Congrats to Joanne R - you won!!!!
This week's special guest is author C. Fern Cook. Fern started out as a freelance writer in the late 90's doing articles for how-to and inspirational markets. Followed by a few short stories and poem published in 2002. "Wild Evolution" is the first book in her dark paranormal Wild Series. Her latest is an inspirational romance called Learning To Love On Indian Time and it just hit the shelves late this summer.
Currently, Fern is working on the second book in the Wild series. Also in the lineup for future novels is an adventure story about finding the Garden of Eden, and an unusual tale about the afterlife.
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What I Saw As A Cop Has Made Me A Better Writer.
by C Fern Cook
When I mention my law enforcement experience to fellow writers I hear comments like; 'I need to have a long talk with you sometime' or 'I have a lot of question I'd like to ask you'.
Most people would be surprised or even shocked if they new what kind of people carry a gun and a badge. Many times the type of people who are attracted to law enforcement are just one step away from the kind of people they haul off to jail. Even when I was in the academy we were told that cops and criminals are a lot alike.
My experience covers 2 states and 4 law enforcement agencies and with all of them I encountered the same type of personalities. Law enforcement agencies attract a special kind of people; that is a two edge sword.
In my experience the people I knew who became police officers would fit into four basic categories, they were:The lazy man, a cop's job is considered a lazy man's job; Prestige, wanting other people to look up to them or the perceived power they hold over others;The thriller seeker, 99 percent boredom and 1 percent pure adrenalin, they often push the envelop to feed their need;And the one who wants to make a difference. The one who wants to help either quits or becomes jaded. I quit.
Yeah, I'm sure most people would be surprised at the kind of antics that go on behind the scenes at their local police department. The image your local police department puts on for the public is not what really happens when they think no one is looking.
Most law enforcement officers develop an 'us against them' mentality. In their training they are taught 'command presence', but in personal matters that type of behavior often leads to divorce. After awhile they end up associating only with other law enforcement people. That is the worst thing that can happen because they lose their prospective and it further feeds the 'us against them' mentality.Crime scene processing will change as technology advances but when you deal with people's ego that pretty much stays the same. No matter how much we advance technically our egos get in the way.
But this has helped me build real law enforcement characters for my paranormal thriller novel Wild Evolution.The first law enforcement character in Wild Evolution is Tony Ramirez, Dan Tuckers only real friend. Dep. Tony Ramirez is kind of the geek cop, every department has them, they are a screw-ups and then they wonder why they never get promoted.
The main character, Dan Tucker, is kind of shy and is like a sidekick. Many law enforcement people like to be the center of attention, even the geek cops. So, Dan Tucker's quiet personality is perfect for someone like Dep. Ramirez to hang out with, they look for someone they can dominate, someone where they can be the center of attention in all their personal relationships.
We first meet Dep. Ramirez when he is having breakfast with Dan at the local dinner.
We first meet Dep. Ramirez when he is having breakfast with Dan at the local dinner.
Wild Evolution excerpt:
Oblivious to his friend’s attention level, Ramirez continues. “Well, I caught hell from the sheriff. He said running radar is for State Patrol. We’re real cops. When I asked him what he had the radar for, he said it was to make the parents happy when he does that school crossing patrol at the beginning of every school year. Man, I’ll be glad when he retires. Maybe then we’ll get a real sheriff instead of a politician.”
Oblivious to his friend’s attention level, Ramirez continues. “Well, I caught hell from the sheriff. He said running radar is for State Patrol. We’re real cops. When I asked him what he had the radar for, he said it was to make the parents happy when he does that school crossing patrol at the beginning of every school year. Man, I’ll be glad when he retires. Maybe then we’ll get a real sheriff instead of a politician.”
“Ahha. So what else is news down at the sheriff’s office?”
“Not much. Hey, I was wondering, did you get to meet the new physical ed. teacher from Grand County High?”
“No. Why?”
“I’m supposed to do a missing person report on him, but no one knows much about him. From what I gathered so far he was kind of a loner.” Ramirez takes a sip of his coffee. “He hadn’t showed up for work the last couple of mornings. I got the landlord to let me into his apartment. Everything looks OK. As far as I know nothing seems to be missing from his apartment and his car is still parked in front of his apartment.”
“So?” Dan is still watching Angela make her rounds, smiling at her when she turns his way.
“This is all I was able to get on him: His name is Ivan Sokolov, he’s a white male, 6’2”, 190 pounds, sandy brown hair, brown eyes, muscular, and 32 years old. No family in the area and no contact information in case of an emergency. The only interesting thing about him is that he was born on Christmas Eve.”
