Outliers Writing University Podcast Series

GET TO KNOW Best-selling Author Tim Maleeny

TIM MALEENY is the bestselling author of the multiple award-winning Cape Weathers mysteries and the comedic thriller JUMP, which Publishers Weekly describes as “a perfectly blended cocktail of escapism.”  His latest is a global art heist called HANGING THE DEVIL, which Library Journal calls “relentlessly fast-paced with delightful dry humor” in a starred review. His short fiction appears in a number of leading anthologies and has won the Macavity Award for best story of the year. The Irish Times says, “If comic crime fiction is your thing, Maleeny delivers in spades.” He currently lives and writes at an undisclosed location in New York City.
https://timmaleeny.com/

GET TO KNOW Best-selling Author Tosca Lee

Tosca Lee is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of The Line Between, The Progeny, Firstborn, Iscariot, The Legend of Sheba, Demon: A Memoir, Havah: The Story of Eve, and the Books of Mortals series with New York Times bestseller Ted Dekker.
She is the recipient of two International Book Awards, Killer Nashville’s Silver Falchion, ECPA Book of the Year in Fiction, and the Nebraska Book Award. Her work has finaled for the High Plains Book Award, the Library of Virginia Reader’s Choice Award, two Christy Awards, and a second ECPA Book of the Year. The Line Between was a Goodreads Choice Awards semifinalist for Best Mystery/Thriller of 2019. In addition to the New York Times, her books have appeared on the IndieBound bestseller list, and Library Journal’s “Best Of” lists..
Tosca received her B.A. from Smith College and lives in Nebraska with her husband, three of four children still at home, and her 160-lb. German Shepherd, Timber.
https://toscalee.com/

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF 10: Rattlesnakes and Murder

https://www.mystatesman.com/news/local/police-caldwell-county-man-uses-rattlesnake-neighbor-dispute/NUFO8d5JNM4ggWDdliKS2I/
Snake Handling In Religion Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_handling_in_religion
Snake Handling Churches: http://www.cerm.info/bible_studies/Apologetics/snake_handlers.htm
Church of God With Signs Following: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_God_with_Signs_Following
George Went Hensley—the First Snake Handler?: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Went_Hensley
Punkin Brown: http://www.hiddenmysteries.org/religion/pentecostal/snakeskill-fool.shtml
Jamie Coots Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Coots
Cost Coots: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6070685/Snake-preacher-gets-bitten-four-years-father-killed-rattlesnake.html
Salvation on Sand Mountain: https://www.amazon.com/Salvation-Sand-Mountain-Snake-Handling-Redemption/dp/0140254587?_encoding=UTF8&redirect=true
Original Sin: http://www.dplylemd.com/book-details/original-sin.html

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF 9: The Mysterious Human Brain

Head Trauma (Direct, Infectious, Anoxic, Vascular)
Physical Abnormalities
Behavioral Changes
Language/Communication
Brain Lobes:
Frontal: Controls personality, emotions, intellect, judgement, problem solving, attention, organizing, social skills
Broca’s Area: Speech, writing, particularly expressing
Parietal: Controls motor and sensory functions, and helps with vision and hearing
Temporal: Language, memory, emotions, perceptions
Wernicke’s Area: Impacts speech formation and understanding
Occipital: Vision
Aphasia: Receptive and expressive 
Memory:
Short Term: Prefrontal Cortex
Long Term: Hippocampus in Temporal Lobe
Amnesia: Global Partial, Retrograde, Anterograde
LINKS:
Brain Anatomy: https://mayfieldclinic.com/pe-anatbrain.htm
Head Injury and Communication: https://www.headway.org.uk/about-brain-injury/individuals/effects-of-brain-injury/communication-problems/
Aphasia: https://www.headway.org.uk/about-brain-injury/individuals/effects-of-brain-injury/communication-problems/language-impairment-aphasia/
Hannah Jenkins Case:
Newser: http://www.newser.com/story/266094/she-woke-up-from-bike-crash-and-couldnt-speak-english.html
BBC Story: https://www.bbc.com/news/disability-45804613
 
Mac Fedge Case:
NBC News Story: https://www.nbcnews.com/healthmain/different-person-personality-change-often-brain-injurys-hidden-toll-8C11152322
 
Subdural Info:
Subdural Hematoma Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/intracranial-hematoma/symptoms-causes/syc-20356145
 
Personality and Behavior Changes: https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/personality-and-behavior-changes-subsequent-to-traumatic-braininjury-a-review-of-the-literature-1522-4821-1000196.php?aid=52259
 
CareGiver Post: https://www.caregiver.org/coping-behavior-problems-after-head-injury
 

GET TO KNOW Best-selling Author and Emmy-winning Reporter Hank Phillippi Ryan

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN is the USA Today bestselling author of 15 psychological thrillers, winning the most prestigious awards in the genre: five Agathas, five Anthonys, and the coveted Mary Higgins Clark Award. She is also on-air investigative reporter for Boston's WHDH-TV, with 37 EMMYs and dozens more journalism honors. National book critics call her “a superb and gifted storyteller.” Her current novel is the page-turning standalone THE HOUSE GUEST, a story of psychological manipulation exploring the dark heart of marriage and friendship. Publishers Weekly says “Ryan is a master of suspense!” and Library Journal says "Ryan is has a gift for writing superb suspense." Hank is the co-host and founder of THE BACK ROOM, host of CRIME TIME on A Mighty Blaze, and co-host of FIRST CHAPTER FUN. 
https://hankphillippiryan.com/

GET TO KNOW Best-selling Author and Outliers Instructor Steven James

Steven James is a critically acclaimed author of nineteen novels and numerous nonfiction books that have sold more than 1 million copies. His books have won or been shortlisted for dozens of national and international awards. In addition, his stories and articles have appeared in more than eighty different publications, including The New York Times. He is also a popular keynote speaker and professional storyteller with a master's degree in storytelling. Since 1996 he has appeared more than two thousand times at events spanning the globe, presenting his stories and teaching the principles of storytelling to writers, speakers, teachers, and leaders. When he's not writing or speaking, he hosts the weekly podcast The Story Blender, on which he interviews some of the world's leading writers and storytellers. In 2020 he was inducted into the Christy Hall of Fame for excellence in fiction writing. Publishers Weekly has called him "[a] master storyteller at the peak of his game.” 

