Some of my first memories revolve around crime.

*****

I’m three-years-old and sitting in the backseat of my mother’s green Chevy—my sister in the front seat and my brother at my side. As my mom returned to the car from her trip into McDonald’s, a teen flashes in front of her, grabs her purse, and battles for what little she had in there—a few bucks and credit cards with $200 limits. Only because the strap broke was he able to turn and run, my mother giving chase—and almost catching him—in a pair of heels.

*****
Again, I’m three-years-old and I walk into our South Side Chicago home to find the television gone, clothes tossed about, and a white handkerchief on the living room floor. My brother looks at me. My mother cries. The basketball trophy I held in my hand, my first trophy, falls to the ground and breaks from its base. My father robbed his own house. Three kids and ex-wife be damned.

*****

In February 2008, my first book arrived, On the Job: Behind the Stars of the Chicago Police Department, a non-fiction account of the lives and culture within one of the world’s most legendary law enforcement units. Surprising to some, this book is not about crime. It’s far more heart and soul than blood and guts. I didn’t need to revisit crime; my early years provided enough and that end of police work is well documented.

I suppose readers enjoy crime, there’s certainly an abundance of literature out there on the topic—both real and imagined. Truthfully though, I think there’s something else readers—even devout crime readers—enjoy even more. Call it sincerity or humanity or reflection, but it’s not the story of the crime that captivates us (though such descriptions can surely compel or intrigue us), but it’s the story behind the crime. The personalities, the motivations, the aftermath that truly take hold of our consciousness. I set about writing On the Job for the same reason so many of you pick up a book, open the cover, and share your time with the voice arriving from those pages—curiosity.

The Chicago Police Department is a world I knew well. Four of my six uncles were cops, my estranged father was, and my brother is. In our Irish-Catholic Chicago world, the Chicago Police Department remains the family business. Despite that inherent knowledge, however, I accepted the challenge of interpreting the stories and adding something to the rich dialogue that already exists about one of the world’s most famous, most infamous cities. Above all else, however, I set out to share human stories, hopefully allowing readers to understand people, emotions, realities, and the soul—ideally, leading readers to a better understanding of themselves and their fellow travelers on this human train. The Chicago Police Department serves a backdrop to this discussion, not the primary focus.

I suppose I could’ve written solely about crime: Jim’s shooting of the armed robber; Brian’s rookie year shootout with gang bangers in West Humboldt Park; or John’s discovery of murdered young girl named Miracle Moon. I suppose those tales alone might have been compelling enough and worth the $17.95 cover price. But for me, those tales alone failed. I wanted to know how the subsequent decades treated Jim; how—and why—Brian returned to work the next day; how John changed as a father. I was—what’s the right word here—curious. That’s it—curious. And I thought readers might be as well.

I’ve long envisioned my task as a writer and journalist (I don’t dabble in fictional waters) to ask the questions you, the readers, want answered and to then craft an engaging, sincere, and honest story that could captivate an audience. I’m sure other writers see their work differently, but I want to be familiar and personal and crime alone is anything but.

*****

In the years since that 1984 robbery, I tried to understand my father. I wanted to love. I wanted to forgive. I invited him to Little League games and basketball games and sent him my report card in the mail. He’d pat me on the back and tell me he was proud. Still, I haven’t spoken with him in a dozen years. It’s complicated—like so many father-son relationships can be—but a piece of the silence rests in that night I returned home as a three-year-old to the scene of the crime. But if I just told you about that night, would it be enough? Wouldn’t you want to know what happened to him? What happened to me, the boy, and how that event would forever define the father-son relationship?

The crime alone just doesn’t let us in far enough. The human experience is deeper than any event. I live each day with that recognition. I live each day knowing that the crime stands but a sliver of a greater story and I hope readers of On the Job enjoy, relish, and appreciate my attempt to go beyond the crime and into the soul, where darkness and light simultaneously exist.

Who is Daniel P. Smith?

I’m a Chicago-based journalist and author of the recently released, On the Job: Behind the Stars of the Chicago Police Department.

How did your writing career begin?
Truth be told, I didn’t even know writing was a career option until my sophomore year in college. When you grow up in blue-collar Chicago, you’re surrounded by cops, fireman, tradesmen, and city workers, anything but writers and artists. The only people I knew who worked for the Chicago Tribune or the Chicago Sun-Times delivered or sold the newspapers; they certainly were not the writers.

In college, I pursued a practical profession, one that would pay the bills, and studied education. Still, I had a fascination with sportswriting and began writing for the student newspaper at the University of Illinois at Chicago during my freshman year. My sophomore year, I became sports editor and throughout my final three years of college I moved to writing an editorial column twice a week. That’s where I truly hit my stride as a writer and discovered my passion for the craft. I had the freedom to take a stance on any topic and then endure the challenge of developing an engaging, thought-provoking piece. From then on, I was hooked; writing had my soul. There was still that pesky matter of a practical profession, however. After graduating, I spent one year teaching English at a suburban public high school and realized how deep my passion for the craft ran. I left the stability of the academic world behind and tossed myself into these artistic waters.

Tell us about your latest work.
On the Job: Behind the Stars of the Chicago Police Department is my first book. Against the backdrop of the Chicago Police Department, its history, and culture, I share the stories of 19 individual officers and explore the work-life juxtaposition these men and women face. Ultimately, the book shares human stories on universal topics; it’s far more heart and soul than blood and guts.

What compelled you to write it?
The answer here is two-fold: first, I wanted to spark a degree of empathy for officers, an understanding of what these men and women face. Coming from a large Chicago Police family (4 of my 6 uncles were cops, my father was, and my brother is), I struggled to balance the public perception of Chicago officers, one that often held them up as unthinking, cynical souls, with what I knew of officers from my personal life. I knew officers that had their faults, yet still went about their lives with integrity and spirit. I wanted to share such stories.

Second, I wanted to break the Hollywood image of cops as tough guys or the profession as one with unending adrenaline and drama. I sought reflection and to provide readers a peek into the daily lives of these officers and the intimate issues that touch their work and life, including areas such as parenthood, faith, race, and finding a place in society.

How different is life when you grow up in a cop family?
My father was a Chicago cop, but my folks divorced when I was three. He left the department soon after that and has played little role in my life since. I wouldn’t say growing up in a cop family is different, but there’s certainly an awareness to crime that I think many of my contemporaries ignore. For example, I’m double checking that my car and house doors are locked. I have to sit in restaurants facing the door. I look in my rearview mirrors at stoplights. Such daily routines are entirely a product of my upbringing and the knowledge that crime can strike, particularly if one is careless. Other than that, growing up in a cop family led to some interesting dinner conversations; I got to know plenty about Chicago’s underbelly, civic landscape, and character.

Was the decision to not be a police officer difficult for you to make?How did your family take it?
Being a police officer has been the vocation of many in my family, but that’s simply not where my heart rests. I feel called to do other things in life. My mother may have breathed a sigh of relief, happy that both of her sons weren’t in such a dangerous profession. I fear my brother, however, may have been quietly disappointed. I think he wanted me at his side wearing the Chicago Police star.

There are many stereotypes out there about cops and their lives. Do cops generally fit the stereotype?
I’ve always believed that all stereotypes have some basis in reality. For instance, divorce and alcoholism appear far too often in the ranks of the Chicago Police Department. To characterize all cops as womanizing drunks, however, is as narrow-minded as turning a blind eye to that clear reality. So are there stereotypes out there about cops that have validity? You bet. But I’d warn of putting every officer you meet in that basket. In fact, one of the refreshing things I learned myself in conducting these private interviews was how many officers broke some of the most common stereotypes. I found men and women with reflective minds, advanced degrees, spiritual grounding, and without a trace of the tough-guy attitude.

