Inside Lenz Network

Writers Tricks of the Trade explores the business and craft of writing with co-hosts Morgan St. James and Dennis N. Griffin. Guests are people who have "been there and done that." In other words, authors, editors, public relations people, publishers and more who share their tips, techniques and frequently stories about the industry when it comes to the business and craft of writing. This episode covers what it takes to create those "can't put down" books. This is a re-broadcast of the first show in the series, so live call-in is not available. Morgan, as the author of 12 books in publication and over 600 articles about writing and Dennis with 16 books in publication and multiple TV and radio broadcasts, share their thoughts and experiences with information for everyone from the novice to the published writer. Writers Tricks of the Trade airs on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month at 6:00pm PST - 9:00 EST. All shows are archived for future listening as well.  

A former investigative reporter for several newspapers across the country, Caitlin Rother left her field and pursued her dream, to be a full time writer. Her true crime books include LOST GIRLS, DEAD RECKONING, TWISTED TRIANGLE, BODY PARTS, DEADLY DEVOTION and the New York Times bestseller, MY LIFE, DELETED. Settling in her home town, San Diego, Rother teaches writing courses, coordinates writer's events, belongs to several writer's groups, appears as a crime expert, and offers her services as a "book doctor" and coach to aspiring writers. Her eye for detail as a journalist lends itself to writing the stories of several high profile cases, as well as her ability to develop interesting characters and plot lines in her crime fiction book, NAKED ADDICTION.

Regarded as one of America’s premier investigative journalists, Burl Barer‘s true crime books such as BODY COUNT, HEAD SHOT, MOM SAID KILL, BROKEN DOLL, FATAL BEAUTY, MURDER ON 9/11, MANLING WILLIAMS’ DEADLY SINS, and MURDER IN THE FAMILY are required reading in many criminology classes and among true crime fans. Barer has appeared on numerous Investigation Discovery television shows, including Deadly Women (2011), Snapped (2011), Scorned: Love Kills (2012), Deadly Sings (2013), and Behind Mansion Walls (2013). Also in 2013, Barer served as a consultant to the television pilot series, “The Saint,” starring Adam Rayner as Simon Templar. WildBlue Press recently released the 20th anniversary edition of Burl Barer’s MAN OVERBOARD the story of the death, and resurrection, of Phil Champagne.

Writers Tricks of the Trade welcomes our Guest Tony Todaro, President of Greater Los Angeles Writers Group and the CEO of West Coast Writers Conferences. Tony will discuss the benefits of attending writer's conferences and belonging to writers groups for writers at all stages of their careers. Many writers who attend conferences have evolved to guest speakers or give workshops themselves, but there is always something to be learned. The next West Coast Writers Conference is "THE BIG STORY," February 20-22. The co-host of the Writers Tricks of the Trade Show, Morgan St. James, will be presenting a workshop for that conference and participate in two panels. For details on this outstanding conference, visit http://www.wcwriters.com/bigstory/program.html

From the eye of an investigative journalist, John Ferak enters the controversial world of domestic violence and homicide through his latest WildBlue Press book, DIXIE'S LAST STAND. He writes with factual detail the circumstances leading to murder in the escalating violent marriage of Dixie and Scott Shanahan, and the shocking aftermath of an abused woman at the end of her rope with few options left. DIXIE'S LAST STAND opens the dialogue concerning the justification of intimate partner homicide and "battered woman syndrome" often used as a defense during trial. Was Dixie Shanahan acting in self defense, or was the murder of her husband a pre-meditated action?  HOST WEBSITE: DonnaGore.Com  

Entering the true crime genre with his 2009 book The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History, Kevin Sullivan fulfilled a long time interest in true crime and history. The book was well received by readers globally and gave Sullivan entry into the community of crime authors. Sullivan has written two accounts about George Armstrong Custer and his historical "last stand" during the Great Sioux War of 1876, Shattering the Myth: Signposts on Custer’s Road to Disaster and Custer’s Road to Disaster: The Path to Little Bighorn, both gathering several good reviews.  A WildBlue Press "feature" VAMPIRE: The Richard Chase Murders is an in-depth look into the life and disturbed mind of a killer, his family, and his many victims, the living as well as the dead.  Host Website: DonnaGore.Com

