Author Jennifer Chase

Confrontation with a Violent Sociopath Compelled Me to Pursue Criminology

Posted on January 18, 2014 by jchasenovelist

As I look back in my life, I reflect and smile. It is interesting how certain situations can shape our decisions and ultimately the outcome of our lives. I have been blessed with many things, even the bad incidents. I try to learn something from every situation that I have been confronted with in my life – both positive and negative. There is always something to be learned from them. I cannot answer definitively if I would have chosen to immerse myself with the study of forensics and criminology if I was not faced with the real life situation of someone stalking and threatening me. The important aspect I have learned is that there are things that are not always definite. My own philosophy is to pay attention, learn everything you can, be objective and move forward with strength, integrity, and love, because you never know what great opportunity is just around the corner.

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Article first published as Interview: Jennifer Chase, Author of ‘Dead Burn’ on Blogcritics.

Interview reposted by permission from SayWhatSavannahMae.

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Hello, Jennifer. Thank you for choosing to share some of your life story with us. Why don’t you tell us a little about yourself? I read in your bio that you were born and raised in California. Which part? Did you ever move out of state, and if so, where and why?

Hello, and thank you so much for having me here today. I grew up along the coast of central California (Monterey to San Francisco area), which jump-started my love for the outdoors and the abundant wildlife. Even today, I still love taking hikes along the beaches and up in the hills. It has been a great way for me focus and relax. And, of course for me to get a new idea for my next book. I have lived most of my life in California, but I have also lived in Oklahoma and Colorado for short periods of time.

As a child, what was your life like? I imagine, (since you enjoy the outdoors), that you were a fairly active child? What were some of your favorite activities?

I was very lucky because of the mild weather along the California coast. I was able to be outdoors whenever I could. I was somewhat of a fearless child (a little bit tomboyish) and wanted to try just about everything. My closest friends were both boys and girls. I spent time at the beach, went cycling, go-carting, horseback riding, enjoyed various sports, and my favorite outdoor sport was tennis. Even though I loved to be outside, I still made time for reading and writing.

When did your love of books begin? And of course, with the genre you write, I have to ask if you were a Nancy Drew fan? Hardy Boys?

Of course! I loved the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series – and still do. In fact, I have most of the Nancy Drew books on my bookshelf today. My love for books goes back as far as I can remember. I learned to read at an early age, before school-age, and I plowed through every book I could find. Books fascinated me and I loved to read all types of genres, but mysteries and adventures interested me the most.

Now, you also mentioned that your love of writing started early on in your life. Was there something significant that prompted this?

Every week my mom took me to the library and I would load up on books – as many as I could carry. I loved books because it inspired a wild imagination that prompted me to write little stories. Basically, my stories were about animals (namely my own stuffed animals). Let us just say that my tea parties were not the typical kind, since I liked to write little scripts for all of the participants.

So, Jennifer, childhood came and went, college arrived and you chose police forensics and criminology. Why? Had you always been interested in what makes the criminal mind tick, or was there something else that propelled you to this calling?

In the usual order of school, I went into business management and accounting. It was not until about ten years ago that I decided to go back to school to pursue my interest in criminology and forensics. This came about through a personal experience I had with a violent “sociopath” that lived next door to me. For two and half years, this person threatened my life, stalked me, as he had very specific ways that he was going to murder and dismember me. I could have let this situation really stumble my life and live in fear, but I began to study everything I could about crime, forensics, and the criminal mind. I developed friendships with various local law enforcement individuals, which were supportive of my studies. Let us just say that there is always something good to come out of something terrible – if you look for it. I never looked back and moved forward with a new career with something I really enjoyed.

Moving on to your books… Emily Stone, the protagonist of your series, sounds like an impressive woman. Fiercely determined to stand up for what is right, while not being very interested in the overly material things in life. Is there someone in your life (including you) that you may have modeled her after?

Emily Stone is a combination of people I have met throughout my life, and of course a little bit of me. As I studied various subjects in criminology, a few things stood out to me. One of them was the number of reported missing/abducted children every year in this country – about 800,000. Once parent or family abductions were subtracted, there still were a significant number of children missing every year. The total is about 60,000 children. For more information, you go to National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The numbers astounded me and I incorporated this into the character of Emily Stone along with profiling, forensics, and law enforcement knowledge.

