2015 Writers’ Police Academy: A Door-Kickin’ Good Time!

2015 WPA: A door kicking, good time

 

There is never a shortage of superstars at the Writers’ Police Academy. Pictured above are Catriona McPherson, Karin Slaughter, and Robin Burcell. 

 

Fox Valley staff (Joe LeFevre on left) making certain details are in place for the day.

 

Building entry and search workshop included a list of “How-Not-To’s.”

 

Police K-9 waits for his time in the spotlight.

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Safety briefing prior to entering the range for live rifle-fire training.

 

Fingerprint workshop.

It’s no secret that investigators often work very long hours and often go without meals while working to solve cases.

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Writers often ask if it’s possible to lift prints from surfaces such as those with odd textures and those that are wet. Well…

 

Learning to lift prints from difficult surfaces, including wet objects.

 

Clear print developed on totally wet surface.

The 2015 WPA was absolutely fantastic, and we’d love to see each of you in 2016. Details of the next event are on the way. Until then, here’s a little something that’s sure to brighten your day with a smile…

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Writers’ Police Academy: The Video Story

WPA: The video story

 

Karin Slaughter, Joe LeFevre, Colleen Belongea, and Lee Lofland discuss the 2015 Writers’ Police Academy.


Mark your calendars! The date for the 8th annual Writers’ Police Academy is August 11-14, 2016. Registration opens in January 2016. Be ready, because the 2016 WPA will be bigger, better, and even more exciting than ever before! Planning is already underway.

 

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The Winner of the 2015 Golden Donut Short Story Contest is…

Winner of 2015 Golden Donut

 

The rules were simple—write a story about the photograph above using exactly 200 words. But writing a complete and compelling tale with a beginning, middle, and twisted ending…well, that’s not so simple.

However, we received a mountain of absolutely wonderful entries and, after a professional team of diligent readers/screeners narrowed down the pile to the top eleven, it was up to our final judge, superstar bestselling author Sara Gruen (Water For Elephants), to pick a winner.

So, without further ado, the recipient of the coveted 2015 Golden Donut Award is…

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Vinnie wasn’t present at the Writers’ Police Academy banquet to receive the award (above), but I plan to make arrangements to deliver it within the next few days. By the way, along with the stunning trophy Vinnie will also receive free a registration to the 2016 Writers’ Police Academy!

So it is with great pleasure that I present to you Vinnie’s award-winning tale, Bad Connection. Congratulations, Vinnie!

Bad Connection
By Vinnie Hansen

Adam and Bette talked via identical tin cans. The connective wire snaked out Adam’s bedroom, across the bare side yards, and in through Bette’s window. In the cookie-cutter houses, their bedrooms matched like shoes.
When they were seven, Adam announced: “We’re going to get married.”
The words vibrated over to Bette’s heart.
“And be together forever!”
Their childhood conversations grew into teenaged angst on house phones, and years into their marriage, continued on mobile phones. Then their voices became texts:
On way home Bette thumbed.
R U txtng & drvng?
Tht’s life.
Me 2 Adam wrote.
Txtng & drvng?
Idiot. ? On way home.
Turnng off Rdrx. She wrote.
Ha! Turnng Frtge Rd
Race? Bette stomped the pedal, knowing Adam’s response as though linked still by a tremolo of wire.
Rotten egg? He barreled down the street.
U R on.
Adam and Bette startled at the other’s mass of metal rocketing toward them, as though God had yanked the string on a pair of nunchuks. They collided head-on, the cars smashed like recycled soup cans.
Now they lie side by side in matched containers, calling to each other across a narrow passage of dirt.

*     *     *

First runner up is Judy Dailey’s Eternal Love.

Eternal Love
By Judy Dailey

“That you, Bev?”
“Who else would be stuck next to you for all eternity?”
Later:
“I thought it’d be dark and kinda musty.”
“Well it ain’t, so shut up.”
“Or a bright light at the end of a tunnel. I don’t see that neither.”
“Idiot.”
“Uh, Bev? Can you forgive me?”
“You’d better worry about Jesus Christ forgiving you, Lloyd. Killing me, killing yourself. You’re a useless fool. Always have been.”
“I didn’t want to lose you, honey. Didn’t want you running off with Paul. I needed to hang onto you, and here we are, together forever.”
Later:
“How long we been here, do you reckon?”
“Don’t know. Long time. It’s not getting any lighter.”
“Not any darker either. Smells worse, though.”
Later:
“Bev? Can you hear me, baby?”
“Paul! You made it.”
“Bought the plot next to you just like I promised. I’m already dreaming of your sweet lips on mine.”
“And my sweet hand on your zipper?”
“Oh, baby. I waited fifty years for this very moment.”
“Do I really have to listen to you two going at it?”
“Sure do, idiot. For all eternity.”
* * *

In a close third was Meg E. Dobson with her story, Lightning.

Lightning
By Meg E. Dobson

Three children came from the black one by one. The night-time vacant cemetery didn’t worry them. Their exhausted parents had worked double shifts and being alone was normal.
“It’s different now.” The church ladies had cut the eldest girl’s hair. She missed it falling over her eyes, blocking her thoughts from the world. “I’m eighteen.”
There was life insurance money, and the fire claim settled fast. Their rundown home, filled with things families’ cherished, was gone. The eldest insisted on the granite ledger monuments with blazoned crosses. Crusaders. In life, her parents were paupers; in eternal rest, honored warriors.
“Waste of money,” the villagers said.
The middle child’s face with her upturned Irish nose, pointed chin, and large hazel eyes leaned down, lovingly kissed each gravestone. “I don’t want to move away, Anna.”
The little one sniffled, and the eldest cradled her.
“Lightning ignored the normal point of entry – the junction box – and still fried the home’s entire wiring,” The fire marshal had said. “Instantaneous combustion. Miracle the kids got out.”
“We can’t stay now.”
The youngest touched her father’s monument. Tiny blue threads of light twined and sparked across the marble surface.
* * *

Finally, here are the rest of the top eleven, in no particular order.