“This is all I was able to get on him: His name is Ivan Sokolov, he’s a white male, 6’2”, 190 pounds, sandy brown hair, brown eyes, muscular, and 32 years old. No family in the area and no contact information in case of an emergency. The only interesting thing about him is that he was born on Christmas Eve.”
Ramirez now has Dan’s full attention: that description fits the headless man he buried. “Yeah…” Dan abruptly draws in a deep breath, sucking his own saliva down his windpipe, causing him to rudely cough across the table when he tries to catch his breath.
C. Fern Cook, author, WILD EVOLUTION
http://www.muddymuttsacres.com/
C. Fern Cook, author, WILD EVOLUTION
http://www.muddymuttsacres.com/
WIN - To get your name in the hat for an autographed copy of WILD EVOLUTION, leave Fern a comment or question to this week's blog, then head over to Fern's Website "Muddy Mutts Acres" and send her your name and address, in case you're this week's winner (the contact link is at the bottom of the page). Open to US addresses only - She'll draw a winner Monday the 16th - good luck!
Welcome to Love those Shifters, Fern!
ReplyDeleteI'll bet your time as a police officer gave you enough fodder for hunders of stories. And knowing the interworkings of a police station and crime investagation is invaluable for a writer.
Tell us a little bit about the rules of the world you created for your werewolves. I love hearing how different authors takes the same genre and make it their own.
Thanks, I will pick the winner of the signed copy Saturday and will post it on Author Island Myspace.
ReplyDeleteBTW, you won't believe some of the stuff I learned about human behavior while I worked in a patrol car.
Fern, super blog, really interesting stuff! I'll bet YOU never used your law enforcement position to your own advantage (wink)!
ReplyDeleteI've read your story and love it, eagerly awaiting the sequel. Not your usual werewolf tale ... suspensful, full of realistic detail, a unique take on werewolf mythology.
Dana Warryck
www.danawarryck.com
Hi Fern, your blog is fascinating. I read your book and really liked the way you showed your main character's love of animals and nature. He risked everything to protect what he believed in. As an animal lover too, I could sympathize with his anger over what happened in the story.
ReplyDeleteGwynn
Let's say I never used my law enforcement powers for my own benefit, but I lost my temper a couple of times.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good thing I was with someone who didn't let things get out of control.
On the other hand, I had to put the brakes on fellow officers who were letting things get to them.
There is a lot of pressure being a patrol officer. The culture promotes a them against us attitude, even though they are suppose to be serving and protecting us.
Many who wear a badge bring the tension home, that is why there is so many broken homes.
Luckily I had friends outside law enforcement and they let me know when I was acting like an ass.
The whole story centers around Dan's love for the great outdoors and all animals.
ReplyDeleteWhen he does become infected with the werewolf curse his anger gets out of control when he sees the land stripped away for more development.
Why is new found strength he struggles to control his anger, but when things get out of control he has a second body to hide
If you are looking for the normal paranormal romance this is not the book for you. There is romance, but the stories is more a of thriller/horror story. The second half of the story is how the local deputy tries to solve the crime when two bodies show up.
ReplyDeleteThat is where my law enforcement experience comes in.
I had taken many classes in crimes scene investigation, including death investigation, advance fingerprint identification, and DEA's class on narcotics.
When I took these classes I never thought I would be using them to write a fiction story, but I think my experience comes through in my writitng.
There was one really interesting death investigation I did. When I arrived at the scene there was blood everywhere and dead woman on the floor. The live-in boyfriend was nowhere to be found. Looked like suspicious circumstances to me, boy was I wrong.
ReplyDeleteIt was a very odd way to die, there was no wounds on the dead body. I wasn't sure how the place could end up with pools of blood all over the apartment and a dead body but no wound.
The next day I got the coroner's report, the woman bled to death by throwing up.
When the person's liver explodes from drinking too much, the liver bleeds through the stomach and the person throws up blood. They can actually bleed to death by throwing up blood. No murder investigation to be done. But that sure wasn't a very caring boyfriend.
Your life has been...wow. And it shows in your writing. I am anxious to read Wild Evolution..it's bound to be a winner.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, I don't bother telling a lot of my stories at get togethers or with friends, I think it makes me sound like a liar or an ego maniac.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I think all my experiences are good for is giving me fuel to write stories.
When I was in patrol I was a magnet for trouble, I went looking for it and I always found it before the night was over. When I get excited my voice goes up a notch.
