Outliers Writing University Podcast Series

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF 59: Special Guest Tulsa PD Homicide Detective Brandon Watkins

You've seen him on THE FIRST 48. We chat about that as well as his career in homicide

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF 58: Cardiac Surgery During WWII

What Cardiac Condition Could Be Surgically Repaired During WWII?
Q: I write a mystery series set during the Second World War. My question is about heart surgery during that time period. I am planning a future book in which my character’s heart ailment catches up to him, and he undergoes surgery. What specific ailment can I give him? It needs to be something that he could have lived with into his 20s, and then became critical - and also something that could be repaired by new surgical techniques circa 1944. Plus, he needs to have a fairly quick recovery, so he's not out of commission too long. 
A: You actually have several options. Many of them are congenital cardiac problems and in the 1940s many did not live beyond adolescence. Things like transposition of the great vessels or tetralogy of Fallott often resulted in a premature death. However, the best bet for your scenario would be mitral stenosis. This is a narrowing of the mitral valve which lies between the left atrium and the left ventricle. All the blood returning from the lungs enters the left atrium and then crosses this valve into the left ventricle, where it is pumped out to the body. A narrowing of this valve is usually caused by rheumatic fever that occurred during his childhood. It was fairly common in the early twentieth century. It was often undiagnosed because the symptoms of fever, chills, and a sore throat mimic the flu or a common cold. Only later, when cardiac issues appeared, would the accurate diagnosis of earlier rheumatic fever be made.
In rheumatic fever, a throat infection from several stains of streptococci, the same family of bacteria that causes strept throat, results in an immunologic reaction that progresses throughout life. This immunological reaction progressively scars the cardiac valves, particularly the mitral, and this causes the leaflets of the valve to fuse together, narrowing the opening. We call this narrowing stenosis. The symptoms of this are fatigue and shortness of breath. The narrowed valve restricts blood flow into the main pumping chamber – – the left ventricle – – and thus reduces output of blood by the heart. These symptoms are magnified during any type of physical activity. Your character could have done well throughout most of his life, but then in his late 20s or 30s or even 40s could begin developing shortness of breath with activity and progressive fatigue. He would then be diagnosed with mitral stenosis, which was easily done with a stethoscope. 
The original surgery for this was a procedure that we called a finger commissurotomy. That's simply a big word meaning you use your finger to open up a narrowed valve. The surgeon would open the chest and make a small incision in a structure called the left atrial appendage. This is simply a dog ear, if you will, off the left atrium. It is easily visible and accessible once the chest is open. The surgeon would then slide a finger through that opening an extend it down to the valve where he would force his finger through the opening. Basically, he would rip the fused leaflets apart. This would relieve the stenosis, but it could leave the person with mitral insufficiency, also called mitral regurgitation. This is where the valve leaks a small amount of blood backwards with each heartbeat. This is usually minor and tolerated much better than the stenosis. I think mitral stenosis would serve your needs well.

GET TO KNOW Best-selling Author JD Barker

J.D. Barker (Jonathan Dylan Barker) is a New York Times and international bestselling American author whose work has been broadly described as suspense thrillers, often incorporating elements of horror, crime, mystery, science fiction, and the supernatural.
https://jdbarker.com/

GET TO KNOW Author KK Cathers

For as long as she can remember, Kerry Cathers has been fascinated by crime and history and now spends her days reading and talking about both. She created A Curiosity of Crime and Bandit’s Roost as research resources for authors of historical detective fiction.The first book in her reference series, A Writer’s Guide to Nineteenth-Century Murder by Arsenic, is available now. The sequel, A Writer’s Guide to Forensics, 1800-1940 will be on bookshelves next year. She presented at the HNS North America 2023 Conference, and given seminars on forensics, poisons, and how to be a nineteenth-century detective for Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and Kiss of Death’s COFFIN series.
Kerry’s Substack: https://banditsroost.substack.com