A Mother’s Love
By Cheyenne McCray

Rain drummed Kate’s umbrella.
Eric. Fred.
Dead. Buried.
Her throat ached from uttering words of thanks as she responded to condolences.
Detective Laramie came last. “So sorry, Kate.” The words carried over rain splattering the earth. “Losing your son and husband within four months… Damn.”
The markers filled her vision. “Thank you, Detective.”
Laramie squeezed her shoulder. “We will find the killer.”
Moments passed before he left her with her memories…
Fred’s snide voice. “You love that little bastard more than me.”
Days later, Eric’s body in the ravine. Her heart shattered, pieces scattered around his broken form.
An accident, they claimed. He had ridden his bike too close to the edge.
A glimpse of Fred’s pleased expression.
Rain stopped and clouds parted. Moonlight brightened the clearing. Had hours passed since the last person left?
When she moved, her stiff joints complained. She placed a stuffed bear on Eric’s marker.
Her chest tightened.
At Fred’s marker, she knelt. Mud coated her fingers and dress hem as she pushed aside soaking earth, making a tiny grave.
Moonlight glinted on metal she withdrew from her purse. She rested the gun in the wet ground.
A mother’s love never died.
* * *

Anniversary
By Barbara Nice-Miller

I watch, unseen, the grieving mother walk away from the crypts, handkerchief pressed to her mouth. Mourning for her boys. Born on the same day. Died on the same day. She should take some comfort in that, knowing they were together.
I wonder when the day will come when I will no longer see her here, on this anniversary. I am surprised she still makes the pilgrimage after ten years.
Alone now, I kneel between the crypts, placing one hand on each. The stone is hard, rough beneath my palms, but warm from the sun. I take a deep, calming breath. The energy, the power I feel here each year flows through my body.
I reach out and trace my fingers over the names chiseled above the crosses – Tristan Grant…Malcolm Grant.
Crypts represent different things to people. A place where a soul is at rest, at peace. A place for the living to come to speak to the dead. A place to bury someone and never think of them again.
I have lost count with the others, but these two are special to me. Precious. Never to be forgotten.
They are trophies.
For they were my first two kills.
* * *

Never Knew
By Vonda C. Valasky

Bolting upright in his bed, he struggled to breathe. Two crosses seared into his brain as though branded there along with a sensation of hands on his shoulders. He was never sure if it was real or a dream. After all, this recurring vision and impression of someone’s touch had haunted him for years.
At the county office, he asked for directions. It was the last address his grandmother had for his parents whom, due to drug addiction, had abandoned him. Now grown, he decided it was time to confront them.
Thirteen Dry Creek Road was secluded and overgrown. Where a house once stood were now merely rotted boards long ago collapsed. Walking the property, he felt a hand on his shoulder and whirled around only to find he was alone.
Fear burst through him as he as scanned the area. Taking tentative steps, he came into a clearing. Just then, two voices – one male, one female – murmured in his ears, “Welcome home, son.” Turning, he saw the faint images of his parents standing at the foot of two crosses engraved upon two graves. Crumpling from the shock, he rasped aloud, “I never knew you died.”
* * *

Sarcophogi
By Rick McMahan

Lester’s blood was splattered across my face. His body against me.
Two escaped cons. One stolen car and one road in. We were easy to catch inside the Parish line.
The Chief yanked me from the cruiser’s cage. Smoking gun in hand. “After you blew the safe you stashed the loot here?”
The road ended at the wildlands. The two stone burial vaults were the only signs people ever lived here.
“Now it makes sense why you broke out.” The Chief nodded towards the sign on the road. New Houses. Soon.
I thought the dead’s sanctity would protect my money even while I was in prison. Nothing stops progress.
“Most places tolerate corruption,” I said to the cop who was my inside man. “But this state demands it. Dirty cops are greedy.”
“Where?”
He pointed the gun at my face.
“Money is in one. But we wired explosives in case someone picked the wrong sarcophagus?”
“Which is the wrong one?”
Shoving the gun up, I launched myself into him. The gun fired in the air. Driving forward, we crashed into the closest sarcophagus.
“Both,” I hissed. I shoved.
The lid shifted.
Just a bit.
Enough.
The bomb’s trigger clicked.
* * *

Still On The Job
By David Swords

The robber’s hand wrapped around the grip of his pistol as he crouched behind the gravestone. He had to stifle a laugh as he thought of what was about to happen. In a few seconds, two cops would lay dead in a cemetery, and he would get away, again.
He chanced a quick look around his marble barricade. They were about to walk right past him, and he was sure when their backs were to him, he could get both of them.
Their flashlights swept the area beyond his position. Wait for it. Now.
He rose to bring his pistol level with the back of one officer when he felt as though something had hold of his wrist. A cold band seemed to wrap around his body, holding him in place.
His eyes widened in horror as he heard a whisper beside his ear. “Not this time.”
His pistol struck the marble slab and a bright light flashed in his eyes.
“Drop it!”
As the rookie picked the handcuffed robber up from his prone position, his veteran partner pointed at the gravestone.
“This is Todd Weber’s grave. He was killed on the job five years ago.”
* * *

The End of Vicomte de Bessonett
By Charles Duke

“Non, Jean Claude, speak English only.”
“But, Papa, is it the Pope who wishes us dead, or the King?”
“Neither, my son. It is the new lover of the Countess of Orleans. He believes that her old protestant administrators know too much about his mistress’s corruption and treachery. He and his sons tracked us here to Louisiana to make sure we did not return to France.”
“Why use so much of your fortune on these tombs?”
“Ah, my son. The Countess’s hunters will see the names on these monuments and believe that the Viscount is dead with all his family. Then they will look no further, especially not in the Pennsylvania colony.”
“As you say, Papa. These deep forests and swamps could likely kill anyone who tries to farm here. And the grand tombs fit your stature before you left France to escape the Catholics. Come, Papa! We must get to the port of New Orleans for our ship to Philadelphia.”
The old Viscount looked again at the tombs and thought, “The title ends here. And others who look will find bones to complete the illusion. Bones from the Countess’s lover and his sons.”
* * *

The Snake
By Susan Breen

We called it the Garden of Eden, Adam and I did. For obvious reasons. There, surrounded by whispering cypress, insulated from the hot summer sun, deep in the depths of our own true love, we were on our own. The only two people in the world. We talked, we planned, and we loved, most of all. Hot bodies against the damp grass, or soft skin rubbing against sweating bark. Sometimes atop the cool marble gravestones; all that remained of his genteel family history. I didn’t care. I wanted only him. Now. We spent a week there.
And then she came. Eve. She was his wife, it turned out.
She started screaming when she saw me. “You brought her here!” He swore and chased her away, into the woods. When he returned, an hour later, he was alone.
“What did you do to her?” I asked.
“There’s only one thing you can do to a snake,” he said. His strong arms gathered me up; he carried me over to the stones. “You have to kill it,” he whispered.
But I wasn’t sure, as he pressed me against the slab, whether she was the snake. Or I was.
* * *