I’ll add this, though. I believe that many of the negative stereotypes we hold of cops (prejudiced and cynical, for instance) are based in all human psyches. Yet, being police officers, seeing what they do on a daily basis, accelerates and heightens those traits. The intense environment in which so many officers work brings some of those human flaws to the surface at a rapid pace for so many, but being a cop does not alone activate those flaws. I think that’s an important distinction we all need to realize. These cops are just like us. They sat next to us in grade school, stand behind us in grocery lines, and pray next to us in church pews. They are among us, not distinct from us.

Is there a way, do you think, for cops to balance their work lives with family lives successfully?
Of course. I think reflection is a key component. I think a sound family life can help. I think a realistic perception of their individual lives is important. My two great uncles who were Chicago cops did a marvelous job of balancing work and life. They were tremendous fathers, decorated officers, and sincere men. I believe both of them did that by keeping those worlds separate as best they could, yet recognizing just how difficult a challenge that task would be. Ultimately, they challenged themselves to put their best effort forward each day and acknowledging that they would make their mistakes as both parents and officers. They put each role in its proper context and, more than anything, noted the carry over from one world to the other. For example, these are two men who realized that compassion was just as important as a father as it was an officer.

My biggest concern, however, is how so few officers take advantage of counseling or learn coping mechanisms to deal with the inherent stressors of the job. The cop culture has a general resistance to such help and that scares me because there are so many who need to discover positive outlets for the troubles of each day. The “macho” culture prevalent in so many departments restricts too many officers from resisting help.

Who is your greatest champion?
Without question, it’s my mother. She raised three of us after my father’s departure. I suppose our family would be considered a broken home, but we never wanted for anything. Two overwhelming issues arrive from my mother: first, her desire that each of us (my brother, sister, and I) find a life that provides us happiness; and second, her consistent reminder that we cannot nor will not please everyone, advice that any writer needs.

Who inspires you?
I could go on for quite a while listing a number of authors, thinkers, and notable individuals I’ve known personally who’ve moved me in some way to push along this path. Rather than bore you with that, however, I’ll settle with these two:

1.) I’ve long been inspired by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author of The Little Prince, who showed how complex and philosophical and real even a simple story and its characters could be. In all of my work, I seek to find the extraordinary in the ordinary much like Saint-Exupery.

2.) On a wider scale, I’m inspired by anyone who wants to share their story in a sincere, honest way. I love people who accept the vulnerability that comes with sharing a piece of their life so that I may take up the challenge of crafting a story around their words and experiences. It’s such people who guide On the Job and will continue to blanket my work.

What are you reading?
I wish I could tell you I’m an avid reader, but I’ve never been. I’m an avid mover, thinker, and reflective being, but a reader I am not. I’ll simply say that I enjoy nonfiction and the fascination of true stories over any fictional world and appreciate a sound, engaging journalistic piece nearly every day. Of course, I do tend to favor Chicago-flavored pieces and the last book I closed was American Pharaoh, a lengthy tale of late Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley and his civic empire.

What’s next for you?
I’m often asked if I write fiction and my answer’s always the same: No. Two reasons: 1.) real life is just too damn fascinating; and 2.) there are too many true stories waiting to be told. God willing, I’ll be able to continue sharing such true stories that urge reflection, sincerity, and soulfulness.

One particular project is a collaboration with photographer and fellow Chicagoan, Brain Palm. For the last seven years, Brian’s taken photos of Chicago buildings before the wrecking ball hits. We’d like to share a story with each of these photos, so that we can preserve their memory and the city’s authentic character, something that is evaporating much too fast.

In time, I’d also like to turn my attention to taking On the Job to the stage as well, another task that would require collaboration.

Where can we find you on the Web?
I have a blog—www.onthejob-smith.blogspot.com—that functions as a bulletin board of sorts for my upcoming appearances and media attention. Someday that blog will roll into my commenting on specific issues related to the book, but for now it’s a revolving door of events, notices, and miscellaneous information.

Get a sneak peak into Smith’s new book about the lives of Chicago’s finest.

Excerpted from: “The Chicago Way: Police Work in the Urban Landscape” chapter from Daniel P. Smith’s On the Job: Behind the Stars of the Chicago Police Department (Lake Claremont Press, 2008).

Chicago, ever since prohibition, has had this remarkable history of no line between what is legal and illegal.
—Studs Terkel in Battleground Chicago

For heaven’s sake, catch me before I kill more, I cannot control myself.
—Scribbled in lipstick by murderer William
Heirens on the wall of a victim’s home

The policeman isn’t there to create disorder; the policeman is there to preserve disorder. ——Late Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley


For better or worse, we are Capone’s city as much as Daley’s or Jordan’s. A history of criminal figures and events engraved in its existence, Chicago is identified for its murders over its mayors, its schemes over its superstars. Latin Kings. Disciples. El Rukn. Heroin. Gacy. Speck. The Outfit. St. Valentine’s Day.

The city’s criminal history has reached fabled proportions, a product of Hollywood as much as Chicago’s own acceptance—and sometimes celebration—of its dim underbelly. Outsiders, having been asked about their knowledge of Chicago, have been known to form a gun with their fingers and say “bang.”

“That’s Chicago,” as Billy Flynn would say.

“It’s easy to add to the myth because Chicago is a town defined by its history of being tough. It’s not San Francisco or Los Angeles—it’s a real ‘American’ city. New York, even, is more cosmopolitan and international,” says author Frank Kusch, an observer of Chicago from his vantage point over the Canadian border.

Adds Chicago author Richard Lindberg: “There is a Chicago way—even among the most articulate—an alertness to the whole issue of violence and brutality that dots our city. This is still a meat-and-potatoes town and Chicago’s a product of its industrial background—the old memories and impressions are genetic in the culture.”

Criminal Chicago

Chicago’s criminal history roots itself in the city’s frontier spirit from the mid-1800s. While the city has never been mistaken for Wyatt Earp’s wild west, it has nevertheless entertained a coarse image throughout its history. In the mid-nineteenth century, the city’s newspapers were filled with reports of thefts, rapes, murders, and arson, each tale underlining the fact that Chicago’s criminal streak flourished. In 1840, the city held its first public hanging, with 2500 in attendance—over half of the city’s reported 4400 citizens—confirming Chicago’s recognition of crime as well as its firm stomach for handling the darker side of life. Vice, meanwhile, was not contained to backrooms; rather, gambling, prostitution, and other assorted criminal ventures prospered in plain view.1

As the decades of the nineteenth century moved ahead, lawlessness further entrenched itself in the city’s lore. The Haymarket affair in 1886, a movement attempting to secure workers an eight-hour day, pit Chicago’s undermanned police force against a horde of unionists, reformers, and socialists. When the two sides clashed, a bomb hurled at police touched off a succession of chaos. Sixty officers were injured, eight killed, joining an undetermined number of protestors killed or wounded.2 In the 1890s, the Levee District between 18th and 22nd Streets earned repute as Chicago’s most brazen display of vice, bringing worldwide visitors and attention to the city’s criminal activity. Chicagoans and the city hierarchy professed an acceptance of vice, so long as it remained in pockets of the city.