Our guest Jon D’Amore was first published at 10 when a story he’d written about the Civil War was distributed throughout the county school system. During that time, he began studying the guitar. By his 20s, having honed his love and knowledge of music, Jon was traveling cross-country as a musician. While touring, Jon was also a feature writer for New Jersey’s 3rd largest newspaper, The Passaic Herald News, allowing him to enjoy the best of his favorite worlds…playing music and writing. Eventually, he found a different side of life. He said, “Goodbye and it’s been a slice!” to the music business and entered the corporate world. By the millennium another change had taken place. For more than two decades, Jon knew that within him there was the desire and ability to write, so he drove to Los Angeles and started as soon as he arrived. As an insider with no mob ambitions, Jon had been a trusted ear and learned of the life and death manipulations that made friends and relatives from his world disappear. When the

WildBlue Press frontman Steve Jackson is the NY Times best selling author giving listeners background on WildBlue Press then delves into his latest book, BOGEYMAN, about child serial killer David Penton told through the eyes of the detectives and their families and showing the toll a case like this has on dedicated law enforcement officers.  Colorado based Steve Jackson began his career as a journalist and newspaper writer covering "everything from science to medicine to international and social issues to politics and even a smattering of sports."  Jackson is the author of nine true crime books and collaborated with former New York assistant district attorney Robert K. Tanenbaum to write eleven crime thrillers in the Butch Karp fiction series.   Host website: DonnaGore.Com  

Tad DiBiase, known as the "No Body Guy" began his career as a corporate litigator then changed course when joining the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia in 1995. Specializing in domestic violence and forensic homicide cases in the gritty D.C. Superior Court, DiBiase tried the city's second "no body" case ever, followed by several other high profile cases. He's the nation's leading expert in "no body" cases and often consults with law enforcement and prosecutors across the country.  In his book, No-Body Homicide Cases: A Practical Guide to Investigating, Prosecuting and Winning Cases When the Victim is Missing, DiBiase offers a practical guide for police and prosecutors and provides an expansive look at both the history of no- body murder cases and the best methods to solve them and present the case in court. 

WriterOur guest for January 14, Carolyn Howard-Johnson, is best known as The Frugal Book Promoter, but she is also a literary writer, poet, and all round smart and giving marketer. DO NOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR TIPS FROM THE GURU OF FRUGAL MARKETING AND PROMOTION! As a college freshman, she was the youngest person ever hired as a staff writer for the Salt Lake Tribune--"A Great Pulitzer Prize Winning Newspaper"--where she wrote features for the society page and a column under the name Debra Paige. Later, in New York, she was an editorial assistant at Good Housekeeping Magazine. and also handled accounts for famous fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert who developed the first "10 Best Dressed List." It was her fun job to write releases for celebrity designers of the time including Pauline Trigere, Rudy Gernreich, and Christian Dior. She was given the Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment Award by California Legislature members, Carol Liu, Dario Frommer, and Jack Scott and says she is really prou

"To make a living, or to make a life?" was the question burning through the mind of F. Mark Granato for years. As his lucrative, but demanding, career was taking off, sending him to emerging markets throughout the world, he realized there was something missing in his life, a void which needed to be filled, his dream of becoming a writer. With his sixth book recently published, Granato has accomplished a large part of the dream, being who he was meant to be and finding happiness in it. Mark Granato's historic novels are inspired by conversations with his grandfather at a young age. Learning about important events of the 20th century, like the sinking of the Titanic (Titanic: The Final Voyage), Charles Lindburgh (Beneath His Wings: The Plot to Murder Lindbergh) and the 1938 Connecticut hurricane (Of Winds and Rage), gave Granato the foundation for his first three books. He then began to recall and research underreported or obscure events in New England history for the basis of his next three books which cover

Appearing on Shattered Lives Radio in October, 2014, Sheryl McCollum shared information about the levels of expertise used when students investigate cold cases under her direction. Colleges across the country combine to utilize the talents of experts in all fields of investigative research to shed new light on cases which have not been active.  Sheryl indicated several new things were coming down the pipeline that she could not talk about at the time. NOW is the time and she will be making some breaking announcements on this week’s Shattered Lives Radio.