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF 8: Mood and Tone in Crime Fiction

Setting the mood and tone in crime fiction should b https://anchor.fm/dashboard/episode/e988ri e done up front.
The opening passages tell the reader the type of world they are entering and what they can expect.
The opening might give character insights, setting, and the basics of the crime—and reveal the voice.
What’s the difference between mood and tone?
Tone is the author’s attitude
Mood is the atmosphere and emotion the author creates
So, tone reflects the author’s attitude while mood is how the reader feels about the story. 
Mood and Tone can be revealed through word choice, sentence structure, formal vs informal writing, point of view, objective vs subjective, rhythm, setting, action, dialog, voice—in short, all the tools of storytelling.
Like other fiction, mood and tone in crime stories runs the gamut—dark, light, noir, cozy, suspenseful, humorous, quirky, creepy, supernatural, you name it. 

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF 7: Famous and Odd DNA Cases

Famous and Odd DNA Cases:
Colin Pitchfork: The Beginning
http://aboutforensics.co.uk/colin-pitchfork/
 
Timothy Wilson Spencer, The Southside Strangler” First US DNA Conviction
(David Vasquez—first to be exonerated by DNA)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Wilson_Spencer
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/352011
 
Brown’s Chicken Murders:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown%27s_Chicken_massacre
https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2018/01/08/browns-chicken-massacre-25-years-anniversary/
 
Lonnie Franklin, The Grim Sleeper: Familial DNA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grim_Sleeper
https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/grim-sleeper-serial-killer-everything-you-need-to-know-252246/
 
James Lynn Brown: Familial DNA
https://www.ocregister.com/2012/12/04/family-members-dna-solves-1978-killing/
 
Gary Ridgway, The Green River Killer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Ridgway
 
Pierre G: Kiss DNA Foils Jewel Thief
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/10616806/French-jewellery-thiefs-fate-sealed-with-a-kiss-after-conviction-from-DNA-on-victim.html
 
David Stoddard: Dog Bite DNA Case
https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/akron-canton-news/dna-from-dogs-mouth-solves-barberton-home-invasion-suspect-david-stoddard-also-charged-with-murder
 
Maggot DNA Case:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22971153
 
Willow Martin Arson Case and Potato DNA:
http://www.courant.com/breaking-news/hc-strippers-arson-drugs-0713-20160712-story.html
https://www.mycitizensnews.com/news/2018/05/woman-sentenced-to-8-years-for-arson/

GET TO KNOW Best-selling Author Heather Graham

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Heather Graham, majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write. Her first book was with Dell, and since then, she has written over two hundred novels and novellas including category, suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, sci-fi, young adult, and Christmas family fare. 
She is pleased to have been published in approximately twenty-five languages. She has written over 200 novels and has 60 million books in print. Heather has been honored with awards from booksellers and writers’ organizations for excellence in her work, and she is the proud to be a recipient of the Silver Bullet from Thriller Writers and was awarded the prestigious Thriller Master Award in 2016. She is also a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from RWA.  Heather has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, Mystery Book Club, People and USA Today and appeared on many newscasts including Today, Entertainment Tonight and local television. 
Heather loves travel and anything that has to do with the water, and is a certified scuba diver. She also loves ballroom dancing. Each year she hosts a Vampire Ball and Dinner theater raising money for the Pediatric Aids Society and in 2006 she hosted the first Writers for New Orleans Workshop to benefit the stricken Gulf Region.  She is also the founder of “The Slush Pile Players,” presenting something that’s “almost like entertainment” for various conferences and benefits. Married since high school graduation and the mother of five, her greatest love in life remains her family, but she also believes her career has been an incredible gift, and she is grateful every day to be doing something that she loves so very much for a living. 
https://www.theoriginalheathergraham.com/

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF 6: Modern Crime Fiction

Is It Harder To Write Crime Fiction Today?
 
Do modern forensic science and police investigative techniques make creating compelling crime fiction more difficult? Are there simply too many balls to keep in the air? Too much to consider? Or is now little different from then?
 
The Past, the present, and the future
 
Forensic Science timeline—-a fairly knew discipline
 
Basic Science, then Medicine, finally forensic science
 
Personal ID
Visual
Bertillon
West Case
Facial recognition
Behavioral Profiling
Prints, ABO type, DNA, DNA Phenotype
 
Fingerprints—-then and now
 
Vucetich—the Rojas case
Stella Nickell Case
Touch DNA
Touch Toxicology
 
Toxicology
From arsenic to GC/MS
 
Blood Typing
ABO can exclude but not ID
 
DNA
Nuclear
Mitochondrial
Familial—Grim Sleeper case
Phenotypic Analysis
 
Electronics—cell phones, computers, emails, texts, VMs