Voices
By Nupur Tustin

“There they are.” Cindy led the claims adjuster to the twin graves. “Together in death as in life.”
The adjuster peered over her glasses at the gravestones. “Your parents died on the same day?”
“Just the way they wanted it.” Cindy smiled sadly.
“Of a heart attack?” The adjuster’s voice was heavy with skepticism.
“Weird, I know! I found them collapsed near the rose beds, there. The hot sun and the exertion proved too much, I expect.”
The adjuster surveyed the landscape. “You inherit a sizeable property, Miss Branson.”
“Trust me, it’s not the windfall it looks like. The upkeep left my parents destitute.”
“How fortunate that their life insurance pays out at a hefty two million dollars.”
“Does it?” Cindy sighed. “I should use the money on the property. They would like that.”
The adjuster looked around. “What are those voices?”
“You hear them, too? You know, I often sense their presence here.”
“Well…” The adjuster frowned. “It all looks in order, I suppose.”
#
“Mom, Dad! You can come out now.” The gravestones slid aside. Cindy regarded the elderly couple who emerged sternly. “You could’ve been quieter down there. You almost gave the game away.”
* * *

*The winner’s prize of a free registration to the 2016 Writers’ Police Academy is for basic registration only. The prize does not include travel, lodging, meals, specialty workshops, or other costs and/or fees.

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The Making of the WPA: Behind the Scenes with Linda Lovely and Howard Lewis

The making of WPA

 

When it became apparent in the fall of 2014 that the Writers’ Police Academy needed a new home for 2015, well, we had to move quickly. After all, registration for the following year was set to open in just under four short months and we didn’t have a facility. Due to an exhaustive nationwide search luck, we were able to quickly secure the Public Safety Training Center at Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Soon after receiving the offer from FVTC/PSTC, Denene and I flew to Appleton to tour their spectacular facility. This one was a no-brainer. I’d already made arrangements with an area hotel, the Radisson Paper Valley, to discuss the possibility of using them as our event hotel. After the whirlwind tour of the academy we met with hotel officials to iron out details, taste the banquet menu options, tour the hotel, meet the staff, etc. We also met with our wonderfully fantastic and brave “basket ladies,” Cheryl, Susan, and Sue. It was a very busy couple of days.

Two days after arriving in Appleton, where the temperature was -40 and the ground was covered in snow, we boarded a plane at 6 am for the return trip home where it was sunny and in the upper 60’s. Denene and I were certain that Appleton was a fantastic spot for the WPA, with the hard and fast rule that the event take place ONLY during the summer months.

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Above and below – River City village at the academy. January 2015. Yes, this is where you all were just a few days ago.

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Next, behind the Radisson, across the street from where we all caught the buses for our trek each day to the academy.

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Finally, a day later Denene and I were back home in California.

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But, with the move to a wonderful and exciting new place came some major pitfalls…most of our volunteers could not, and understandably so, make the move with us. In fact, only two—Linda Lovely and Howard Lewis—offered to stay the course. And, due to the extremely short period of time we had to put together our usual over-the-top event, we were unable to find new volunteers who could help out on short notice. Therefore, what you saw and experienced last weekend was entirely produced by Linda Lovely, Howard Lewis, Denene, and me. Of course, Joe LeFevre of the academy was instrumental in pulling together their part of the program once he knew our needs.

This was a massive undertaking for a small handful of volunteers, especially when considering that Linda and Howard shouldered the brunt of the load—registrations, specialty classes, banquet registrations, t-shirts, bags, name tags, etc. Yes, we’d pared down from over a dozen volunteers to a scant few. Needless to say, when Sunday rolled around last weekend we were exhausted.

Anyway, I wanted to share with you a bit of the behind the scenes activity that took place a few days prior to the event. This was the bustle and hustle at Linda’s place where she, Howard, and family members joined forces to be sure you guys had a fantastic time. Oh, then they loaded up a van with all the bags, registration materials, t-shirts, etc., and drove all the way from South Carolina to Wisconsin. Now that’s dedication!

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Linda Lovely

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Howard Lewis

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A message from Linda – “Thanks to the help of Charles Duke and Tom Hooker (above), two hard-working “volunteers,” Howard Lewis and I finished assembling all the check-in packets for the Writers’ Police Academy today. I use the volunteer term loosely since my husband didn’t have any place to hide given that the boxes of t-shirts, etc. filled our dining room and covered our hallway floors. (Yes, we did vacuum ahead of time.) When we didn’t finish yesterday, I baked a blueberry coffee cake as a reward for Howard and Charles to come back to finish the job. Thank you, guys!”

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The Cake!

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I thank each of our volunteers over the years, but an extra-special thanks goes to Linda and Howard who’ve gone far and beyond the limits of a volunteer. I know plenty of people who get paid handsomely for their work but do a lot less than these two. We owe them a lot. So, thanks, again, or all your hard work. I’ll try to double your salary next year. Let’s see, nothing times two equals…

*     *     *

Help Wanted

Volunteers in the Appleton, Wi. area who are looking for hard work, no pay, willing to work long hours, and little recognition. If this is you, then please call me. We need you in 2016!

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2015 Writers’ Police Academy: A Heart-Pounding Photo Journey of Day One

2105 WPA: Heart pounding journey

 

So…how was your weekend? Well, here’s a peek at ours. #2015WPA

Yes, that’s superstar author Karin Slaughter behind the wheel on the Skid Pad.

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We wanted to know if everyone was having a good time, so we asked for a show of hands.

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As always, firearms simulator training was a huge hit.

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The WPA dress code was formal this year, a step up from the usual attire.

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During brief moments of downtime we offered classes in modern dance.

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Larceny Lori robbed the village bank with nearly 300 WPA attendees looking on. After a high speed pursuit, her day ended in a shootout with police in front of those same witnesses.

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First rule of the day – Weapons must match the shoelaces.

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Second rule of the day…

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Never poke the bear (WPA martial arts instructor/staff member Howard Lewis). It will not end well for you.

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Photo ops were commonplace. Okay, everyone say, “Dead body.”

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This one’s bite is definitely worse than its bark.

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At the WPA, we encourage road rage. If the driver in front won’t pull over, well, we teach you how to deliver a convincing, yet gentle nudge.

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Keynote speaker Karin Slaughter and special guest Allison Brennan were quite the deadly duo.