“The disreputable women, the pickpockets and petty thieves are better ‘bunched’ in one section of the city than scattered all over it,” said the Chicago Chronicle in 1899. “The police know where to find them. Respectable people know how to avoid them."[1]
As such, misdeeds thrived in some districts under the open eyes of the city and its visitors. With its containment approach and rather blasé attitude, Chicago’s criminality only further engrained itself into the city’s psyche and history, as well as dictating police response.
“A man born in the city slums [with] only a grade school education probably did not share the same moralistic views about wagering as a clergyman or Gold Coast reformer,” writes Richard Lindberg in To Serve and Collect. “The perception of the seriousness of the crime was frequently a determinant in the police response."[2]

As early as the 1880s, a burgeoning gang scene developed in such historic neighborhoods as Bridgeport and Back of the Yards on the South Side, where ruffians raided street peddlers and robbed men leaving work at the stockyards. By the 1920s, an estimated 1300 gangs existed in Chicago, the vast majority considered social clubs such as the Hamburg Club and the Old Rose Athletic Club.[3] The Ragen’s Colts, a group spurring from the Morgan Athletic Club and at the center of the city’s 1919 race riot, claimed many members that would later become skilled politicians and labor representatives, wiggling their way into Chicago’s political landscape, creating a patronage army, and demonstrating the city hierarchy’s ever-increasing dealings with illicit factions. Such gangs served the foundation for Chicago’s most infamous criminal unit, The Outfit, and transferred Chicago’s reputation as a place of lawlessness into a city of underworld authority.

Indeed, it is Alphonse Capone who stands among the city’s most dominant figures—criminal or otherwise. The Brooklyn-born Capone arrived in Chicago in 1919, settling with his Irish wife and infant son at 7244 South Prairie Avenue. Capone’s decade-long reign in Chicago was characterized by dominance in city matters as well as criminal inventiveness and ruthlessness. From 1925 to 30, Capone took charge of the fleeing John Torrio’s outfit empire, which included speakeasies, gambling dens, brothels, and breweries, accumulating an estimated annual income of nearly $100 million. Yet, Capone also earned public trust for his Depression-era soup kitchens and widespread generosity, lending credence to Chicago scribe Nelson Algren’s words: “For always [Chicago’s] villains have hearts of gold and all our heroes are slightly tainted."[4]

On Valentine’s Day 1929, Capone’s men entered rival gang leader “Bugs” Moran’s garage, and committed an act forever etched in city lore. Disguised as Chicago Police officers, the four Capone underlings ordered the seven inhabitants to face the wall, and fired over 150 bullets into their victims. The murder, sensationalized by such newspaper headlines as “MASSACRE,” solidified the city’s penchant for violence as well as Capone’s image as a vicious gangland leader, even prompting Chicago Tribune reporter Ridgely Hunt to claim that Capone “raised murder to the level of a national spectator sport."[5] The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, which led to the police department’s creation of a crime lab expressly to solve the crime, also highlighted the Chicago Outfit’s unique and lasting commitment to crime on display. Where the New York mob has often preferred to hide victims’ bodies, the Chicago Outfit has appeared forever proud of their work, allowing such carnage to remain untouched and the message to arrive without debate.

With Capone, Chicago inherited a criminal legacy that survives to this day, one defined by gunshots and gore. The mythical stature of Chicago’s criminal landscape sheds light on the city’s nostalgic yearning to be seen as tough, rugged, and hardnosed. A firm handshake town. A don’t-back-down town. A city where fistfights and tenacity define one’s passage. As much as many Chicagoans may seek a more cosmopolitan image, the city has long refused to abandon its gritty character—a fact evident in mayors ruling like dictators, baton-wielding police, and territorial defense of neighborhood codes.

That’s Chicago.

“Once you’ve come to be a part of this particular parch,” Algren sang of Chicago, “you’ll never love another. Like loving a woman with a broken nose, you may well find lovelier lovelies. But never a lovely so real."8

Subsequent decades have done little to shed the city’s jagged, tumbling, robust aura. There are the oft-reported cases of Richard Speck, who in the summer of 1966 methodically murdered eight Chicago nursing students, as well as John Wayne Gacy, the mass-murdering businessman who buried the remains of his 30 victims under the crawlspace of his Northwest Side home. Such incidents have only advanced Chicago’s criminal identification, labeling it as the city that works outside the law.

“When [former Chicago Mayor] Big Bill Thompson put in the fix for Capone he tied the town to the rackets for keeps,” said Algren of the wonderfully corrupt Thompson. “The best any mayor can do with the city since is just to keep it in repair…. And since it’s a ninth-inning town, the ball game never being over till the last man is out, it remains Jane Addams’ town as well as Big Bill’s. The ball game isn’t over yet. But it’s a rigged ball game."[6]

Copyrighted material reprinted with permission from Lake Claremont Press (www.lakeclaremont.com).

Smith found himself not drawn to working the streets, but writing about it – and going on the occasional ride along with his relatives.
In a noir-like voice, the Chicago native and former English teacher writes about life in law enforcement in his first book, On the Job: Behind the Stars of the Chicago Police Department, released from Lake Claremont Press.

Smith’s credits include the upcoming release of The Chicago Mercantile Exchange: Past, Present, and Futures (Write Stuff, 2008), as well as a comprehensive history of the Crown family, one of Chicago’s leading business and philanthropic families. In August 2007, he appeared on the History Channel’s “Our Generation” series discussing the 1968 Democratic National Convention and Chicago Police response. Smith is presently working with photographer and fellow Chicagoan Brian Palm on a project sharing the stories and images of Chicago’s disappearing buildings.
A 2003 graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he was an accomplished track and field athlete, Smith lives in the city’s western suburbs with his wife Tina and dog Dublin. He resides in cyberspace at onthejob-smith.blogspot.com.

This week, Smith talks about the stresses and strains of living in a family dedicated as much to each other as they are to the Chicago Police Department.  This week, you’ll get a sneak peak into his book, learn about life as a cop’s kid and hear from Smith in his own words.

When my first book, Two Wrongs, was published, I thought my work was finished and I could relax.  Very soon I learned otherwise. What good is a book if no one knows about it?

So, the promotion began and is still going on, even after the publication of my second novel, Girl of My Dreams.  I’ve done all sorts of things to get myself and my books known.  I maintain a website at http://www.morganmandel.com, I’ve created a book promotion network at http://bookplace.ning.com, put up videos on YouTube.com, joined tons of listservs, done interviews, sent in for reviews.  I’ve lined up book signings, conference and library panels, done a display case at the local library.  I’ve ridden in the 4th of July parade, passed out bookmarks at the doctor’s and dentist’s office, also in the jury duty waiting room.  I belong to Romance Writers of America, Mystery Writers of America, EPIC, and Sisters in Crime.

Still, that’s not enough. I’m always looking for new ways to market myself and my books. That’s how I became aware of the Street People and what I could learn from them.

If you work or live in a metropolitan area like Chicago, Street People become part of the landscape, so much so that in Two Wrongs, I even included them in the plot. 

On almost every work day, as a walk from the Ogilvie Transportation Centre in the Chicago Loop, and head to my day job as an administrative assistant at a law firm, I often hear the cheerful words, “Happy Monday,” coming from one of the Street People.  I’ve heard the same man say that greeting many times. I don’t need to look to know who it is.

Further along, I hear someone say, “Hello, young lady in the stylish hat.” Since I’m the only woman in the vicinity, the man has to be speaking to me.  I resist a smile. For one thing, I’m definitely not young.  For another, the striped knit hat pulled low over my forehead and my ears to block the Chicago wind is more utilitarian than stylish.  Still, what he says makes me feel good, at least for a moment.  Maybe I still look young.

I see another Street Person sitting on the cold sidewalk with a cardboard sign in front of him which reads, “I’m not really a bad person. I’ve just made some bad mistakes.” Seeing that sign makes me think. Anyone, no matter how clever and careful, can make a mistake with disastrous consequences.

Almost at the office, in the last block, as a pass Wendy’s, I notice another Street Person holding open the door for a patron.

How can I incorporate what I’ve noticed from the Street People in my own marketing?

• Well, the first person who always says the same greeting except for changing the day of the week, reminds me to give people what they expect.  On my business card, after my contact information, are the words: For fast-paced, poignant mysteries or sweet romantic comedies, and that’s what I intend to provide.

• The one who complimented me about my hat and made me feel young, reminds me to be more aware of other authors and praise them for their efforts. Cooperation and networking are important in my profession, as in most businesses. 