So, whenever I was talking on the police radio I would never have to ask for back-up because whenever they heard my call number squeak out over the radio, my fellow officers would come to see what kind of trouble I was stirring up this time.
But it is was nothing anyone else could have done, I read the beat report, looked for areas that were getting hit with burglaries and car break-ins. I would park the cruiser and walk the beat. It was easier to sneak up on crooks out of the patrol car.
If you are interested I have a some real funny stories about burglars.
When I was a cop I always said 'you can't make this stuff up', now I don't have to, I just use bits and pieces of it in my stories.
Wow this is a very different way to look at being a police officer. I mean TV makes it look like a great job, most of the time, but doesn't sound so great.
ReplyDeleteDo you ever miss it? And where there good parts to the job. It wasn't all bad was it?
No it wasn't all bad, I had a blast some nights. Especially when I would catch a criminal act in the progress.
ReplyDeleteSuch as:
We were having problems with break-in to area churches. One night a couple came to do cleaning at an area church and they interrupted a burglary in progress. They got a good description of the burglar.
As I was being dispatched to a fight in progress I noticed a man that fit that description. Of course, I called off from the fight and stopped this guy. Turns out it was the guy and he was just leaving from a break-in at another place. He had in his position items from both break-ins and evidence from his apartment cleared up a dozen burglaries. I spent the rest of the night doing paperwork but I was so high from adhrenline that I had to go for a run in the morning.
That was a good night.
Sometimes people would surprise you and turn in a wallet that had a lot of money in it.
I learned that most people are good and want to what is right.
So it wasn't all bad.
But being around so much negative wears thin after a while.
Not all cops burn out or become tainted, I included one of those type of officers I had the pleasure of working with in my book Wild Evolution.
ReplyDeleteThe dedicated under paid and over worked government workers are few and far between, like the Crime Scene Tech Andrew Holtz. I personally only knew a few of these kind of dedicated officers. They weren't in it for the money or the glory; it's a good thing because they weren't going to get either.
Wild Evolution excerpt:
Holtz stoops down and points his flashlight at the pile of bones. “Seen lot’s of that ‘good ol’ boy’ attitude at these little Podunk departments around the state.” He steps around the perimeter of the bone pile, surveying it with his light. Reaching over the top of the pile of bones, Holtz swipes the soot with his index finger and then rubs the residue between his finger and thumb. He sniffs the residue and takes a moment to process the information. “Feels kind of oily, has a hint of petroleum smell too. My best guess is that these bones were torched using an accelerant like kerosene or something like that.” He shines his light around the bone pile. “No soot or burn marks around here. This had to be dumped here after the body was torched.”
Holtz spotlights one of the bones in the pile with his light. “Look at that.” He points to a crack in one of the femur bones. “That was probably caused from the high heat of the fire. If they used kerosene, it would make the fire pretty hot and crack the bones open to release the pressure caused by the high temperature.” Ramirez leans in to get a close look, but doesn’t say a word.
Hey Raonaid I see you follow this blog.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think of series type of books? Do you think they are worth your time or do you like stand alone novels better?
Ms. Cook..."Wild Evolution" really sounds like a really different take on the werewolf story.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to reading your books.
Thanks...Cecilia
I glad to hear that, I hope you are looking for a werewolf tale that is a little different than the norm.
ReplyDeleteMy style of writing is like story telling.
My editor for the second one of the series says he is real pleased that I started the story were the first one stopped.
I have never attempted to write a series before, but that is where I would want the next one start.
Another law enforcement character that I incorparated into the story is very common for law enforcement communities. I ran into with very department I worked with.
ReplyDeleteDetective Jason Marten would have never been hired if his uncle hadn't been elected sheriff. Aside from family owned businesses, you'll never see more nepotism anywhere else than government jobs, let's face it, law enforcement is a government job. The sheriff departments are notorious for hiring and firing as their fancy suits them. The Sheriff himself doesn't need any law enforcement abilities, he just needs votes.
Wild Evolution excerpt:
The lone detective arrives along with the sheriff. Neither bothers to exit the vehicle, waiting for Deputy Ramirez to come to them.
Detective Jason Marten, in the driver’s seat, rolls down the window when Ramirez gets close. “So, what’s the scoop?”
Sheriff Dave Marten leans across the center console to hear Deputy Ramirez’s answer.
“These two,” Ramirez points back to the Jeep where the young couple is waiting for the OK to leave, “were exploring an abandon mine when they found a pile of bones and a skull. The skull is definitely human.”
Detective Marten interrupts, “We’ll leave the medical opinion up to the coroner.”