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And that, my friends, was just one day of this over-the-top heart-pounding weekend.

 *Photos courtesy of Breann Turner of Bee’s Photography

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20 Hot Tips: Preparing for the 2015 Writers’ Police Academy

20-Hot tips: Preparing for 2015 WPA

 

1. Get plenty of rest the night prior to the start of the academy.

2. Dress comfortably, including comfortable shoes. If shorts are your thing then by all means wear them. But please, no revealing clothing. This is, after all, a public safety training academy, not a nightclub.

3. Be prepared for rain. Currently, though, the forecast looks clear. The WPA is a rain or shine event and several of the activities are outdoors. Also, be prepared for sunshine—sunscreen, hats, etc.

4. You may want to bring along protein bars, bottled water, etc. for a quick snack on the run.

5. Coffee will be available at the academy each morning. Finding time to grab a cup, well, that’s always a challenge, but it’ll be there.

6. It’s best that you attend the Thursday evening orientation session where we’ll go over numerous important details and schedule updates. Remember, our instructors are often active-duty law enforcement officials who may be called away to their various communities at the last minute.

7. Workshop seating is on a first-come, first-served basis and rooms fill quickly. Please know your second session choice and be ready to switch to it quickly. Most workshops are offered twice. Check the schedule for times.

8. Buses will depart the hotel at 7:30 sharp and will not wait for anyone. This means you, sleepyhead! Breakfasts are provided to attendees staying at the Radisson (one per room). Please enjoy the delicious food, but be on those buses prior to the 7:30 departure time. We cannot send anyone back for you and the hotel does not provide shuttle service to the academy.

9. You will need to wear your name tag at all times while on the academy grounds and while attending the various activities at the hotel. No name tag = no admittance. No exceptions!

10. Take all the photos you wish, but please ask instructors for their permission before doing so. Some may be working sensitive assignments and having their images plastered across all venues of social media and blogs could place them and their families in danger. Absolutely NO VIDEO.

11. ** SAFETY RULE **

ABSOLUTELY NO VIDEO! Anyone caught violating this rule will be asked to leave at once. No exceptions and no refunds. Remember, the WPA is actual police training. We are not a writers conference. The instruction we provide is often behind the scenes material that is simply not to be shared with the general public, especially via video. We are guests at a premier police training academy. Please do not spoil this event for others by not following the rules.

12. The WPA is extremely fast-paced and exciting, and you’ll be moving about quite a bit. Think about that before you decide to bring along everything you own—desktop computer, 5-gallon water bottle, portable TV, kitchen sink, etc. What you bring with you to the academy grounds is what you’ll be lugging around all day.

13. You’ll be required to sign a liability waiver at registration. Basically, it releases us from harm due to the goofy things you might do should you decide to not follow our directions. 🙂 This is nothing new. You’ve all signed them each year.

14. If you have a special diet other than what was offered at registration (banquet and/or lunches) then it up to you to contact the hotel to make arrangements for your needs. We contracted for meat and vegetarian only. We cannot change our contract with the hotel and/or caterers.

15. A book-signing featuring Karin Slaughter, Allison Brennan, John Gilstrap, Robin Burcell, Katherine Ramsland, Marco Conelli, Rick McMahan, Mike Black, Lee Lofland, and other WPA presenters will immediately follow the Saturday night banquet (I hope I didn’t forget anyone’s name). The campus bookstore will have their books available for purchase on both Friday and Saturday nights at the hotel. Please show your support for these authors!

16. Our extremely popular raffle/silent auction takes place Saturday night during the banquet festivities, and this year we have a mountain of items available—the most ever (signed books, paintings, writer services, a Kindle, VIP Meet and Greet tickets to an Oak Ridge Boys concert, and much, much more. So please bring cash…lots of it! Profits from the WPA benefit the college/academy scholarship funds.

17. ** SAFETY RULE **

No weapons of any type! Again, NO WEAPONS!. This includes, guns, knives, daggers, pocket knives, pepper spray, Tasers and/or stun guns, sharpened sticks, rocks, feathers used for eye-poking, etc. Anyone found in possession of a weapon during this event will be immediately asked to leave. NO EXCEPTIONS, and no refunds.

18. ** SAFETY RULE **

Please listen to your instructors. Pay attention to and carefully follow their directives and safety instructions. You are attending an actual police, fire, and EMS academy. Yes, there will be live ammunition and firearms. Yes, there will be fire (lots of it, actually,). Yes, there will be fast-moving police vehicles. Yes, those fast-moving police cars will, at times, be spinning out of control. Yes, there will be biting, barking, and snarling dogs. Yes, there will be BANGS, BOOMS, sirens, screams, and yes, there will be tons of squeals and laughter. Yes, you will have one of the most exciting times of your life. But PAY ATTENTION to your surroundings at all times.

19. Sure, you’re attending the WPA to better your craft. But please do let your hair down and have fun. This is an event you’ll remember for a long time to come.

20. Final safety rule. OBEY ALL RULES. 🙂

 Special Note: There will be national press coverage of the 2015 WPA, so don’t be surprised if a reporter, photographer, or TV camera-person/reporter asks for an interview or photograph.

See you Thursday!

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Cheryl Yeko: A Pre-WPA Explosion!

Cheryl Yeko: A pre-WPA explosion

 

Typically, when Writers’ Police Academy staff members blow the doors off a structure, well, they stay off, and the ensuing damage is practically, if not totally, irreversible.

However, a more subdued explosion has already occurred. The spark that set it off ignited a few months ago when the first suspicious package arrived at the Wisconsin residence of Cheryl Yeko, the hard-working writer who volunteered to head up the silent auction at this year’s Writers’ Police Academy.

This (poor Cheryl and friends) is the story of what happened. I don’t know all the gory details, but here’s what I know so far. By the way, I understand ALL of the damage and destruction was caused by writers from all over the world. Yes, this IS your fault! Here goes…

First came one package, then two, then three, and then….BOOM!

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And they continued to arrive until Cheryl’s once neat and tidy home became filled with signed books, paintings, baskets, and tons of other really cool things.

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So Cheryl and quickly went to work, attempting to contain as much of the suspicious “material” as she possibly could.

