definitive cop and firefighter gift guide. As a writer, you might find a few secrets of police work like this one that hides a handcuff key inside a belt keeper. I have carried one exactly like this on my Sam Browne for twenty years. It would be a very bad day if I had my own handcuffs used against me, but it goes back to the law enforcement motto of “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.” If you’re writing a thriller where the protagonist finds herself/himself at the mercy of the antagonist, this little gem might prove useful.

MUSE: Writing is tough. Being fiscally successful at writing is even more difficult. It’s natural to think your self-doubt soliloquy is speaking the truth, especially when life isn’t going the way you deserve. We all think these thoughts. The next time this feeling grips you, I want you to think of Jon Morrow. Then I want you to use Jon’s advice and find the opening for your counterpunch. Find out what I mean here, in Jon Morrow’s “7 Life Lessons from a Guy Who Can’t Move Anything but His Face.”

March 4, 2017

RESEARCH: One of the best places to learn about what cops are currently facing and what they think about is at PoliceOne. This is a great way to research a ton of police related topics, such as the equipment your characters might carry, the training they receive, or dashcam/bodycam videos of what actually happens out on the street.

CHARACTER: You might be familiar with comedian Whitney Cummings, but you’ve probably never heard her like this. In her second appearance on the Tim Ferriss Podcast, she gets deep and meaningful. This is a long podcast, but her explanation of co-dependence and the character traits that are indicative of being co-dependent are 100% worth taking the time to listen. I found it enlightening you will absolutely find it useful for character creation. Whitney begins talking about co-dependence at the [6:10] mark.

One gem I pulled from this episode was, “Perfectionism leads to procrastination, which leads to paralysis.” [16:35] Sound familiar? Yeah…me too.

You can find the show notes (including discussion topics by timeline mark) for Whitney’s “Return of the Money Shot” episode at tim.blog, grab the podcast on itunes, or stream it directly using these links.

WRITING TOOLS: Many of us have streaming music. I personally have XM Radio, Pandora, and my Amazon Prime membership gives me Amazon Music. Last year, I tried yet another streaming service called Focus@Will that claimed to provide music that boosts productivity. I am definitely the type that prefers to write and read in silence, but Focus@Will changed that for me. They scientifically determine which music increases your focus to get work done and stay in the zone. When I am working, nothing irritates me more than music that pulls me out of my zen-happy-zone (or even worse: commercials.) Focus@Will does neither of those and excels in creating that focused atomosphere.

I have renewed my subscription for a second year now and have even participated in one of their scientific focus studies. Focus@Will offers a free 15-Day trial*, and I wholeheartedly recommend at least trying it out. If you click on the affiliate link I’ve provided above, it will give you $5 off the normal price.

February 25, 2017

Story: The Art of Storytelling – Pixar partnered with the Khan Academy to teach a free course on The Art of Storytelling. It’s a 30,000 foot overview of storytelling, but it’s fun to see the Creative Brains behind animated movies like Cars and Toy Story offer insight into Pixar’s storytelling practices. Did I mention that it’s free?

Setting: Stories like One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest burned the mental image of what an insane asylum might look like into our collective mind’s eye. My wife and I visited Bath, England last year and stayed at the Bailbrook House. This stunning mansion looked like any number of stately homes featured in Downton Abbey. While flipping through the hotel’s Welcome Book in our room, I quickly discovered we were staying in a former 19th Century lunatic asylum known for its advances in cranial drilling. This week, I discovered the article: Human Zoos of the 19th Century which reveals how North American mental institutions in the 1800s were public attractions with complete with tours for the whole family.

Time Management: The only way to write that book (or that APB or that blog post) is to get your butt in your seat and start typing. “But I don’t have the time!” Does that sound familiar? This NY Times article provided some insight into the benefits of tracking your time.

Crime Writer’s Mug: Crime Writer’s Miranda Admonishment coffee mug*. If you ever wanted a Miranda Admonishment card for your crime story interviews, this is it…conveniently printed on the side of a coffee mug, because you have the right to remain caffeinated.

February 18, 2017

Character: Lost Boy of Sudan becomes an Atlanta Police Officer – An uplifting true story about perseverance and following your dream through adversity.

Setting: A succinct description of heroin production. – If you want to accurately describe how heroin is actually manufactured, this is the most concise and accurate description I’ve seen.

  Story: The Soup Maker – If you write about drug cartels, this blog will introduce you to the eye opening reference source called BorderlandBeat.com WARNING: This site often shows graphic images of the real death and devastation of narcoterrorism. While I highly recommend reading the articles, think twice about joining in the commentary. The Cartels are certainly reading these posts as well. The Soup Maker link is to a real life story of what I can only describe as The Heisenberg Body-Disposal-Method. It’s definitely gross, but start asking yourself how articles like these could lead to new story ideas. After you read The Soup Maker, consider this writing prompt: HOW and WHY did the Cartel know to reach out to the “Israelites” as experts in this field? WHAT does that mean is going on elsewhere in the world? Taking an analytical approach to reading any news article and then asking the right questions is a sure-fire Rx for killing writer’s block.

  Writer’s Reference: 5 Secrets of Story Structure: How to Write a Novel That Stands Out (Helping Writers Become Authors Book 6), by K.M. Weiland. I am a big fan of K.M. Weiland’s writing tools. As I send this email today (2/18/2017), the Kindle Edition is currently FREE. Download it before the price goes back up!

[*Some links may be affiliate links, where I might earn money if you click and then purchase anything. Any affiliate links are marked with an asterisk like this: *, so you can decide whether I get any money from your sale. I won’t provide any affiliate links for products I haven’t used or don’t really believe in.]

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