Ramirez rolls his eyes. “Fine. Anyway, I got all the prelim info from the kids; I was going to kick them loose, if that’s OK with you.”
Detective Marten turns to his uncle, the sheriff, for the answer. Sheriff Marten nods the affirmative. Detective Marten answers, “Sure, kick them loose and then hop in the back and show us the bones.”
Being in police work must be so stressful. Thank you for the opportunity to win a copy of your book.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was more crazy than stressful.
ReplyDeleteYou get negative input from all sides.
You can't win, the public expects you to arrest the person who stole their stuff, the court except you to prove guilt beyond a reseasonable doubt.
And the adminstration expects you to be a robot and not react to the emotional input you get from all sides.
Good luck on your entry to win.
I was glad to read more about your background. I enjoyed the interview you did at Bitten By Books also.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI read the excerpt on your website, quite the gruesome fight scene. Did it bother you to kill off the main character's dog? Even in fiction, it's hard for an animal lover to read and write, I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteIs this book more paranormal than romance or more romance than paranormal. And will there be a romance in the sequel, is it about the same people? How do the stories connect?
Yes, it was a very emotional scene. I have had several pets through the years. I used the emotion I experience when my dog had cancer I could do nothing about it. Everything that could be done had already been done, when he started bleeding through the mouth he looked at me with his pleading eyes to fix it, but I could not.
ReplyDeleteIt was very heartbreaking for me.
There is another scene that is similiar that I draw from my personal experience as a animal lover to write the scene.
This is not a paranormal romance, it has some romance but it is a back story. This is more of a thriller or horror paranormal.
The next book has some romance, but again it is very little and it is not a paranormal romance either. There is some sex, but it plays a very minor part of the story.
Looked at your site and see you have rescued some puppies - how many do you have and how big is your farm? Any other animals?
ReplyDeleteDo animals play a big part in all your writing? The nonfiction you write, is that about animals?
We have 3 dogs, two were from the dog pound; the last one was dumped on our property in the middle of the night. She wasn't even weaned yet. The oldest is 8 yrs now and wieghs about 45 lbs, the boxer wieghs about 50 lbs and the puppy who is about 7 months old now wieghs 80 lbs.
ReplyDeleteWe have two cats, the oldest was a ferral cat we tamed when she was a kitten; she is the oldest of the group she is 11, and the kitten was another animal that was dumped in the country, she is only 1 now. She was skin and bones when we found her.
We have a hobby farm, 3 acres; we raise chickens and turkeys. We don't buy meat from the supermarket; we only buy meat if we know where it came from. We buy beef from a local farmer, no factory farm meat if we can help it.
We tried going vegetarian, but couldn't hack it.
I grew up with my grandparents who raised their own chickens so I knew how to do that from them.
My how-to non-fiction writing was about wine and beer making and hobby farms. I did write one article about therapy dogs, we had one but she died last year. I miss her, she was perfect for it. She would be the perfect dog the minute you put her id tag on her so she could go to the nursing homes and hosptials.
She had to pass a training exam to be certified. The hardest part of her exam was not to touch food that was laying on the floor when she passed by; we worked on that all week before the exam. She really wanted to eat that cookie on the floor but she walked by without picking it up and passed the exam.
In my fiction writing animals are always a big part of the story. Many times that is how the story began.
Andrea, I thought the Bitten By Books chat went very well.
ReplyDeletePenumbra Publishing gave away several books, did you win any?
I have enjoyed this week talking to all of you who signed in to the blog. There were some very interesting questions. Somethings I never contemplated before.
ReplyDeleteI hope to hear from some of you again when my book "Wild Justice, from the Wild Evolution Series", is released after the first of the year.
I will be posting the winner of the copy "Wild Evolution", tomorrow.
Seems like some of the most important people in our society (police officers and school teachers) are paid less than other skilled workers. Looks like our priorities are backwards. Do you think better pay would attract better people in law enforcement?
ReplyDeleteIt's very interesting that you wre a police officer!
ReplyDeleteMost law enforcement offers would jump at the chance for better pay. Some departments pay a fair wage while others offer a shameful amount of money the job. It might draw more educated people into the profession but I don't think it would make things much better.
ReplyDeleteI think their are other professions that are grossly underpaid for what they do, I think nurses is a great example of this. Without nurses the health care industry would fall apart, they carry the weight of doing most of the work when it comes to patient care, but in most places garbage men are paid better.
I would like to announce the winner of the free author signed copy of Wild Evolution.
ReplyDeleteTo keep it unbiased I had my husband draw the name.
The winner is Joanne R. of Bristol CT.