• The man with the sign saying he’d made some bad mistakes reminds me that I’m not perfect. If I make a mistake, it’s better to own up to it. Also, if I don’t know how to do something, there’s nothing wrong with asking someone for help.  I’ve learned that most authors are willing and happy to offer advice.

• The person holding the door open at Wendy’s reminds me that providing services for others and sharing my knowledge is a much better way to promote than by blatantly pushing my books on them. 

So that’s what I’ve learned from the Street People.  If you look around, I’m sure you, too, can find marketing tips in unlikely places. I invite you to share your observations.

Synopsis

When the cast of a new reality show targeted to save a foundering studio succumbs to food poisoning, Jillian, the temporary assistant, sets out to round up a contestant, but ends up filling the gap
herself.

Her boss, the producer, discovers what she’s done, but it’s too late to stop her.  The curtain’s up and the show must go on. Believing his loyal assistant has turned into a selfish conniver like his movie-star mother, he’s furious. The further Jillian advances in the rounds, the more convinced he is of her deceit.

Jillian faces all sorts of embarrassing situations and adventures along the way to the main prize of the millionaire. He’s obviously attracted to her and she should be happy.

The problem is, Jillian loves the producer.

GIRL OF MY DREAMS
By Morgan Mandell

CHAPTER ONE

“NOT THAT.”

Groaning, Hollywood producer Blake Caldwell brushed a strand of black hair from his eyes. The latest news from his assistant, Jillian Baker, was grim. Scores of contestants from his premier television show had rushed from rehearsal and were crammed into the ladies room upchucking.

“I’ve called an ambulance. Do you want me to go with them?” she asked.

Her voice was muffled. He could hear toilets flushing in the background, along with other unmentionable sounds he didn’t care to identify.

“Can you give me a head count? How many are left?”

“Wait a minute. I’ll check.”

Blake’s heart pounded. His shirt stuck to his back as he awaited the verdict. A few days ago, before the power outages, he’d had time to spare, but now he was up against the wall. It was two hours before the audience shoot. The stage and script were set for twenty-five contestants. Could he deliver them?

“Twenty-six are gone between the originals and alternates,” was the answer.

Fresh perspiration sprang to Blake’s forehead. “We’re one short. We’ve got to do something.”

The ratings were down. Mecca was dying. It could not survive another season without a hit. Neither could he. He’d sunk time, money and effort into this project. The boys upstairs had given it a go, only if he’d produce and direct it. This was his chance to prove he could make it without the connections of his actress-mother Barbara Branton. A foul-up would turn him into a has-been at the age of thirty.

“Blake, should I go with them?” Jillian asked again.

Her voice was alert and in crisis mode.

“You’re not a doctor. I need you here. We have a show to run.”

Almost as soon as he’d hung up, he found Jillian standing before him. Through all the commotion, her hair was still pushed back from her face and her glasses perched firmly on her nose. He had to hand it to her for keeping her cool.

“I’ve called food management and alerted them of the situation. They’ve closed the cafeteria,” she said.

“Good. We don’t need anyone else sick. The coordinators were hit, too. What about the survivors?”

“They’re already in makeup.”

Blake rubbed his chin. “Fine. Now, all we need is number twenty-five.”

Thinking, he stared straight ahead. He had a feeling the answer was right in front of his nose, if he could only see it. His loyal assistant stood at attention, ready to spring into action. Hard-working, intuitive, creative, Jillian was a miracle worker. She always came through for him, but this time he couldn’t fault her if she failed.

A gleam flashed in her eyes. “I’ll do it. I’ve read the routine. It’s only one episode. He won’t pick me. Then I’ll be through.”

He stared at Jillian. She wasn’t as striking as his hand-picked contestants or their twin-like alternates, but certainly she was no dog. Sure, her suit was circa 1980 and her shoes looked like they could stick out of the bottom of a nun’s habit, if nuns wore habits any more. Okay, so Jillian wasn’t the world’s greatest dresser. Wardrobe could fix that. She had a certain charm, was over twenty-one and legal. Ditch the Coke-bottle glasses, pat on some makeup and she’d pass. But…

“It won’t work. For one thing, there’s the employment clause. Mecca employees can’t enter.” Blake stood up. “I don’t have time to round up another contestant. Can you handle it? Just grab a good-looking, legal-aged girl from the lot. Give her the quick sell. Play up the part about hooking a millionaire. We’ll dummy down the routine, stick her last in line and let her take her cue from the others. Can I count on you?”

“You’ll have your contestant,” she said.

Something a bit off kilter flickered behind her glasses, then disappeared. Blake didn’t have time to analyze it. He had a show to run.

Before the Web, it took some digging to find out when and where your favorite authors were on tour. Then, it wasn’t always easy to get to the venue.  If you were lucky enough to make it, then chances were you could not get any good face time with the author because of the line of people also waiting for an autograph and a handshake.

The Pop Syndicate Book Blog is proud to be a virtual book tour sponsor. Throughout the year, we will bring authors to you through interviews, columns and articles about their latest works. Be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed, or become a MySpace friend, so you don’t miss a tour.

Morgan Mandel just can’t stop writing. Even as she promotes her latest, Girl of My Dreams, she’s got three books in the works – and still planning more.

How does the busy wife and administrative assistant do it? She plans her romances and mysteries on the commuter train as she heads to and from work in Chicago’s Loop.  What better way to make the hum-drum trip more exciting than to create a new world full of suspense and romance?

The former freelance writer is the past president of the Chicago-North Chapter of Romance Writers of America and now serves as the Library Liaison for the Midwest Chapter of Mystery Writers of America.  She also belongs to Sisters in Crime and EPIC. When she’s not writing, Morgan spends time with her hubby, Paul, and their dog, Rascal, or listening to country music or playing the slot machines.

This week, we chat it up with Morgan about life, writing, and what she learned about marketing from street people. You can also learn more about Morgan on the Web:

www.morganmandel.com
http://bookplace.ning.com
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com
http://mysteryturtles.blogspot.com. 
http://www.myspace.com/morganmandel

Be sure to catch her videos at YouTube.com, which you can access by typing morganmandel (one word) in the search box. 

Is Barack Obama actually a woman? Well, no. But gender tells us a lot about his success - and it might knock your socks off to know how.

Barack has actually become the feminized candidate of 08. We don’t mean his DNA. We mean his values. He is putting out the messages of unity, cooperation, soft power, change, and community that surveys show women embrace overwhelmingly. And more and more men do too.

Everybody assumed that gender would catapult Clinton into the White House. But this election has fooled everyone. It is Obama’s feminized values that will push him past Clinton and the hyper-masculinized super-tough McCain right into the White House.

Sound implausible? Polls prove it. Check out our new book, “The New Feminized Majority: How Democrats Can Change America with Women’s Values”. We tell the stories and quote the stats which tell it all.

Obama may be a man, but he is bringing a woman’s moral world-view into the White House. It’s a big surprise but surprise is the big story of 2008!

To order “The New Feminized Majority” visit Paradigm Publishing at http://www.paradigmpublishers.com/books/BookDetail.aspx?productID=180321

Meet the authors of the latest political tome, The New Feminized Majority, and find out why they feel Barack Obama will be the Democratic presidential nominee.

Who are Charles Derber and Katherine Adam?
Charlie is a professor of sociology at Boston College and the author of twelve acclaimed books on politics, morality and social justice. Katherine is a 2007 graduate of Boston College who now works on the GROW project at Drexel University in Philadelphia, a project evaluating social services to low income parents and families.

How did you decide to collaborate on The New Feminized Majority?
Charlie suggested to Katherine that her work on her undergraduate senior honors thesis had such an original and powerful argument that it should be made into a book. Katherine agreed this could be an exciting project and we agreed to work together in the summer of 2007 to make it happen.

