The Thriller and Crime Writers Conference

I got to go to an online writers conference last week for Thriller and Crime Writers. It was SO interesting! They had lawyers and detectives giving all the behind-the-scenes for crime scenes and criminal cases, not to mention how detectives can work with other agencies for terrorism threats. I was fascinated! There were some gruesome cases discussed, a few discussions of what happens to unclaimed bodies, and many stories of strange cases they'd had. 

There was one detective who told a couple of stories about how he'd relied on his intuition and was able to bring closure to families by following it. Of course there are all sorts of evidentiary procedures to follow, but I thought it was interesting that he went "off-book" if you will, to follow a hunch that paid off. I really think that happens more often than we think in solving cases. But this particular detective had been on the force for many years and I'm sure his experience in the field made a big difference as well. 

I loved all the strange and gritty stories and I wished some speakers could have gone longer with their presentation, they were so captivating. This was definitely an enlightening conference for me! Not to mention that it is always motivating when I'm with other writers and learning from field experts. It makes me want to get back to writing and bringing characters and stories to life.