Welcome to Criminal Pursuits...
...a place that's all about crime writing. We hope it's a place you'll come back to again and again, and that you'll find answers to any questions you have about law enforcement practice and procedure to make your writing as accurate as it is intriguing!
Criminal Pursuits Mission Statement: To provide our clientele, both published and unpublished writers, with profession-specific information that will enhance their skill, knowledge and abilities as modern day story tellers.
Goals of our Criminal Pursuits Workshops:
- To provide published and unpublished mystery/crime writers with a fundamental understanding of how their books should be written, published and marketed.
- To assist the published and unpublished mystery/crime writer to avoid falling victim to mistakes and myths commonly found in the writing profession.
- To provide published and unpublished mystery/crime writers with true and accurate law enforcement and investigative information that will help the writer make his/her story more believable.
Criminal Pursuits: a hands-on crime writing experience!
Highlights from our November 6-7, 2009, Workshop
Here are some highlights from the Nov. 6-7 Criminal Pursuits workshop. From all accounts, it was our best one yet and fans are anxiously awaiting the opening of registration for our 2010 event! Many thanks to John Nehring and Shelly Witzgall for providing the photos!
The cast was excellent:
Bob West, Kim West, Shelly Witzgall, Caleb Nunn, Lindsey Turley
Caleb Nunn, Bob West, Kim West, Jake Nunn, Lindsey Turley, Kate Nunn, Dave Nunn
Our dead body was so convincing, she sent one hotel maid screaming from the room early Saturday morning, convinced some real foul play had taken place! She later joined the festivities of interviewing the witnesses to help figure out whodunit!
My lovely first granddaughter Bella made her first crime scene appearance as her mom (my daughter) Erika helped at the book table:
Bella and Erika
...and Randy brought plenty of gourmet hot dogs from The Dog House to be sure we all had plenty of sustenance for the chase...
Randy from The Dog Pound
Folks spent lots of time chatting with one another...
...interviewing witnesses and grilling suspects...
We all enjoyed the teaching by Mike Witzgall, especially the demonstrations put on by him and the other law enforcement personnel that attended:
Justin Coffmann, Kevin Durio and Mike Witzgall
Justin Coffmann and Mike Witzgall
Kevin Durio and Mike Witzgall
Mike Witzgall and Kevin Durio
And then there was the panel, featuring Constable Justin Coffmann, Officer Jimmy, Investigator Hector, and EMT Kevin (who also teaches Hand to Hand combat for SWAT):
Victor Vasquez, Investigator CHPD and Kevin Durio, EMT and martial arts instructor
Constable Justin Coffmann (Dallas) and Investigator Jim Boatman CHPD
Seriously, where else are you going to find this much information, hands-on activity, and fun packed into one weekend?
Will we see you next year?
Don't miss Mike Witzgall's Ask a Cop Blog: A writer and avid reader himself, Mike is often frustrated when reading an otherwise great book that includes scenes that just couldn't happen that way in real life. Too many writers get all they know about law enforcement procedures from television and movies. Unfortunately, realism is often sacrificed in pursuit of other goals. If you'd like answers to help you perfect your WIP, ask them here.
"If you only can attend one or two conferences this year, make Criminal Pursuits one of them. This is a wonderful conference full of friendly professionals who are eager to share their knowledge with others."
-Barbara Colley, author of the Charlotte LaRue Mysteries
"I attend many writers' conferences and conventions each year and feel fortunate that three of the past events have been PJ Nunn's Criminal Pursuits. Mike Witzgall's programs alone are worth the entire fee—and that is so reasonable as to be almost unbelievable. Everything about Criminal Pursuits is sterling. I look forward to another wonderful time, meeting friends, and gaining new ideas on November 6-7 in Dallas."
-Radine Trees Nehring,
author of the Carrie McCrite
and Henry King "To Die For" Mysteries