It's Christmas Eve and the Elves are busy zipping around with Santa--what happens next? Holiday-themed books and stories can go in many directions when the author uses the "what if" test while creating the plot. They can be fiction, non-fiction, funny, romantic, thrillers, whodunits, fantasies and just about any genre you can think of. They are also ripe playgrounds for the author to add twists. Think about the iconic movie "It's a Wonderful Life," and how many directions that story could have taken. What are some of the elements that draw readers to these books as each holiday rolls around? Do they sell well? Since it is Christmas Eve, Denny and Morgan will be with their families, and this show will be a pre-recorded broadcast for your enjoyment. It will also become part of the archived shows available for future listening. So lift your glass of Christmas cheer while you listen and think about all of the holidays that will inspire and have inspired a huge variety of plots.

Going away to college is a time in a young persons' life that should be about discovery, learning, and making lifelong friends. However, as parents send their children away from home, some for the very first time, there is even more to be anxious about, especially their safety on campus. According to the Justice Department, "1 in 5 women will be a victim of rape or attempted rape." When these incidents occur on campus property they are in the jurisdiction of campus police, and many victims do not report, or are discouraged to report by school administrators.  With sexual assaults, active shooters, and luring into human trafficking from our college campuses, the college experience has changed.  Guest for the hour S. Daniel Carter will discuss these issues and what is being done to create real, enforceable guidelines for campuses to follow in order to make the environment safer for students everywhere.

How do you write with a partner? Because Host Morgan St. James has co-authored six books, she is frequently asked questions like: Do you each write a chapter? Do you each write a character? Do you ever argue over scenes? How do you write long-distance? St James and co-host Denny Griffin, who has co-authored two books with her, are joined by guest Phyllice Bradner, co-author of the Sillver Sisters Mysteries. These authors unravel the art of successfully collaborating on books in a lively discussion about how to establish a successful relationship with a co-author even if it is long-distance. Call-in questions welcome during the live broadcast.  

"Krush" Kent is the street name for Baltimore Guardian Angel Assistant Chapter Commander. Before joining Guardian Angels, and known as Victoria, Krush was a victim of an abusive relationship which subsequently helped create an outreach organization to help recognize the patterns of abuse and honor the victims.

Dialogue is the art of putting words in the character's mouths. It helps the writer tell the story and is a great way to reveal back-story (what happened to bring the characters to this point). Dialogue is also used to refer to a situation that one or more of the characters already knows about, but the reader does not. Sometimes dialogue is used to hint at what might come. Writing compelling dialogue can be challenging, because it often is not the way people really speak. As a vehicle that moves the story along, it shouldn't be dull, boring or too lengthy. Our guest for this show is Mike Dennis, who writes outstanding dialogue. Mike is the author of eight mystery books and multiple short stories. He also is a narrator for audio books and a former professional musician. We will discuss how to create dynamic dialogue in books--do's, don't's and tips and techniques. In addition, with Mike's expertise in audiobooks, we will touch on the importance of doing it right if the book is also planned as an audiobook.

One of the avenues for crime victims to have a voice within the courts is through victim impact statements.  Shattered Lives Radio talks with two champions of victims’ rights, Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley and attorney Michelle S. Cruz, who is serving as this week’s co-host. Host, Donna Gore, offers her personal knowledge of the subject as well as offering something new to the table, a Victim Impact Assistance Service.  Host website: DonnaGore.Com   

As more and more of the incarcerated become senior citizens in prison, the costs to house them rise as well, by approximately three times the expense of younger prisoners. Older prisoners are quickly becoming vulnerable and neglected, often faced with increased violence of fellow inmates, but there aren’t enough services addressing this unique situation, as well as the quandary of the ethical treatment of a fellow human being vs accountability for their crime. The other side of the dilemma is when elderly inmates are released there are often few resources available, families have dispersed, and they are faced with more uncertainty about their welfare than when they were in prison. Shattered Lives Radio listeners will hear both sides of the issue with guest Tina Maschi and Shattered Lives host and homicide survivor, Donna R. Gore.

A new show for writers, editors, literary agents, publishers and readers will launch on Blog Talk Radio on November 12. Writers’ Tricks of the Trade with Morgan St. James, will discuss the many aspects of the business and craft of writing. Her guests will be those who have been there and done that and are willing to share their expertise. Listeners will be encouraged to call in with questions and comments or participate via the interactive chat room. In the debut show, the topic will be Rivet your Reader - Create "can't put down" books.