Why was it important to write this book?
Because it clarifies the terrible distortions about moral values that pollute our politics, including the notion that the only “values voters” are Christian Evangelicals. The book shows that there is a much larger number of feminized values voters, made up of both men and women, who actually constitute the majority of the electorate. The New Feminized Majority also shows how these voters will determine the future of the nation, and how the Democrats can win and help transform America by promoting policies based on feminized values.

You say that Barak Obama is a better choice for change in the Democratic Party - and that he is a “feminized leader.” What does this mean?
Barack speaks up for a new unity based on ideals of justice, equality and non-violent, international partnerships. These are key feminized values, those which surveys show to be held predominantly by women. Obama also symbolizes these values in his personal identity, bridging divisions by across race and class. His message of change and hope speak to feminized values of moving America away from its traditional masculinized values of individualism, competition and use of force, all of which are now grotesquely embodied in John McCain and in the Bush Administration.

It seems like Hillary Clinton would be considered more of a feminized leader. How did you draw the conclusion that she isn’t?
We believe there are three Hillarys, and the Village Hillary (who wrote It Takes a Village) is deeply feminized. Village Hillary has worked for social programs to help working families and espouses feminized values of interdependency and community. The feminized Hillary also works closely with labor and supports more equality in wages and more social benefits for all workers.
But there is also a Corporate Clinton. She works closely with Wall Street and big corporate donors, and has supported subsidies to these companies while also accepting large corporate donors. Some of her most important advisers come from Wall Street
and big corporations. She has supported corporate globalization and corporate-friendly trade as well as corporate welfare. Her new campaign populist rhetoric is not backed up by her voting record.
A third Hillary is Hegemonic Hillary, often called the “Pentagon’s favorite Democrat.” She is the Clinton who voted to authorize the Iraq war, who has become increasingly hawkish on US foreign policy. She has voted on too many occasions to support the Bush Administration’s military policies, including the vote to approve designation of elite Iranian security units as “terrorist organizations.” This could lead to war with Iran – and Hegemonic Hillary is the most masculinized of the three Hillaries.
Ironically, the fact that Hillary is female makes it more difficult for her to support feminized values of non-violent approaches to foreign policy. She will be denounced by the masculinized elite minority as weak and too “womanly” to be Commander in Chief. But feminized values are not weak; they suggest a new model of strength based on collaboration and interdependency.

Do you think the book will have an impact on voters?
We hope so. This is the most important election in a long time – and we think it could shift the moral discourse toward the values of the feminized majority.

How do you think voters will embrace your tome during this hotly-contested election cycle?
The New Feminized Majority is easy to read and does not follow stereotypical gender or ideological distinctions. Many readers have already become fans, as you can see if you google the book and read some of the reviews.

What are you reading?
For Charlie, I’ve been reading a lot on the history of fascism, the moral rhetoric of Empire and the relation between environmental and social justice movements.

Who is your greatest champion?
For Charlie, it is the grass roots activists who are the real heroes, who dedicate their lives to making a difference and building powerful social movements for social justice, whether to preserve democracy, reduce the rich/poor divide or stop climate change. Among political leaders, Al Gore deserves a lot of credit for awakening people to the global warming crisis.

What’s next for you?
Too early to say. For Charlie, I’m doing a lot of work to get my two most recent books, including this one and another one called Morality Wars, out to the general public. I’m doing a lot of speaking and op-ed writing. I have some new book ideas percolating about where the world goes from here to save democracy and the planet itself.

The Feminized Majory
by Katherine Adam & Charles Derber

Synopsis

Building beyond Lakoff’s election-year best-seller, Don’t Think of an Elephant, this new book shows how the values of American voters are dramatically shifting. With the arrival of the 2008 election year, a rising feminized majority’—made up of both women and men—is emerging as the pivotal force in American politics. Emerging trends show these values are broadly progressive and address not just the needs of women but the general interests of society. They are held by women substantially more than by men but have become the values held by a majority of all voters, including millions of men.

Like earlier eras in American history, such as the New Deal, the rise of the feminized majority today presents an opportunity for the Democrats to become the governing party for decades to come. Looking beyond the 2008 election, Adam and Derber describe a new political strategy that targets the feminized base and opens up a window for major social justice movements to make progressive change.

Like Lakoff’s, this striking new book—perfectly timed for election year 2008—offers a new vocabulary for every citizen who wants to understand (and reimagine) American politics. It will intrigue and provoke readers, stirring new conversation among progressives and new insights for every citizen interested in politics, morality, religion, values, and social justice.
• Reveals the “Three Hillaries” and why two of her three political dimensions consist of masculinized values.
• Shows why Obama and Edwards are more “feminized” than Hillary Clinton
• Builds beyond Lakoff’s Elephant in showing how gender is increasingly pivotal in political values, and by revealing the deep historical roots of gendered values in America
• Looks at the relation between religion, values, and politics in a new way
• A book perfectly timed for the first election in which a woman, Hillary Clinton, stands a strong chance of becoming president
• Written by a widely experienced political campaigner and a noted social critic
• Shows how political discussions have been gender-blind and how gender awareness opens new windows to social justice in America.

Excerpt

Gender, Values, and the Democrats

As the only group targeted by a political party using a value-based strategy, evangelicals are seen as the only people who match their actions and politics to their values. Values, however, are a universal human phenomenon. In their simplest form, values are socially constructed views about how the world should be. In 1651, Thomas Hobbes wrote about the subjectivity of values and how we shape our values to fit our ideas of what makes a perfect society.

But whatsoever is the object of any man’s appetite or desire, that it is which he for his part calleth “good”; and the object of his contempt “vile” and “inconsiderable.” For these words of good, evil, and contemptible, are ever used with relation to the person that useth them. There being nothing simply and absolutely so; nor any common rule of Good or Evil, to be taken from the nature of the objects themselves.7

Looking past Hobbes’s notorious pessimism about the human condition, this idea highlights that everyone acts on values and that values are socially constructed. Therefore, values vary from person to person, and a person has the ability to change his or her values.

Although Hobbes refers to an individual’s values, his message translates to larger community values. Americans, for example, hold American values. Every political candidate, on the right or the left, knows that most Americans respond favorably to the idea that a person should be rewarded for hard work. This is a capitalist, American value. Members of other societies might feel that a person should be rewarded for his or her skin color or family bloodline. Every person is socialized into the values of his or her community or nation, and these values then intersect with other values the person has, such as those based his or her religion, race, and socioeconomic class.

Perhaps the most important set of socialized values, however, is based on a person’s gender. We term these values feminized values and masculinized values. In this book, we will outline how men’s and women’s different value systems create divergent views about what America should be. We argue that Americans carry gendered attitudes into the voting booth and, like the evangelicals, vote based on how these values translate to specific political issues.

Just as some groups’ values fall to the more conservative end of the political spectrum, other groups’ values fall to the left. Evangelicals usually support right-wing candidates, because their moral values are highly conservative. We will introduce a group of voters whose values reflect progressive ideals: feminized values voters. If evangelicals represent the key to Republican electoral victory, then feminized values voters represent the chance for Democrats to usher in a new progressive era.

Feminized values are the values into which women are socialized; a majority of women hold these values, as do a smaller percentage of men, for reasons we will describe shortly. The potential for a more progressive era arises because the women and men who hold feminized values make up today a majority of the country and of voters.

We term feminized values voters the feminized majority. These women and men will not only change election outcomes, but also will transform American values and the American Dream. The feminized majority supports a strong welfare state, views social issues through a lens of egalitarianism, and feels that government should do more in general to help its most vulnerable citizens. Feminized majority voters support stem cell research, comprehensive sex education, and environmental protection. They reject violent imperialism. They worry about their long-term economic security and fear that neither party will provide them with adequate health care. In a much deeper and richer way than American masculinized voters, the feminized majority yearns for a progressive, populist America.