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Of course, it takes a team to conquer such a task, so Sue and Susan joined the dangerous assignment of assembling baskets for the…fantastic WPA silent auction! Yes, these fine woman are all volunteers who took on the difficult job of handling the WPA silent auction. Oh, you really thought…

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Anyway, also helping out were Cheryl’s mom and sister-in law Diane. Of course, we can’t forget the husbands’ contributions to the effort. Sue’s husband held down to the fort and babysat for their cat while she drove all the way to from Illinois to Wisconsin, several times, to spend many hours at Cheryl’s house assembling baskets. Susan’s husband took on the job of loading the baskets (over one-hundred with more to be delivered) and transporting them from Cheryl’s home to the police academy, another long road trip.

In the end, though, everything came together nicely, and…

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…no one was injured during the making of WPA auction baskets. Best of all, the three committee members are still friends.

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When you meet these wonderful women at the WPA, please thank them for all their hard work. I know I deeply appreciate all they and their families have done for us.

Oh yeah, back to the explosion. This is the aftermath, as Cheryl called it, of the event to be forever known as the 2015 WPA Auction Item Apocalypse.

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*Cheryl’s husband, Patrick, by the way, had the job of bringing in all those packages as they arrived. He also cleaned up the post-apocalyptic mess and hauled it away.

Again, thank you all for your help. Now it’s up to each of the WPA attendees to make their hard work a true success. So please, please, please support the effort and BUY every single item!!!

So…BRING CASH! LOTS OF CASH!

For more on Cheryl, Sue, and Susan’s basket-assembling adventure, please visit Cheryl’s blog, Cheryl Yeko, Where Love Always Wins.

*WPA profits benefit the scholarship fund at our host academy/college.

See you in one week!

 

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Writers’ Police Academy Schedule of Events

WPA Schedule of events

 

We are now only two weeks away from the most exciting event in the country for writers, the Writers’ Police Academy. Can you believe it’s almost here already?

August 20th marks the opening for the 7th annual extravaganza also known as the WPA, and this is the largest event we’ve ever produced. I know, I say that every year, but it’s absolutely true each time I say it!

Our brand new location and fabulous training facility—Fox Valley Technical College’s Public Safety Training Center—is one of the top, premier training academies in the entire country. Even the FBI sends agents there to train. The 75 acre, $35 million place is absolutely mind-blowing.

Here’s a peek at the grounds. Yes, that’s a full-size 727 jet and we will be using it during our training sessions!

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– 75 acres of indoor and outdoor tactical training space filled with innovative props and simulation experiences to enhance training in law enforcement, firefighting, emergency medical services, forensic science, and wildland fire.

– A 30+ foot ‘ant hill’ for confined space drills.

– A 6-story burn tower for fire training and four firearms ranges for police training, including one that is 300 yards.

– River City, a simulated training village with a motel, homes, and convenience store, provides scenarios that simultaneously involve police, firefighters, and emergency medical service personnel.

– Everything from emergency response training to other related crisis scenarios will be taking place on a Boeing 727 aircraft.

– Three large train cars, dispersed in various positions, present a derailment that requires specialized, multi-disciplinary responders.

– Other areas include a spacious fire apparatus training bay, an expanded Emergency Vehicle Operator Course, a water rescue pond, and much more.

And, to answer the question many of you have asked, YES there will be actual firefighters there teaching workshops.

Now, here’s a copy of the 2015 WPA schedule of events. Workshop descriptions and details are at the bottom of this page. For all other details please visit the WPA website. www.writerspoliceacademy.com

*Due to unexpected cancellations we do have a couple of slots available!

Thursday

4:00 – 6:00

Registration/Check-in

5:30 – 5:50

Ride-Along and Jail Tour Orientation – Hotel (room TBA)

6:00

Ride-Along with on-duty patrol officers – Limited number of available slots filled by lottery. Sign-ups during online registration only. All participants must submit to a background check.

Jail Tours – Limited number of available slots filled by lottery. Sign-ups during online registration only. Participants may be required to submit to a background check.

Dinner – On your own.

The Radisson features a few very nice restaurants, and there are several restaurants and pubs within easy walking distance from the hotel. Many are within sight of the front doors.

7:00 – 8:00

Orientation – Hotel

 

8:30 p.m.

3D Crime Scene Mapping – The future of CSI is real and in use today! ~ Dr. Joe LeFevre – Hotel

 

Friday

8:00 – 8:45

Announcements ~ Dr. Joe LeFevre/Staff – Village

8:45 – 9:05

Late registration – PSTA Lobby

9:00 – ongoing

Milo (firearms training simulator)- Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served.

Driving Simulator – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. Requires extra fee.

Traffic Stops – Ongoing. Friday only. Walk up any time.

 

9:15 – 10:30

Espionage, Cons and the Anatomy of Betrayal ~ NYPD Detective Marco Conelli

Romance Behind the Badge ~ Secret Service Special Agent Mike Roche

Small Things Considered ~ Dr. Denene Lofland

Fingerprinting 101 ~ Staff

Crime Lab ~ Wisconsin Crime Lab Staff

Fire Fundamentals ~ Staff

New Picture (2)

Skid Pad – Sign-ups during online registration only. Participation by lottery. 3 participants per ride. ~ Staff.

Building Searches/Door Breaching – Sign-ups during online registration only. 3 shooters per 20 minutes. 1st come/1st served. ~ Staff

Firing Range (Pistol) – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 6 shooters per session. All participants must submit to a background check. ~ Staff

EMS Experience ~ Staff

Patrol: The Backbone of Law Enforcement ~ Mike Black

Basics of uniformed patrol and the issues faced by police officers in today’s society. This session addresses the functions and responsibilities of uniformed officers working the street, including tactics for de-escalating incidents to the use of deadly force. An examination of incidents such as the recent high-profile traffic stops gone wrong and the public perceptions of each. (Room PS157)

 

10:45 – Noon

An Insider’s View to the World of Women in Law Enforcement ~ Robin Burcell

Police Gunfighting ~ ATF Special Agent Rick McMahan

From Crime Scene to Autopsy ~ Deputy Coroner Les James

Bangs and Booms 101 ~ John Gilstrap

Crime Lab ~ Wisconsin Crime Lab Staff

Fingerprinting 101 ~ Staff

Skid Pad – Sign-ups during online registration only. Participation by lottery. 3 participants per ride. ~ Staff.

