John Ferak Reflects on DIXIE and Looks Forward to the Launch of New True Crime

Friends and readers:

Defiance Town Sign

I can’t thank you enough for showing a sincere interest in reading books including my most recent, #truecrime feature length book, DIXIE’S LAST STAND. https://dev.wildbluepress.com/dixies-last-stand-john-ferak-true-crime/

Your dedication, enthusiasm and unwaivering support fuels my motivation to devote untold number of hours during my weeknights and on weekends doing the research, writing, follow-up interviews and making the revisions to craft — hopefully — a top of the line book for your satisfaction.

Dixie Shanahan

As readers delve into DIXIE’S LAST STAND: WAS IT MURDER OR SELF-DEFENSE? I wanted to bring your attention to the Acknowledgements section. In many cases, the Acknowledgements are overlooked because readers are keenly interested in the story plot.

That said, I believe Acknowledgements are an essential part of any book. It’s where the writer has their one and only lasting opportunity to express special gratitude to those individuals who rose above the call of duty to help the writer during the production and writing process. Without that person or person’s extra help, the quality of the book would have suffered.

John Ferak Discusses Bloody Lies

In DIXIE’S LAST STAND, two #Iowa newspaper editors from vastly different newspapers were instrumental. They’re both mentioned in my Acknowledgements, and I want to use this blog to reiterate and draw more attention to them and their extra special help:

First, Carol Hunter, executive news editor at The Des Moines Register. Carol graciously took the time to furnish me with access to several high-quality photos contained within The Des Moines Register’s archives. As a side note, Carol actually hired me – and my future wife, Andrea – back in 2000 when she was the executive editor of the Green Bay Press-Gazette in Wisconsin. Carol also attended our wedding two years later. Then I left the Green Bay paper in late 2003 to become a journalist in Omaha and within a few years Carol moved over to The Des Moines Register to become an editor there. (These days, our family is back in Wisconsin. I work out of The Post-Crescent in Appleton as the investigative team editor for Gannett Wisconsin Media.)

Secondly, Bob Bjoin, managing editor of The Harlan Iowa Newspapers. Bob provided access to several of his newspaper’s high-quality archived photographs to republish for DIXIE’S LAST STAND. Just like The Register, The Harlan Newspapers also provided excellent news coverage for its readers in covering the murder case involving #Dixie Shanahan.

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As I thought about dedicating this book to someone, it didn’t take me long to cross off my first few ideas including the murder victim, Scott Shanahan.

Then it dawned on me? What was my motivation for writing this #murder book for starters? It was the dedication and persistence displayed by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office in Iowa. Dixie’s case garnered national newspaper headlines and national coverage on Court TV and the Los Angeles Times, but many of the headlines overlooked the tremendous legwork exhibited by then-Sheriff Gene Cavenaugh and other members of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office to unravel this #mystery surrounding the whereabouts of Scott Shanahan.

As a result:

DIXIE’S LAST STAND: WAS IT MURDER OR SELF-DEFENSE? Is dedicated to those small-town law enforcement investigators who vigorously pursue the truth and justice even when constrained by circumstances and very limited resources.