We call these voters the feminized majority because the values they carry truly are becoming majoritarian. We will describe the political and economic changes that have led to this point. It is important to remember that President Bush changed the 2004 election by mobilizing evangelicals, who represent only 23 percent of voters. Now, Democrats have the opportunity to change America in dramatic ways with the support of a much larger part of the electorate. While the general perception is that the United States is a conservative country, we shall show that feminized values are held by an increasingly robust majority of voters in the country who are prepared to support a progressive politics of social justice.

The Democrats can lead the feminized majority if they are willing to abandon their triangulation strategy and create a values-based platform. This approach seems unorthodox, because we usually conflate values and morals with religion and conservatism. However, values are nothing more than socially constructed ideals that provide a moral compass for each person, regardless of where he or she falls on the political spectrum. Once Democrats recognize the power of values in elections, they can begin appealing to values voters.

It’s a contentious election year for Democrats, and no one will likely know the party’s presidential nominee until the Democratic Convention in August. But authors Katherine Adam and Charles Derber are staking their claim that Barack Obama will be the nominee in their book, The Feminized Majority.

Before the Web, it took some digging to find out when and where your favorite authors were on tour. Then, it wasn’t always easy to get to the venue.  If you were lucky enough to make it, then chances were you could not get any good face time with the author because of the line of people also waiting for an autograph and a handshake.

The Pop Syndicate Book Blog is proud to be a virtual book tour sponsor. Throughout the year, we will bring authors to you through interviews, columns and articles about their latest works. Be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed, or become a MySpace friend, so you don’t miss a tour.

It’s a contentious election year for Democrats, and no one will likely know the party’s presidential nominee until the Democratic Convention in August. But authors Katherine Adam and Charles Derber are staking their claim that Barack Obama will be the nominee in their book, The Feminized Majority. They say Obama embraces traditionally feminine values like justice, non-violent international relationships and equality. His rival, Hillary Clinton, has three faces – one for the people, one for corporate interests, and one supporting Republican war stances. 

This book is a result of an idea Adams had for her thesis. At Derber’s urging, the two collaborated to create The Feminized Majority – a perfectly-timed tome that is a must read for pundits on all sides of the political fence. Adam is now the Outreach Coordinator for the Philadelphia GROW Project of the Drexel University School of Public Health, which serves the needs of low-income children. She has been active in Democratic Party politics at the federal, state, and local levels, including interning for Senator John Kerry. Derber, a noted social critic, is Professor of Sociology at Boston College. He is the author of eleven internationally acclaimed books, including Corporation Nation, Hidden Power, and The Wilding of America. He has written for the Boston Globe, Newsday, and other mass media, and appears frequently on television and radio talk shows.

This week, we feature the work of Adam and Derber and chat with them about why they think Barack Obama is the best man for the presidency.

How?

In order to give my new thriller, TWISTED, genuine flavor and authenticity, I went straight to the source--the FBI.  After undergoing extensive security clearance and background checks, I was given the green light, and I headed straight down to Quantico--the FBI’s renowned facility whose name rings a bell with every crime drama fan on earth.  But this was the real deal.  I met with Special Agents, saw the trainees in action, and watched, asked, listened, and absorbed.  To my great fortune, I was able to observe--up-close-and-personal--the Crisis Negotiation Unit’s hostage negotiating and rescue exercises.

What a thrill!  And, getting back to my original point, I came away with some FBI tactics that everyone can use during those stressful times when we “crisis negotiate” in our personal lives:

* Negotiate to Win: Pragmatism is crucial.  Therefore, never try to negotiate with someone when they are hungry or tired.  The results can be disastrous.

* Never Put Yourself in the Direct Line of Fire: When delivering bad news to your spouse or significant other, use a cell phone.  E-mailing or text messaging is better still.

* Build Trust: Your puppy has seized your favorite blouse and is holding it hostage.  Make sure to offer a more desirable, yet deliverable, treat in exchange.  Ultimately, success is measured by the release of the hostage and all parties being safe and secure.

These tips can ensure that you’ll be closer to getting what you want.

Q: What is it like to be Andrea Kane?

A: That’s a tough opening question!  I’d say that being Andrea Kane is a thriller unto itself.  I’m a Type-A, super-charged, intense, multi-tasking, perfection-striving whirlwind of activity—mentally, physically, and psychologically.  That’s probably why I love writing complex psychological thrillers with lots of fleshed-out, “real people” characters as much as I do.  The process is incredibly difficult, but it’s rewarding, it’s exciting, and it’s a great outlet for all my energy.

Q: You started off as a successful historical romance writer, then moved into romantic suspense. Why did you decide to make that leap?

A: It was less of a leap than you’d think.  If there was enough rack space on bookshelves, my earlier novels would have been in a section entitled: “Historical romantic suspense.” Relationships (romantic and otherwise) and mystery/suspense have always been my greatest loves—both in reading, and in writing.  Creating novels with those fundamentals, set in historical time periods like Regency and Victorian England was fascinating, and I loved every minute of it.  But when my creative muse told me to move on to contemporary thrillers, I followed it.  I’m a big believer in writing the book that’s inside you to give.  Otherwise, you’re offering less than your best.  That cheats you, and your readers.

Q: Was it a difficult transition?

A: In some ways, yes.  The research for my thrillers is far more extensive, especially where it comes to my characters’ careers (technology didn’t exist in the 1800’s!), and the medical and law enforcement aspects of my books.  I spend months and months on research, and where I used to be able to do it via libraries and the Internet, now I need to interview and call upon real experts who work in the applicable professions, and who can educate me so I’m able to create the best, most realistic characters and plot possible.  On the flip side, other parts of writing contemporary thrillers are easier—there are telephones, cell phones, and 911-- no more sending emergency missives via horse and carriage!

Q: How is your new series different from your previous romantic suspense novels?

A: TWISTED is bigger, scarier, and, in many ways, more mainstream than my previous novels.  I’d have to say that it’s much more thriller and much less romance.  Don’t get me wrong—Sloane and Derek have a combustible relationship that’s central to the story, but the in-depth FBI content, the escalating tension of the missing women and the brutally murdered prostitutes, and the threat to Sloane’s life (not to mention a villain that several readers and reviewers have compared to Hannibal Lecter!) are what seem to be drawing in a wider audience for TWISTED—male as well as female.

Q: The first novel in the new series is TWISTED. Where did you get the idea for it?

A: I get my ideas in snatches.  I was fascinated by the FBI’S Crisis Negotiation Unit and how they operate.  Ditto for the Behavioral Analysis Unit.  In fact, one thing led to another, and I ended up totally fascinated by the entire Bureau—its composite, its agents, its diversity—you name it.  My main protagonists, the male/female FBI team of Sloane Burbank and Derek Parker, came first—and I could visualize both of them vividly, as well as understand their individual emotional baggage and their personal goals.  Ah, then came the villain.  Once he started taking shape, so did his sick agenda, and the basis for TWISTED’s plot.

Q: You did extensive research at Quantico. Tell us about what it took just to get behind the scenes.

A: It took a superb team of FBI employees, starting with the Office of Special Affairs at FBI Headquarters in Washington DC.  My awesome media contact there put me in touch with the Field Offices I needed to visit, the Special Agents I needed to talk to, and the squads I needed to observe and learn from.  Most fabulous of all, she arranged my trip to Quantico, where I had the unique opportunity to meet the CNU, whose squad leader allowed me to spend a full day observing the exercises being conducted for those Special Agents who were going on to become crisis negotiators.  I also gained insight into the real world of criminal profiling from one of the brilliant agents of the BAU.  (Trust me, they might not be as glamorous as the fictitious agents in “Criminal Minds”, but they’re every bit as amazing.) I even learned how to load and shoot a Glock 22.  It was a visit I’ll never forget—and can’t wait to repeat!