Jennifer, I must also confess that I was taken aback to see you had written four crime fiction/thriller novels and one non-fiction book: “How to Write a Screenplay.” That’s quite a genre jump… How did that come about? Do you have movies out that we are unaware of?

I have written more than twelve completed screenplays in the cop and suspense genres, and I have taught workshops for beginning screenwriters. In addition to my love for books, I love movies too. I learned everything I could about the art of screenwriting. I was close a couple of times to selling a script; but at this point, I have not had any of my stories produced. In fact, my first Emily Stone novel, Compulsion, was originally going to be a screenplay. Something interesting happened along the way, I began to write a full-length book. I realized that I had found my comfortable niche and writing voice. I also found that screenwriting with tight action and dialogue formats has helped me to fine-tune my books.

Returning to your crime fiction/thriller novels I see that “Dead Burn” is the fourth book in your Emily Stone series. Is there a new book upcoming, and if so what’s in store for Emily?

I am having the best time creating new adventures for Emily Stone – I feel that they are endless. There are several more books planned in the future. Late winter, early spring of 2014, Stone Dark will be released. It will take the reader into the darker past of Emily Stone and why she chose her current path as a vigilante detective. Of course, there will be plenty of action and forensic investigations as in the previous books.

When can we expect to see Emily Stone on the big screen and which actress would you choose to represent her?

I would love to see Emily Stone on the big screen. You never know what the future will bring. I will just have to wait and see. As for what actress would best represent Emily Stone, that is a tough one. It would have to be a gutsy, tough actress like Angelina Jolie.

And of course, what’s next for you?

There are two new novels slated for this year. In addition to the Emily Stone crime thriller, I am creating a new forensic mystery series. I will have book updates and fun additions on my blog and social networks.

Finally, as we wrap this interview up, is there anything else that you would like to share with your/our readers?

Thank you for having me. That was fun! First, thank you to everyone who took the time to read this interview about my experiences and books. I appreciate so much my readers and feedback of my Emily Stone series, please feel free to leave comments or questions for me anytime.

Thank you, Jennifer. This interview has been a pleasure.

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Check out the Award-winning EMILY STONE THRILLER SERIES available at Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Sony, iTunes, Smashwords, and most online and book retailers.

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Author Blog: https://authorjenniferchase.com/

Book & Crime Talk: http://blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase

Books: Compulsion Dead Game Dark Mind Dead Burn Silent Partner Screenwriting

Posted in Emily Stone Thrillers, Interview | Tagged blogcritics, california, compulsion, crime fiction, criminology, dead burn, emily stone, emily stone series, emily stone thrillers, forensic, interview, jennifer chase, jennifer chase crime fiction author, murder mystery, mystery, outdoors, photography, police procedural, say what savannah mae, screenwriting, serial killer, sociopath, writing, writing a thriller, writing life | 1 Comment

The “Affluenza” Defense

Posted on January 10, 2014 by jchasenovelist

As we move more into the New Year and leave the flurry of the holidays behind, it is time for me to catch up with some writing about several of the news stories involving criminal psychology that have developed over the past month or so. One case that quickly received national attention and sparked contentious debates about parenting and wealth came out of Houston, Texas.

Ethan Couch is a sixteen-year-old boy who stole some beer, drove a truck containing with seven passengers while admittedly drunk and then tragically killed four pedestrians. During trial, he pled guilty to four counts of intoxicated manslaughter and intoxicated assault. Instead of being sentenced to time behind bars as the person responsible for four deaths, Couch was given ten years’ probation and ordered to a year-long rehabilitation facility for which his parents are paying $450,000.

A term that came out of this trial, as it was used by the psychological expert for the defense, is “affluenza.” It was also been referred to as sudden-wealth syndrome for the guilt or lack of motivation experienced by people who have made or inherited large amounts of money. Couch had never faced the consequences of any of his wrongdoings because his family’s wealth had protected him (as well as, it appears, because of his parents’ decision to ignore or passively condone past bad behavior).

Would a poor teenager whose parents did not have societal influence and money to send him to a posh resort for treatment have been afforded the same light treatment? Many critics, including quite a few elected officials and prosecutors within the state of Texas, argue no.

Affluenza is not an officially recognized disorder and not one that I have seen in my research as being used to explain away deadly actions as has happened in this instance. For the family members of Couch’s victims, the questionable diagnosis is hardly one that brings resolution.