Building Searches/Door Breaching – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 3 shooters per 20 minutes. ~ Staff

Firing Range (Pistol) – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 6 shooters per session. All participants must submit to a background check. ~ Staff

EMS Experience ~ Staff

Patrol: The Backbone of Law Enforcement ~ Mike Black

Basics of uniformed patrol and the issues faced by police officers in today’s society. This session addresses the functions and responsibilities of uniformed officers working the street, including tactics for de-escalating incidents to the use of deadly force. An examination of incidents such as the recent high-profile traffic stops gone wrong and the public perceptions of each. (PS157)

 

Noon – 12:45

Lunch

 

1:00 – 2:15

How To Write a Killer Fiction Query
Learn to craft a compelling query that introduces your work and entices a literary agent to ask for more. Come away with a list of things to avoid, and a list of things to include. Opportunities for Q&A, of course. Bring your own query if you want it used as a class example (not required). Room PS101 A&B

Kids Who Kill and Why ~ Dr. Katherine Ramsland

Handcuffing and Arrest Techniques ~ Staff

An Insider’s View to the World of Women in Law Enforcement ~ Robin Burcell

Bangs and Booms 101 ~ John Gilstrap

From Crime Scene to Autopsy ~ Deputy Coroner Les James

Interview and Interrogation ~ Lt. David Swords

Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT Maneuver) – Sign-ups during online registration only. Participation by lottery. 3 participants per ride. ~ Staff.

Burning Building Search/Rescue ~ Staff

Building Searches/Door Breaching – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 3 shooters per 20 minutes.  ~ Staff

Firing Range (Pistol) – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 6 shooters per session. All participants must submit to a background check. ~ Staff

 

2:30 – 3:45

Handcuffing and Arrest Techniques ~ Staff

Police Gunfighting ~ ATF Special Agent Rick McMahan

Bloodstain Pattern Investigations and Techniques ~ Staff

Alternate Light Sources ~ Staff

Arson Investigations ~ Dr. Joe LeFevre

New Picture (3)

Interview and Interrogation ~ Lt. David Swords

Tactics for Handling the Unruly Plane Passenger – Sign-ups at online registration only. 1st come/1st served.Limited to 25 participants at each session. ~ Staff

Drug Identification ~ Joe Keil

Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT Maneuver) – Sign-ups during online registration only. Participation by lottery. 3 participants per ride. ~ Staff.

Building Searches/Door Breaching – Sign-ups during online registration only. 3 shooters per 20 minutes. 1st come/1st served. ~ Staff

Firing Range (Pistol) – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 6 shooters per session. All participants must submit to a background check. ~ Staff

 

4:00 – 5:15

Arson Investigations ~ Dr. Joe LeFevre

Alternate Light Sources ~ Staff

Bloodstain Pattern Investigations and Techniques ~ Staff

Simunitions: Advanced Door-Breaches/Building Searches – Sign-ups during online registration only. Participation by lottery. ~ Staff

Robbery v. Burglary ~ Lt. David Swords

Drug Identification ~ Joe Keil

Burning Building Search/Rescue ~ Staff

Tactics for Handling the Unruly Plane Passenger – Sign-ups at online registration only. 1st come/1st served.Limited to 25 participants at each session. ~ Staff

The Mindset of Cops ~ Secret Service Special Agent Mike Roche

Kids Who Kill and Why ~ Dr. Katherine Ramsland

 

5:30

Buses depart for hotel

5:45 – 7:00

Dinner – On Your Own

7:00 – 7:30

Cash bar

7:30 – 8:30

Reception

 

9:00 p.m.

When a Traffic Stop Goes Horribly Wrong ~ Joe LeFevre, all law enforcement staff, K-9.

 

Saturday

8:00 – 8:45

Announcements ~ Dr. Joe LeFevre/Staff  – Village

9:00 – ongoing

Milo – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served.

Driving Simulator – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served.

 

9:15 – 10:30

Forensic Art and Witness Recall ~ Robin Burcell

Small Things Considered ~ Dr. Denene Lofland

Fighting Words: Martial Arts for Writers ~ Howard Lewis

Building Searches/Door Breaching – Sign-ups during online registration only. 3 shooters per 20 minutes. 1st come/1st served. ~ Staff

Firing Range (Rifle) – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 6 shooters per session. All participants must submit to a background check. ~ Staff

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Crime Scene Photography ~ Staff

The Mindset of Cops ~ Secret Service Special Agent Mike Roche

Robbery v. Burglary ~ Lt. David Swords

The CSI Effect: Real vs. Reel ~ Mike Black

Workshop covers the approach and procedures for responding to a crime scene, taking attendees through the steps necessary to assess and safeguard the scene. This session also deals with procedures for processing the scenes and how real life situations are often misrepresented in books, television, and movies, and how these fictitious depictions often can taint the jury pool. Actual evidence that might be found at crime scenes will be present in the classroom.

 

10:45 – Noon

Fighting Words: Martial Arts for Writers ~ Howard Lewis

Introduction to Firearms ~ ATF Special Agent Rick McMahan

SWAT Experience ~ Law Enforcement

Forensic Art and Witness Recall ~ Robin Burcell

Advanced Fingerprinting (difficult, textured, and wet surfaces) ~ Staff

Overview of Forensic Psychology ~ Dr. Katherine Ramsland

K-9 ~ Staff

Crime Scene Photography ~ Staff

Concealed Carry ~ Staff instructor with John Gilstrap

Firing Range (Rifle) – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 6 shooters per session. All participants must submit to a background check. ~ Staff

 

Noon – 12:45

Lunch

 

1:00 – 2:10

How To Write a Killer Fiction Query ~ Janet Reid (Query Shark)
Learn to craft a compelling query that introduces your work and entices a literary agent to ask for more. Come away with a list of things to avoid, and a list of things to include. Opportunities for Q&A, of course. Bring your own query if you want it used as a class example (not required). Room PS101 A&B

Booking/Processing ~ Staff

SWAT Experience ~ Law Enforcement

Overview of Forensic Psychology ~ Dr. Katherine Ramsland

Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT Maneuver) – Sign-ups during online registration only. Participation by lottery. 3 participants per ride. ~ Staff.

Espionage, Cons and the Anatomy of Betrayal ~ NYPD Detective Marco Conelli

Building Searches/Door Breaching – Sign-ups during online registration only. 3 shooters per 20 minutes. 1st come/1st served. ~ Staff

Advanced Fingerprinting (difficult, textured, and wet surfaces)

Crime Scene Photography ~ Staff

JAWS ~ Staff

Gals with Guns ~ Staff

Firing Range (Rifle) – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 6 shooters per session. All participants must submit to a background check. ~ Staff

 

2:20 – 3:30

Booking/Processing ~ Staff

Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT Maneuver) – Sign-ups during online registration only. Participation by lottery. 3 participants per ride. ~ Staff.

