Research and Writing Crime Fiction

When I started writing mysteries, I realized I knew little about police procedures except for what I learned through TV and movies. I began collecting a library of crime books (I'll include some titles below) and studied different aspects of law enforcement.

A few months ago, I saw a newspaper article inviting residents of a nearby community to apply for a position in the upcoming Citizens' Police Academy. It was an opportunity I could not pass up, so I applied, and was thrilled to learn I was accepted in the fall academy that will last three months. We've now had two classes, and it is INCREDIBLE. I highly recommend the experience - not only for writers, but for all citizens.

The second class, we discussed domestic violence - a soapbox topic for me that I'll eventually address here - and the Constitution of the United States and how it affects our everyday lives. The detective teaching the class has such passion for his job, and for the Constitution, it stirred up my own emotions.

I've always loved our country, and tear up at the National Anthem. Visiting Philadelphia was a tremendous and almost overwhelming experience for me, because I was walking the streets our founding fathers walked. In the past few years, the politics in our country has caused me to not love our country so much. Some things have been an embarrassment to me, others have been just downright perplexing, and have even caused me great anger.

But Tuesday night, as we discussed the Constitution, those emotions returned. This is OUR country, and we can be proud of what our founding fathers established. We need to guard our Constitution and its purpose - with our very lives, if need be. Unfortunately, we're almost at that point.

Over the next several weeks, I'm going to study the Constitution - section by section, line by line, and I'm going to record my studies here. I hope you'll join me as I delve into this. And I hope you'll converse with me - and our readers - about this great country - land that I still love. The Constitution posts will begin Monday.

Here are some of the books in my crime library. There are so many more, and so many more I want to add, but this is a starting point.

When You're the Only Cop in Town
The Writer's Complete Crime Reference Book
Book of Poisons
Scene of the Crime
Modus Operandi

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Photo Shoot for a Cause

Last month, Advent Health honored me by asking if I would be one of their "faces" during their "Pink Porch" campaign for Breast Awareness Month. They arranged for a photo shoot and an interview, and said I could invite anyone I wanted to be in the photos with me. Without hesitation, I suggested Jess Bolton, my daughter-in-law, and Felicia Trawick, my nurse navigator-turned-friend. These two were with me every day of my cancer journey, either in person or by phone. God knew what I needed during that time because Jess and Felicia kept me laughing, and we're still at it, as you can tell from the photos below. The lovely and patient photographer, Emily Long, had us talk to each other, and to look at each other, and we just got silly. (Please note: these photos are the only time you'll see me NOT talking with my hands! Such a surprise to all of us!) It was a windy but fun day, and Zach, my son and Jess's husband, surprised and blessed me by coming, too. Dur...

Our Home Health Care Experience

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Guest Post: No Time to Sit and Worry by V. Ronnie Laughlin

Earlier this year, TMP Books put out a call for submissions for two anthologies, requesting stories from cancer warriors/survivors, and from cancer caregivers. We received several submissions, but not enough to fill either book, so for now, the books are postponed. When I notified the writers who had submitted, one of them suggested running the stories on my blog, and I loved the idea. My goal was to share people’s stories, to give encouragement and hope to other cancer warriors and caregivers, so why wait? I’m sharing the stories each Tuesday, in the order they were submitted. Today, I welcome author V. Ronnie Laughlin who shares her atypical breast cancer journey from the Middle East, during the pandemic. No Time to Sit and Worry As I held the specimen cup in my hand with the breast biopsy sample glistening inside; I looked at it and it looked at me. It looked like a hydra, the long tentacled invertebrate with a gelatinous body. I do not know what possessed me to ask my Radiologist,...

Tracy Ruckman

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