What do you think about the term “affluenza”?

Whether or not you believe it should be used as a defense in a criminal matter, do you believe that some young people never feel the weight of their poor decisions due to the protection of wealth?

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A Horrible Day Now Relived through the Release of 911 Calls

Senseless Crime is Even More So When Committed by Children

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Check out the EMILY STONE THRILLER SERIES available at Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Sony, iTunes, Smashwords, and most online and book retailers.

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Author Blog: https://authorjenniferchase.com/

Book & Crime Talk: http://blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase

Books: Compulsion Dead Game Dark Mind Dead Burn Silent Partner Screenwriting

Posted in crime, Criminology | Tagged affluenza, award winning dead burn, compulsion, court, crime, crimes, criminal proceedings, criminal psychology, defense, drunk driving, emily stone series, ethan couch, Houston, jennifer chase, jennifer chase criminologist, manslaughter, protection, texas, today | 3 Comments

Vicarious Traumatization is a Reality for Forensic Psychiatrists

Posted on January 5, 2014 by jchasenovelist

Photo Courtesy: Wade Cuddington, Ottawa Citizen

We know that those who are victims of horrific crimes and live to share their experiences often suffer from psychological repercussions that can take a lifetime to heal. But what about the men and women who work to capture the perpetrators, whose job it is to get inside of some of the most disturbed individuals in our society? Perhaps not surprisingly, investigators who must confront the realities of such evil also carry emotional trauma. Recently in her wonderful forensic psychology blog that I have referenced before, Dr. Karen Franklin shares the story of one colleague who is working through such a recovery process.

John Bradford is a forensic psychiatrist who was given the task of looking into the motivation behind the twisted acts of Canadian Air Force Colonel Russell Williams, a decorated military man who had been the pilot for dignitaries such as Queen Elizabeth II and the Prime Minister of Canada. Williams tortured and killed two women, and Bradford had to watch video that Williams had taken of these victims unsuccessfully begging for their lives.

As Franklin details, Bradford found himself sobbing uncontrollably and lashing out at individuals who had no connection to the matter. In a profession in which it is assumed you know how to distance yourself from all of the atrocities you review, Bradford recognized that he needed help. He eventually was diagnosed with a particular type of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) known as vicarious traumatization. He has since returned to work, but is more selective about the cases on which he advises.

We know that psychologists and psychiatrists who give us insight into the criminal mind are intelligent and impressive, and maybe they do have a stronger ability to dissociate than others. But, they are still human and I would worry about them if they were not affected by some of the material they read and see. I recommend you check out the entire piece to learn more about John Bradford and his ordeal.

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Check out the EMILY STONE THRILLER SERIES available at Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Sony, iTunes, Smashwords, and most online and physical book retailers.

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Author Blog: https://authorjenniferchase.com/

Book & Crime Talk: http://blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase

Books: Compulsion Dead Game Dark Mind Dead Burn Silent Partner Screenwriting

Posted in Criminology | Tagged crime, criminal mind, criminology, emily stone series, emotional, forensic, forensic psychiatrist, forensic psychology, jennifer chase, john bradford, mystery, psychology, ptsd, trauma, vicarious traumatization, victims | Leave a comment

Resolutions for Readers and Writers

Posted on December 31, 2013 by jchasenovelist

The end of the year has come upon us once again. If you are like me you probably are saying to yourself, “Wow, this year went by really fast!” You said this last year as well, of course, but this year you really mean it! While a new year always brings the excited anticipation of not knowing what the next twelve months will bring, we can be fairly sure that 2014 will bring midterm elections, the Winter Olympics and, closer to my world, more criminals with disturbing behavior.

As we prepare to hang those new wall calendars that we received for Christmas, it is time to ask that annual question – “What will my New Year’s resolutions be this time?” For the purposes of this post and using my assumption that many of you are here because you are avid readers and/or writers, I would like to offer a few suggestions for resolutions based on love of the written word.

Resolve to discover one new author every month. Whether it is reading a novel or blog or opinion columnist in the local paper, find someone whose writing has an impact on you and connect with the work.