Firing Range (Rifle) – Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 6 shooters per session. Requires extra fee. All participants must submit to a background check. ~ Staff

Bloodstain Pattern Investigations and Techniques ~ Staff

K-9 ~ Staff

Introduction to Firearms ~ ATF Special Agent Rick McMahan

JAWS ~ Staff

Crime Scene Photography ~ Staff

Gals with Guns ~ Staff

Romance Behind the Badge ~ Secret Service Special Agent Mike Roche

Simunitions: Advanced Door-Breaches/Building – Sign-ups during online registration only. Participation by lottery. ~ Staff

The CSI Effect: Real vs. Reel ~ Mike Black

Workshop covers the approach and procedures for responding to a crime scene, taking attendees through the steps necessary to assess and safeguard the scene. This session also deals with procedures for processing the scenes and how real life situations are often misrepresented in books, television, and movies, and how these fictitious depictions often can taint the jury pool. Actual evidence that might be found at crime scenes will be present in the classroom.

 

3:45

Buses Depart For Hotel

4:15 – 5:30

How to “Get It Right” – The benefits of research and how to make them work for the writer. ~ Allison Brennan – Hotel Salons C and D

 

6:30 – 7:00

Cash Bar and Silent Auction

 

7:00 – 8:30

Banquet, awards, silent auction, and announcements. You must present your ticket to enter the banquet room.

 

8:30

An Evening with Karin Slaughter

*Book signings with featured guests and presenters immediately after the conclusion of banquet activities.

 

Sunday

10:00 – Noon

Debriefing Panel – All Available Instructors

The debriefing panel has often been described as the best session of the entire event. It’s where you have the opportunity to address the panel of experts, asking questions pertaining to your work in progress, about police officers, detectives, sheriffs, police chiefs, crooks, thugs, thieves, and well, pretty much anything related to the world of cops and robbers.

You’ll definitely want to bring your sense of humor and a tissue or two. You’ll need both.

Workshop Descriptions

Alternate Light Sources ~ Staff

An Insider’s View to the World of Women in Law Enforcement ~ Robin Burcell

Arson Investigations ~ Dr. Joe LeFevre

Bangs and Booms 101: Interactive session to teach the basics of projectile ballistics, explosives, and how they do damage to people and things. ~ John Gilstrap

Bloodstain Pattern Investigations and Techniques ~ Staff

Building Searches/Door Breaching: In this heart-thumping workshop you and your fellow SWAT team members are called in to service a search warrant at a residence. Your mission is to locate and apprehend the armed robber who’s barricaded himself inside. Be prepared for whatever could happen and, well, it probably will. So expect the unexpected. Good luck!  ~ Staff (3 shooters per 20 minutes – 9 per hour)

Burning Building Search/Rescue: A burning building has filled with smoke and it’s up to you to enter and search for and save trapped or unconscious victims. Hands-on experience faced by firefighters every day. No actual fire and simulated smoke, but the experience is extremely realistic! ~ Staff

Computer-Aided Dispatch Systems: While seated at an actual dispatch terminal, you’ll check the database for a suspect’s criminal history and other vital records. Dispatchers will receive print-outs and issue tickets. ~ Staff

Concealed Carry: When cops and concealed carry citizens interact. How the objectives and tactics vary between civilians and LEOs. ~ Staff instructor with John Gilstrap

Crime Lab: How long do DNA results take? What does a Forensic Scientist do? Staff from the Wisconsin Crime Lab talk about their job and answer your questions.

Crime Scene Photography: Photograph crime scenes and crime scene evidence. Bring your cameras and your best investigative skills for this extremely realistic session. ~ Staff

Driving Simulator: You get the emergency call and respond in your patrol vehicle. This is definitely not a Sunday drive to Grandma’s house!

Drug Identification: Recognizing the signs of drug use and abuse and the paraphernalia related with various drugs. Discussion of current drug trends. ~ Joe Keil

EMS Experience: Learn about real EMS work using actual tools while inside an ambulance. Hands-on with many simple skills, and some people will get the thrill of delivering a baby via our human patient simulator. ~ Staff

Espionage, Cons and the Anatomy of Betrayal ~ NYPD Detective Marco Conelli

Fighting Words: Martial Arts for Writers: Demonstrations by a master and tips on writing scenes that don’t drive martial arts experts to the edge of insanity. ~ Howard Lewis

Fingerprinting: Lifting prints from a variety of surfaces, including those most difficult—wet, textured, and sticky areas such as duct tape. ~ Staff

Fire Fundamentals: This interactive workshop begins with a ride in a fire truck heading to a fire (a real fire) and ends with a hands-on session with equipment inside the fire station . Experience the sights, sounds, and smells associated with firefighting. ~ Staff

Firing Range (Pistol): Following a brief lesson on handgun safety and the 4 step process of the draw, participants will test their marksmanship on a real indoor police academy shooting range. Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 6 shooters per session. Requires extra fee. All participants must submit to a background check.

Firing Range (Rifle): Following a brief safety lesson and fundamental of rifle fire (AR-15), participants will test their marksmanship on a real indoor police academy shooting range. Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. 6 shooters per session. Requires extra fee. All participants must submit to a background check.  ~ Staff

Forensic Art and Witness Recall: How investigators reach inside someone’s head to see what the witness sees. Have you ever wondered why so many people can see the same incident, and yet have a completely different description of what happened or who they saw? Sketch artists have to learn the art of interviewing in order to get the clearest picture of a suspect from a witness’s description. Witness memory is fragile and easily swayed. Examples from real cases, and demonstration of techniques will be used in this course. ~ Robin Burcell

From Crime Scene to Autopsy ~ Deputy Coroner Les James

Gals With Guns: Concealed Carry For Women – How to carry. How not to carry. Where to carry. And how to draw. ~ Staff

Handcuffing and Arrest Techniques ~ Staff

Interview and Interrogation: Learn tactics and techniques used by investigators, and the mistakes often made by writers. ~ Lt. David Swords

JAWS: Hands-on session using the emergency lifesaving tool. ~ Staff

K-9: Narcotics searches and suspect apprehension. See the dogs doing what they do best and learn why they do it. ~ Staff

Kids Who Kill and Why ~ Dr. Katherine Ramsland

Milo: Shoot/don’t shoot interactive training. Extremely realistic. Will you make the right decisions?This session is hands-down one of the most popular workshops of the WPA. Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. Requires extra fee.