Q: Was there something you learned while talking to FBI agents that changed your perspective on how to present your characters?

A: I learned how widely heterogeneous the backgrounds are of those who go on to become FBI Special Agents.  They hail from law enforcement and all branches of the military, to languages and computer experts, to attorneys, accountants—I could go on and on.  The versatility of the Bureau’s Special Agents, together with their unity of purpose, gave me the added incentive to infuse both Sloane and Derek with that same level of integrity and commitment.

Q: Did you meet agents who embodied the characters in TWISTED?

A: Definitely—just not all in one person.  There were a whole range of agents who had a whole range of skills, specialties, and personality traits, all of which filtered their way into Derek and Sloane.

Q: Tell us the best and worst of your experiences behind-the-scenes at Quantico.

A: The best was the firsthand, insider view I got of what takes place during actual hostage negotiations—no TV show or movie can possibly bring the reality so vividly to life.  The worst was realizing how insignificant my “being in good shape” was.  I had so much less energy and physical prowess than everyone I met—it was a very humbling experience!

Q: I read that one murder scene in TWISTED is so gruesome, you had to skip over it. Do you think your readers will have difficulty embracing this darker approach?

A: I think my readership is very broad-based at this point.  Some will gravitate toward the grittier thriller elements, others will gravitate toward the characters and their personal struggles, and still others will gravitate toward the relationships, romantic and otherwise.  But it is true that I balked, and then quickly skimmed the particular scene you’re referring to when I proofread TWISTED.  It was definitely darker and more violent than I’m used to in my own writing.  So I owe that scene to my creative muse, because I shuddered when I had to re-read it.

Q: Who will this new series appeal to?

A: Hopefully, anyone who thrives on an exciting, fast-paced read, filled with complex characters, escalating danger, and a passionate, re-kindled relationship between two very different but equally passionate people—all topped off by a chilling, driven serial killer.

Q: What is the greatest lesson you have learned from your writing experiences so far?

A:  Write the book that’s inside you.  Don’t succumb to trends.  And don’t give in to the insecurities that every writer occasionally finds him or herself battling.  Trust your instincts.  Trust and consult the chosen few you’ve made a part of your career.  And then, just write!

Q: Who are you reading?

A: These days, all I’m reading are books on art theft and art forgery.  That’s the premise behind the sequel to TWISTED.

Q: What’s next for Andrea Kane?

A: TWISTED’s sequel will be released in 2009.  I’m researching and writing it now.  That translates into very little sleep, a very actively racing mind, and lots and lots of hours on the computer and with the FBI.

Q: Where can we find you on the Web?

A: My website is: www.andreakane.com.  On it, you’ll find all sorts of really cool things-- like “FBI Central”-- a section devoted just to my experiences with the FBI; a multi-media section with a TWISTED video clip, a podcast, and lots of great flash openings for my previous novels, plus the opportunity to sign up for my reader e-mail list, which will keep you apprised of all my latest releases, news, appearances, etc.  I encourage you to visit my site and enjoy!

Check out this sneak peak into Andrea Kane’s latest romantic thriller, Twisted. 

TWISTED
By Andrea Kane

CHAPTER 1

Date: 19 March
Time: 2100 hours
Objective: Athena
Status: Alpha

She was a true warrior.
Subduing her had required all my skill and training.  Even the weapon hadn’t been enough to make her submit.  Not like the others.  Not until she’d felt the prick of the blade, sensed drops of her own blood trickling down her neck.  At that point she’d quivered, then gone still.  She was too smart not to.  She wanted to fight.  I could see it in her eyes.  But she didn’t.  In the end, I’d won.  I injected her with the Nembutal, and in five minutes her eyes went dull and her body went limp.
I had her.
Her warm, drugged body slumped against my shoulder.  It felt good.  My timing and execution had been perfect.  It was Spring break.  She wouldn’t be missed for days.
By then it would be too late.

