When I lived in Texas, one of my favorite places to visit (besides the little Mexican food family-owned restaurants) was Half Price Books. When I moved away, I said “goodbye” to Half Price stores (and the restaurants). So when I drove past the new Half Price store in Bowling Green, Kentucky I loved life even more. And I am excited to announce the store will be hosting my premier book signing for “She is Evil!” Half Price started in Dallas in … [Read more...]
Author Judith A. Yates Tells Readers Why She Wrote SHE IS EVIL!
When I write a true crime book I include a lesson to the story; I hope the reader is educated on an important topic when reading my books. This is why I elected to write, “She is Evil!” Madness and Murder in Memphis, a story of domestic violence leading to murder. Ejaz Ahmad’s terrible death at the hands of Leah Joy Ward is a story of trust, abuse, religion, and crime: how unrest leads to crime. Of a kind man who tried to help a troubled woman … [Read more...]
Criminologist and True Crime Author Judith A. Yates
In 1991 in undergraduate school, I enrolled in a class called “Introduction to Criminal Justice.” Fast-forward and I became an instructor for the same class. Now I am a criminologist who has studied, written, and lectured on crime for over 25 years. Criminal Justice and writing are my true loves; so it seems natural that I am a true crime author. I have appeared as a guest speaker, lecturer, and instructor for organizations across the United … [Read more...]
THE RISE AND FALL OF A ‘CASINO’ MOBSTER’s Dennis Griffin Tells Readers How He Became A Writer
What do you do when you suddenly don’t have anything to do? I found myself in that position upon my retirement in 1994. I had been in law enforcement and investigations for twenty years and went to work every day. I actually looked forward to it. And then came that morning when I realized I had absolutely nothing to do. Some guys in that position would find a lot of things to do around the house, like repairing stuff or making improvements. … [Read more...]
THE RISE AND FALL OF A ‘CASINO’ MOBSTER Gives An Inside Look Into The Life Of Outfit Boss Tony Spilotro
The True Story Behind The Hit Film 'Casino' From An ‘Enforcer’ Who Lived It The Chicago organized crime family known as the “Outfit” dates back to the reign of the infamous Al Capone and prohibition. As the years passed and prohibition was repealed, Outfit bosses had to adapt and seek new ways to make money illegally. One of those was the expanding gambling and entertainment oasis in the desert: Las Vegas. A lot of cash passed through the Vegas … [Read more...]
OUTLAW SOUTHWEST’s Ron Franscell On The Story Behind The Famous Photo Of Billy the Kid
Billy the Kid: Ten perfectly still seconds in eternity We know almost nothing of him, except her was a gypsy photographer, drifting the dusty roads of the territories. Trooping wearily from one far-flung town to another, he’d likely stop his dark-room wagon outside of busy saloons, brothels, maybe even a hanging. He’d mount his big camera, unfurl his backdrops, and hope word spread before dark there was a man taking pictures in town. But … [Read more...]
Ron Franscell Takes Readers On A Rollicking Ride Through The Southwest’s Unruly Past In OUTLAW SOUTHWEST
"The ultimate guilty pleasure book!" - San Antonio Express News The line between history and mythology is razor thin—and the American Southwest often erases the line altogether. We might never disentangle crime-fact from fiction, but this book will transport you to Billy the Kid’s real-life stomping grounds, legendary Tombstone, the childhood home of one of the worst al Qaeda terrorists, and the scenes of dozens of crimes throughout Arizona and … [Read more...]
The Author & the Hitman: Dennis Griffin on the Collaboration That Brought THE RISE AND FALL OF A ‘CASINO’ MOBSTER
Ten years ago I met former mobster Frank Cullotta. We got together in Las Vegas to discuss the possibility of me writing Frank’s biography. It was an odd experience to say the least and the following year I wrote an article about it. As Frank and I await the publication of our third book together, I thought it would be appropriate to post that article again. I hope you find it informative and possibly amusing. In the spring of 2006, if anyone … [Read more...]
Ron Franscell Discusses the “Coolest Crime Sites” He Has Visited While Doing Research For His CRIME BUFF’S GUIDE™ Series
“What’s the coolest crime site you’ve ever visited?” It is crime buffs’ most common question. And after traversing thousands of miles from Pennsylvania to Southern California, and the northern Rockies to the Mexican border, I’ve visited historic crime-related spots most of us have only seen in books or movies. It’s every crime buff’s dream to stand precisely where Wyatt Earp, Bonnie & Clyde, Charles Manson, or Butch Cassidy once … [Read more...]
Meet Award Winning True Crime Author Dennis Griffin
Dennis Griffin is an award winning true crime author, focusing on organized crime in Las Vegas and the Tony Spilotro era in particular. His books have been the basis for multiple organized crime documentaries; and he has frequently been a featured speaker at the Las Vegas-Clark County Library’s Mob Month. * * * I retired in 1994, after a 20-year career in investigations and law enforcement in New York State. In 1996 I wrote my first novel, The … [Read more...]
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