Police Gunfighting ~ ATF Special Agent Rick McMahan

Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT Maneuver):  Sign-ups during online registration only. Participation by lottery. 3 participants per ride. ~ Staff.

Robbery v. Burglary ~ Lt. David Swords

Romance Behind the Badge: Examining the love tendencies of law enforcement officers. From scandalous infidelity to office romance and the sparks ignited while answering calls. We will rip the sheets off the mattress and expose the inside world of love in the cop world.  ~ Secret Service Special Agent Mike Roche (AKA “The Love Doctor”)

Simunitions ~ Advanced Door-Breaches/Building Searches: SWAT team members will suit up in protective gear and then conduct their search for the armed robber. SWAT members and bad guys will be armed with Simunition (similar to paintball). Sign-ups during online registration only. 1st come/1st served. Requires extra fee. ~ Staff

Skid Pad: Fishtailing around a corner during a high-speed chase. Teetering on the edge of losing total control of your car. Sound exciting? Well, if you’re up for it, so are we. Climb inside one of our patrol cars and hang on for the ride of a lifetime. This is actual police training. Sign-ups during online registration only. Participation by lottery. 3 participants per ride. ~ Staff.

Small Things Considered: An up-close look at microscopic creatures and how they can be used to commit murder.~ Dr. Denene Lofland

SWAT Experience: See, touch, and try on actual SWAT team gear. Tour SWAT vehicles, and learn SWAT operations from the experts. ~ Law Enforcement

Tactics for Handling the Unruly Plane Passenger: You’ve boarded the plane, buckled in, and made sure your tray table is locked in the upright position. Suddenly the passenger in 12B does the unthinkable and it’s up to you, the responding police officer, to control the situation. Yes, we have a full-size Boeing 727 passenger jet onsite! ~ Staff

The Mindset of Cops: Examine the psychological mindset of cops. What are their cultural backgrounds, their psychological tendencies, and what draws officers to a career in law enforcement. Take a look at the camaraderie of the Thin Blue Line and the caustic nature of the career. ~ Secret Service Special Agent Mike Roche

Traffic Stops: Side-by-side role playing with PSTA police recruits as they conduct practical exercises. Walk up anytime to participate. This is actual police academy training in real time. Have your questions answered while interacting with police recruits.

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Only Two Days Left To Win a Free Writers’ Police Academy Registration!

Winner of 2015 Golden Donut

 

Only two days left to enter the Golden Donut 200-Word Short Story Contest.

Contest winner receives the coveted Golden Donut Award AND free registration to the 2016 Writers’ Police Academy!

The rules are simple—write a story about the photograph above using exactly 200 words.

http://www.writerspoliceacademy.com/short-story-contest/

~

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The 2015 contest judge is Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants and At the Water’s Edge.

~

Last year, the contest winner was announced by Michael Cudlitz, star of Southland, Band of Brothers, and The Walking Dead. Here’s Michael…

~

PRACTICE

by

Rick McMahan

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One

Jill strode down the darkened hall, her hollow footfalls in sync with the words drifting to her.

Two.

The training room door was open, a weak light escaping.

Three.

Every CPR mannequin was strewn across the floor like he had tried each one before settling on the smallest.

Breathe.

Kneeling, Ray was pushing on the dummy’s chest. His t-shirt was soaked through with sweat.

“Partner,” she said.

He looked up at her, but she knew he was looking through her at the memory. Dispatch sent them to a nice neighborhood with manicured yards and kids playing. A worried employer called when a female employee never showed for work. Jill found the woman’s body on the bed. A baby was never mentioned. Ray found one floating in the tub.

“Roll call’s in ten, partner.”

More than sweat glistened on his face. Standing, he turned away to pull on his uniform shirt.

Post-partum depression. A fancy word for a mother drowning her kid before suiciding herself.  It took Jill and three EMTs to pull Ray away from the baby’s blue lips.

“Next time if I try harder, Maybe I can save him.” Ray’s voice tight. “I was just practicing.”

~

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Rick McMahan

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A Recipe From the Writers’ Police Academy: Sweet Potato Biscuits

A recipe from the WPA

 

Okay, folks, the weekend’s here so it’s time to step outside the crime scene tape, put away the fingerprint powders and brushes, and relax. And what better way to kick back than to whip up something good in the kitchen? So here’s one of my favorites—sweet potato biscuits. As Sheriff Andy Taylor would say, “They’re some kinda’ goo…ood!”

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Ingredients

– 2 cups warm, mashed, boiled sweet potatoes

– 1/2 cup melted butter

– 2 tsp. baking powder

– 3 cups sifted flour

– 3/4 cup sugar

– 1 tsp. salt

The Process

Pre-heat oven to 425.

Sift flour and baking powder. Mix warm sweet potatoes with sugar, salt, and butter. Add flour to potato mixture and mix thoroughly.

Roll on slightly-floured bread board until approximately 1/2 inch thick.

Cut with biscuit cutter (or inverted juice glass, water glass, etc.) and place on baking sheet.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until nicely browned and done. Brush melted butter across the tops and watch them disappear.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 to 3 dozen mouth-watering biscuits.

Enjoy!

*   *   *

Now, a little Writer’s Police Academy business.

We Need Your Books!

Yes, it’s that time of the year when I start begging (bugging) everyone for signed books and other goodies for the Writers’ Police Academy’s raffle/silent auction.

In the past, we’ve received items such as cell phones, oil paintings, quilts, basket material, signed TV scripts, and much, much more.

Proceeds from the auction are combined with overall profits which are then donated to our host college/academy. Starting this year those funds go to the Writers’ Police Academy Scholarship Fund. The fund is to provide financial aid for students of criminal justice (degree), and law enforcement, firefighting, and EMS certification programs.

So far, thanks to your generosity, we’ve given over $60,000!

So I thank each of you for your support. The raffle/auction is a huge hit each year.

So won’t you please help us help the people who see to it that writers “get it right.” After all, these are the same professionals who’ve dedicated their lives to helping and protecting others. A small contribution from us is the least we can do, right?

Please contact me at lofland32@msn.com if you can help out.

By the way, we’ve secured a few more slots for the Writers’ Police Academy. This is by far the largest and most exciting event we’ve ever put together. I hope to see all of you there. It’s an experience you’ll never forget.

This is not a watered down citizen’s police academy. It’s the real deal!

 

Again, please help if you can. Thanks so much.

We are also seeking sponsors. It’s great PR for you and your work!

*Contact me at lofland32@msn.com

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