John Jay College of Criminal Justice
New York City
March 20th, 4 PM

The auditorium crackled with anticipation.
It was the final seminar of the two-day “Crimes Against Women: How Not to Become Another Statistic” conference.  The panel of experts included Jimmy O’Donnelly, an NYPD detective from the Special Victims Unit; Sharon McNally, a psychologist who specialized in counseling victims of violent crimes; Dr. Charles Hewitt, a professor of statistics and mathematics right here at John Jay; Dr. Lillian Doyle, also a John Jay professor but in the sociology department; Lawrence Clark, a retired Supervisory Special Agent from the FBI’s National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime’s Behavioral Analysis Unit.
And Sloane Burbank, the final name on this impressive list of experts.
All of them had spoken.  Now it was her turn.
The moderator ran through the highlights of Sloane’s bio.  Former FBI Special Agent.  Recruited by the Bureau for the Honors Internship Program the summer after her junior year in college.  Graduated from Penn State with a BS in Crime, Law & Justice, and a fluency in a host of foreign languages, including Spanish, Italian, Greek, Arabic, Mandarin and Farsi.  Went on to NYU Law School, followed by a year in the Manhattan DA’s office before joining the FBI full-time.  Trained by the Critical Incident Response Group’s Crisis Negotiating Unit as a hostage negotiator.  Currently, an independent consultant who worked with law enforcement, corporations, and educational institutions, training them in crisis management and resolution.  Also a certified Krav Maga instructor.  And all at thirty years old.
With an admiring nod in her direction, the moderator stepped away from the mike and turned the room over to Sloane.
Amid enthusiastic applause, Sloane rose from behind the speaker table, thinking for the dozenth time how good she sounded on paper.  And she was good-- just not as good as she’d been a year ago.  Then again, perception outweighed reality.  She was the only one who’d know the difference.
Exuding her usual energy and self-assurance, Sloane unbuttoned her blazer and tossed it over the back of her chair.  She wasn’t surprised by the skepticism she saw on some of the faces in the audience.  Their reaction was nothing new.  And it was something she’d used to her advantage more times than not.
Let’s face it.  Despite her impressive resume, she was a fine-boned woman with a delicate frame and the fresh-scrubbed features of a college student.  That made people doubt her abilities-- enough so that many of them wrote her off.
Let them.  It gave her the advantage.  And having the advantage gave her power.
As Sloane knew, power came in many forms.
She pulled on her protective gloves and walked to the front of the room, dead center, with the aisle stretching before her, and the two sections of the auditorium split on either side of her like the parted waters of the Red Sea.
“So far tonight, you’ve heard about coping with the aftermath of a physical attack, ways to avoid one, and some profiles of typical victims and assailants,” she began.  “Every bit of what you learned is true.  But there’s another truth.  We can’t always control the circumstances in which we find ourselves.  So what happens when you wind up in a parking lot alone at night, your car is ten rows back, and a creepy guy who’s built like a Hummer is lying in wait?”
She held out her gloved hands, palms up, to show she was unarmed, then pointed at her pocket-less and holster-less black turtleneck and slacks.  “I’m dressed just like you would be.  No weapon.  No handy object to act as one.  And no purse, although if I had one, I wouldn’t have time to grab for my cell phone or, even better, for a can of pepper spray.  That’s why I learned Krav Maga.”
A spark of interest flickered in the audience’s eyes-- even those who’d been Doubting Thomases.
“Brief background,” she began.  “Krav Maga is a whole different breed of self-defense.  Its roots trace back to Czechoslovakia during the rise of Nazi terrorism.  It was founded by Imi Lichtenfeld, who refined his street fighting skills protecting his and other Jewish families from attack.  Lichtenfeld later immigrated to Israel, further developed those techniques, and then taught them as Chief Instructor for the Israeli Defense Forces.  In Hebrew, Krav Maga means `contact combat’-- training designed for the unpredictable nature of street fighting.  There are no rules.  No trophies for good form.  Only survival.”
As Sloane spoke, a brawny man wearing a ski mask crept out from behind the curtains at the front of the room, visible to the audience, but not to Sloane.
There was a collective gasp as he whipped a knife out of his pocket and charged forward, leaving Sloane no time to prepare and the audience no time to react.
Grabbing Sloane’s left shoulder, he pressed the knife to her back.  “Get in my car,” he ordered in a gravelly voice.
It was like someone flipped a switch.
Sloane whipped around in a quick body turn.  Her left forearm shot forward, locking against his right wrist to deflect the knife attack, and propelling her into the offensive strike of delivering a forward horizontal punch to his throat with her right elbow.  As he gasped for air and recoiled from the simulated blow to his throat, her left hand snapped up, pinching his knife-wielding arm in a vice-grip between her upper arm, forearm, and chest.  The nutcracking pressure caused the knife to fall from his hand.
Threat obliterated.
Sloane then trapped his head with her right forearm, grabbed his shoulder with her left hand, and yanked his upper torso down, jerking her knee upward in a lighting strike to his groin.
She stifled a smile as she felt him inadvertently tense and arch away from her, even as he responded on cue, doubling up and crying out as if he’d been castrated.  She finished him off with a downward elbow strike to the back of his neck, then pushed him away as he collapsed on the floor, writhing in mock agony.
It was all over in ten seconds.
“I’m crushed by your lack of faith,” Sloane murmured as she helped him up, applause filling the auditorium.  “I barely tapped your windpipe.  Did you really think I’d kick your balls through your nose?”
“Never crossed my mind.” His reply was drowned out by the applause.  “I know you’re a pro.  Pure reflex on my part.”
“I’ll try not to take it personally.” Sobering, Sloane turned to address the room.  “That was just one example of using Krav Maga in self-defense,” she explained.  “There are dozens of moves, for whatever threatening situation you may find yourself in.  Read the tip sheet I passed out.  In it you’ll find contact information on local Krav Maga programs.  I can’t stress training enough.  It’s empowering, it’s practical, and it works.” She turned to her attacker, gesturing for him to remove his ski mask.  “How about a round of applause for John Jay’s own Dr. Elliot Lyman.  He was a great demo partner and a good sport.”
More applause, as Elliot complied.
“Even if you are a chicken,” Sloane added under her breath.
“I’m a computer science professor,” he reminded her.  “A nerd who plays with algorithms.  Not a kick-ass FBI agent like you.”
“Ex FBI agent,” she reminded him.
“For now.  That’ll change.”
“Maybe.  Maybe not.  We’ll see.” Sloane’s jaw tightened in a way that declared the subject closed.
She finished her presentation, answered a slew of questions, and then chatted with her co-presenters for a while after the seminar broke up.  She knew the John Jay faculty participants from previous workshops they’d given here, and from her occasional visits to Elliot.  They’d known each other since high school, stayed in touch afterwards, and resumed their friendship when Sloane left the Bureau and moved back east.
An hour later, she was heading for her car, reflecting on the disparate opinions voiced by law enforcement professionals and academicians.  Watching silver-haired Lillian Doyle explain the roots of violence in modern day civilization to Jimmy O’Donnelly, a retired NYPD detective who’d seen every heinous form of violence imaginable, was like watching two people talking two different languages.  The louder they spoke, the less they understood each other.
Still, the eclectic composite of the panel was good for the attendees.  They’d gotten a varied perspective on the subject of crimes against women.  It was also good for the speakers.  Neither Jimmy O’Donnelly nor Larry Clark was the type to retire.  As for the professors, they revelled in the debates.  Especially Lillian Doyle who, according to Elliot, needed the mental distraction.  Her cancer was no longer in remission, and this semester had been a tough one on her.
Sloane herself enjoyed doing these workshops.  They were good for her in more ways than one.
She turned up the collar of her coat as a stiff breeze blasted across her face, reminding her that winter wasn’t quite over.  A throbbing pain shot through her palm and she winced, belatedly realizing she should have put on her street gloves before venturing outside.  Her occupational therapist would be royally pissed if she knew.  Well, no point in fishing for them now.  She was practically at her car.
A few minutes later, she hopped into her Subaru Outback.  It took her extra time to turn the key in the ignition, and she gritted her teeth against the discomfort.
The engine had just turned over when her cell phone rang.
The caller ID read “private”.  Not unusual.  Most of her clients chose to protect their privacy.
“Sloane Burbank,” she said into the mouthpiece.
“Sloane?” a women’s tentative voice replied.  “This is Hope Truman.  Penny’s mother.  I don’t know if you remember me.”
“Mrs. Truman-- hello-- of course I remember you.” Sloane’s brows arched in surprise.  It had been a dozen years since she’d spoken to the Trumans, although she and Penny had been inseparable friends in elementary and middle school.  Even afterwards, when Penny had gone on to attend a private high school, they’d still gotten together for shop-till-you-drop days and sleep-overs.  Then social lives, college applications, and life had kicked in, and they’d eventually grown apart and ultimately lost touch.  But the memories of their antics, their secret codes, and shared adolescence were the kind that lasted forever, like cherished diaries.
“How are you?” Sloane asked.  “And how’s Penny?  Last I heard she was working her way up the editorial ladder at Harper’s Bazaar.”
“Then you don’t know.”
“Know what?”
“That’s why I’m calling.” Mrs. Truman took a deep breath.  “Penny disappeared almost a year ago.”
Sloane’s spine straightened.  “When you say disappeared...”
“I mean vanished into thin air.  Without a trace.  And without a word to Ronald and me.  No contact whatsoever.”
“No contact from Penny-- or from anyone?” Sloane’s trained mind kicked into gear.  The Trumans were wealthy and high-visibility.  Ronald Truman was a renowned cardiologist at Mount Sinai.  He was always making medical headlines.  And recently his self-help books on keeping your heart healthy had topped the bestseller lists.
Making the Trumans ideal candidates for extortion.
“No contact from anyone,” Mrs. Truman was answering.
“You never received a ransom call or note?”
“Never.  And God knows, we waited.  Trust me, Sloane, we went through every channel and considered every option.  Including the unthinkable-- that it was a kidnapping gone wrong.  But Penny’s body was never found.” A shaky sigh.  “I’m aware of how slim the odds are.  It’s been eleven months.  But she’s my daughter.  I can’t let it go.”
“I understand.”
Sloane knew a lot more about the odds than Mrs. Truman did.  And what she knew made her sick.
“I just read the newspaper article about you and the conference you’re speaking at,” Mrs. Truman continued.  “I had no idea you were an FBI agent, or that you’d left to apply your skills as a private consultant.  When I saw those words-- it was the first glimmer of hope I’ve felt in months.  We’ve exhausted all avenues.  I remember what close friends you and Penny were.  You were inseparable for years.  I’m asking you-- no, I’m begging you-- before you leave Manhattan, would you stop by my apartment?  I realize I’m asking a great deal, and with absolutely no notice.  I’m willing to pay anything you ask-- double or triple your normal rates.  I’ll have my driver pick you up at the campus and drop you off there afterwards.  Whatever it takes to...”
“That’s not necessary,” Sloane interrupted.  There were a hundred questions running through her mind.  But this situation had to be probed in person.  “Penny was a big part of my life.  If there’s anything I can do, I’ll do it.  The conference just ended.  I’m in the parking lot with my motor running.  I’ll swing by now, before I head home.”
“God bless you.” There were tears of gratitude in the older woman’s voice.
“What’s your address?”
“One twenty-five East 78th, between Park and Lex.  Apartment 640.”
“I’m on my way.”

# # #
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