GET TO KNOW Author, Actor, Narrator Harley Jane Kozak

HARLEY JANE KOZAK was born in Pennsylvania, grew up in Nebraska, completed NYU School of the Arts Graduate Acting Program, and migrated to Los Angeles. She starred in a few dozen films (Parenthood, Arachnophobia, The Favor, etc.), three soaps (Texas, Guiding Light, Santa Barbara), countless plays and a lotta TV before taking a 15-year maternity leave and turning to crime fiction. Her first (of 5) novels, Dating Dead Men, won the Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. Her short prose has appeared in Ms. Magazine, The Sun, The Santa Monica Review and eight anthologies, including Best American Mystery Stories of 2019. She has also produced and narrated a dozen audiobooks (although not her own books; go figure). Harley lives in L.A. with three dogs, and leaves the porch light on for her three kids, preferring to ignore the fact that they’re in their 20’s and don’t live at home anymore. 
https://harleyjanekozak.com/

GET TO KNOW Author, Screenwriter, Forensic Specialist Jennifer Dornbush

Jennifer Dornbush is a screenwriter, author, international speaker, and forensic specialist. Raised as the daughter of a medical examiner whose office was in their home; forensics and crime writing are infused into her DNA. Jennifer penned suspense thriller Hole in the Woods;  historical crime fiction The Locard Principle; on-going mystery series The Coroner’s Daughter, and contributes to mystery anthologies, She also created the acclaimed crime writer’s guide Forensic Speak. As a screenwriter Jennifer has optioned, sold, developed, and adapted material for film and television. She is a sought-out international teacher, speaker, and mentor. 
www.jenniferdornbush.com 

GET TO KNOW Author Anne Cleeland

Anne Cleeland is the author of the Doyle & Acton mystery series, which is set in modern-day Scotland Yard and has sold over 800,000 copies world-wide. The series is narrated by rookie detective Kathleen Doyle, who married the famous Chief Inspector Acton only to discover that he is not at all what he seems. The 20th book in the series, Murder in Preemption, is now available.
Anne also writes suspense stories set in the Napoleonic Wars. Her 11th book, A Dubious Prospect, became available Summer 2024.
A retired lawyer, she has four children and lives in Southern California.
https://www.annecleeland.com/

GET TO KNOW Best-selling Author Marc Cameron

Author of the New York Times bestselling Jericho Quinn Thriller series, Marc Cameron's short stories have appeared in The Saturday Evening Post and BOYS LIFE magazine. In late 2016, he was chosen to continue the Tom Clancy Jack Ryan/Campus Thriller series. TOM CLANCY COMMAND AND CONTROL released in November 2023.
Cameron is a retired Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal who spent nearly thirty years in law enforcement. His assignments have taken him from Alaska to Manhattan, Canada to Mexico and dozens of points in between. He holds a second-degree black belt in Jujitsu and is a certified scuba diver and man-tracking instructor.
Originally from Texas, Cameron is an avid sailor and adventure motorcyclist.  His books often feature boats and bikes including OSI Agent Jericho Quinn's beloved BMW GS Adventure.
Cameron lives in the Alaska with his wife and BMW GS motorcycle. He enjoys hearing from readers.
Marc’s Website: https://marccameronbooks.com/bio/

GET TO KNOW Author and Developmental Editor JL Hughes

As a Thriller Author, Owner of a successful Writers & Authors Craft Developmental Editing Company for Authors, a Ghostwriter, and Journalist, J.L. Hughes is grateful to be immersed in her respected field working with other accomplished writers. On the inside cover of dozens of novels, she contributes as Editor or Ghostwriter to both fiction and nonfiction in every genre from True Crime to Fantasy, Sci-Fi to Horror all for the love of story. R.A.Y. A Step Too Far, a Thriller pitting Morality against advancements in Mortality, is out November 12th. Her DARK JUSTICE Broken Jade Thriller Police Procedural trilogy will release in the summer of 2025. J.L. and her family enjoy city life against the adventurous backdrop of the Rocky Mountains.
JL Hughes Books: https://roughedgespress.com/project/j-l-hughes/

GTE TO KNOW Author Lorie Lewis Ham

Lorie Lewis Ham lives in Reedley, California and has been writing ever since she was a child. Her first song and poem were published when she was 13, and she has gone on to publish many articles, short stories, and poems throughout the years, as well as write for a local newspaper, and publish 7 mystery novels. For the past 14 years, Lorie has been the editor-in-chief and publisher of Kings River Life Magazine, and she produces Mysteryrat’s Maze Podcast, where you can hear an excerpt of her book One of Us, the first in a new series called The Tower District Mysteries. Book 2, One of You, was released in June of 2024. You can learn more about Lorie and her writing on her website mysteryrat.com