photo courtesy of D Sharon Pruitt
I was nominated to join the Blog Hop by award winning author Amy Susan Crohn. Her first book, DYING TO LIVE: Running backwards through cancer, Lupus, and chronic illness was a finalist in the MEMOIRS (Overcoming Adversity/Tragedy/Challenges) category by Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She was a featured author at the 2014 Book Expo America in New York. Accomplishments which to aspire! Catch up on Amy’s website and be sure to read her blog.
I was also featured on last week’s “Hop Stop” at ImaginePublicity, a social media marketing agency who has helped develop my skills in 
social media as well as marketing my new endeavors. Through my association I have been able to be introduced to some of the country’s leading victim advocates and others who are tops in their fields surrounding the rights of crime victims and the judicial system.
What am I working on?
I am a blossoming author in the professional sense, but, in reality, I have been writing since my teens, and that’s a LONG time ago! I am a mad, passionate writer and practice my craft everyday through my blog entries, in-depth research blogs which showcase issues and guests on my national radio show, Shattered Lives. I’m in the process of expanding my expertise in my forthcoming first book.
We are all products of our past and I bring a rich tapestry of experience prior to becoming a crime victim in 1981 when my father was murdered. I’m also the survivor of over 50 surgeries during my lifetime. Luckily, these experiences molded me into the person I am today, happy, very healthy, and are the basis of my nickname “LadyJustice.”
As a homicide survivor and advocate for many causes with an insatiable intellectual curiosity, my main interest is in the non-fiction crime genre. However, due to the myriad of colleagues I’ve met along the way, and the increased exposure to so many aspects of crime victims and their rights, I have also included others as closest to my heart, such as persons who go missing.
It’s difficult to keep on track at times, for I want to veer off into territory about which no one else has written. This is the root of my passion, for my writing to be unique and cutting edge as often as possible versus mundane ho-hum stuff.
I have created a niche market service for crime victims unlike anyone else, a custom tailored Vicitim Impact Statement writing service available in a tiered package. This addresses a need in that victims can be often left to their own devices at the most vulnerable and emotional time in their lives, unable to understand a judicial process that seems stacked against them and their needs. My consultation service creates a victim impact statement for court or for a Board of Pardons & Parole.
How does my work differ from others of its genre?
My passion for crime story telling knows no bounds. I can always make “something” out of a few facts given my divergent thinking skills. Sometimes I employ what I call the ”Stone Soup Method”. There is a more detailed method to my writing which includes how to effectively market the crime which I have outlined in a presentation called “Marketing 101 for your Crime.” YES, you do have to market it as a crime victim in order to obtain the proper exposure. When writing about crime, these are some of the questions I ask myself:
- What is personally interesting to the writer?
- What is unique or unusual?
- Is it related to current events? (Does it need to be?)
- Is it historical or nostalgia based?
- Does it have heart, human interest?
- Is it “just another crime” or are there elements that make it more intriguing?
- Is it readily transferable to written or audio format?
- Will the topic have “staying power”- longevity?
- Is the topic controversial, provocative?
- Will it offend others…Do you care?
- As the writer, do you have a personal stake in the topic, and does that make it better or worse?
- Can other elements and information be pulled in to increase audience appeal?
What differs is I always try to tell a story by painting a complete picture, by using a variety of social media sites in an interesting manner, and using creative language with a sense of humor.
Why do I write what I do?
My writing has personal relevance to me and a larger audience, because it is intriguing and unique, and it needs to be discussed in the context of creating an awareness. In addition, I enjoy breaking down the barriers of “taboo topics “ with the potential for helping large numbers of readers listeners such as in Defining Suicide Healing and Grief.
How does my work process work?
I tend to follow my heart, along with my personal experience when it comes to choosing subject matter, but I’m mindful of the following:
- Explain the relevance up front
- Use a “hook” to capture attention
- Be original – No “copy-paste” stories
- Credit others- Use references for excerpts and other material used to illustrate your message
- Humanize and personalize
- Tie it together- beginning, middle, conclusion
- Begin and end on a positive or provocative note
- Be creative (i.e. chose quotes or short narratives to “capture the mood” and enhance your material
- Don’t use bad language; The use of other language can say it just as effectively
- Pair your story with a graphic that “says it all”(non-copyrighted or with permission)
- Respect copyrighted material
- Circulate “respectfully” to other social media forms
- Diversify your message
- Connecting and sharing posts
- Inclusion of questions at the end when relevant
Thanks for the opportunity to introduce my life as a blogger which has served as a “springboard” for many other opportunities! I so look forward to what’s on the horizon for “LadyJustice!”
As she relates the harrowing story of her missing and murdered sister in her book A Child is Missing, author Karen Beaudinwill share with readers how she has turned a family tragedy into not only a quest for justice, but a learning tool which she uses to teach law enforcement agencies about investigating criminal cold cases.
An author who is working on her sequel, Karen is also a dynamic speaker appearing at conferences and organizations all over the country.