Resolve to write 1000 words a week . . . at least. It really isn’t that much once you get going. And, what you write does not matter. Buy a beautiful journal and share a recap of each day within its pages. Finish (start?) that manuscript that has been lingering in your brain for months or years. Sit at the beach or somewhere that is relaxing and write down whatever comes to mind. Just write. The simple practice of it will feel wonderful.

Resolve to donate books to a local school or community center. You LOVE reading. It adds so much to your life. What about those kids whose parents cannot afford to have a book collection or who attend a school with a library that received its last new book more than a decade ago. You could be the one to start a lifelong love affair for a kid with books and writing and using the imagination!

There are plenty of other ways to make 2014 your best year yet. I would love to know what your plans are! And, if you decide to try one of my ideas in this post, let me know how it goes!

May your New Year be filled with joy, health and prosperity!

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Check out the EMILY STONE THRILLER SERIES available at Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Sony, iTunes, Smashwords, and most online and book retailers.

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Author Blog: https://authorjenniferchase.com/

Book & Crime Talk: http://blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase

Books: Compulsion Dead Game Dark Mind Dead Burn Silent Partner Screenwriting

Posted in Emily Stone Thrillers, Writing | Tagged 2014, author jennifer chase, craft of writing, crime thriller, crime writer jennifer chase, donate, emily stone series, jennifer chase, journal, library, mystery, new year, new years resolutions, novel, police, schedule, thrillers, write, write everyday, writing, writing a novel | 8 Comments

Examining the Digits: Uncovering Tough Clues in Crime Investigations

Posted on December 28, 2013 by jchasenovelist

There are forensic scientists discovering and applying new scientific techniques to help solve cases and uncovering clues in cold cases. Since fingerprints are the most fragile pieces of evidence in a criminal investigation and are the most important to identify the perpetrator, they are the first to be located, documented, retrieved, and examined.

Some of the most common ways to retrieve a fingerprint at a crime scene is by dusting techniques, cyanoacrylate fuming (Super glue), and using various/alternate light sources. Other applications used are the Magana brush, nindydrin, silver nitrate, and amino black.

During my internship at a police forensic lab in the fingerprint section, I used the ninhydrin method (reacts with the amino acids in fingerprints) and sprayed a letter document in question to develop a print. I felt a little bit like Sherlock Holmes waiting for the print to appear. The readable print turned purple/pink in color. Then, I entered the print into the AFIS (Automatic Fingerprint Identification System), and actually got a match that resulted in an arrest. Score one for the good guys! It was quite exciting, but extremely time consuming – many days in fact. It’s definitely not like the instant results on crime dramas wrapped up in an hour. During my four-month internship in 2004, I learned how to locate, process, catalogue, and examine fingerprints. I saw fingerprints in my sleep!

In addition to various obstacles for fingerprint collection, such as weather conditions, difficult spaces, contaminated crime scenes, and a host of other problems, it can be very difficult to retrieve a “usable” print.

What happens when the print is on a difficult, non-porous surface?

Or, if the print is old?

Recovering Fingerprints on Difficult Surfaces

It’s a fact that forensic experts cannot always retrieve fingerprints, especially from non-porous surfaces and difficult objects.

Penn State professors developed a conformal coating process that can help to reveal difficult fingerprints on non-porous surfaces without altering the chemistry of the print. The researchers used a form of physical vapor deposition, which is a method that uses a vacuum and allows vaporized materials to condense on a surface creating a thin film.

Basically, this procedure helps to recover the distinct fingerprint ridges and valleys to be viewed in a topography without any changes to the print.

A huge benefit of this scientific approach would be to retrieve fingerprints from explosive devices and still be able to analyze the chemicals used in the actual device.

New Nanotech Fingerprint Analysis

Researchers in Australia and Illinois (U.S.) have discovered a new way to target the amino acids found in sweat, which can be left behind after someone touches an object. Using gold nanoparticles, scientists were able to target the amino acids on non-porous surfaces. This allows for better analysis of fingerprints because the amino acids combined with gold nanoparticles reveal a clearer, more distinguishable print.

This new fingerprint analysis method will make it easier from forensic investigators to study old, dry fingerprints, hopefully resulting in discovering new evidence in cold cases.

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We cannot underestimate today’s technology and the scientists working hard for a better understanding in forensic science and crime scene investigations. I hope that one day we can solve all our cold cases.

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Check out the Award-winning EMILY STONE THRILLER SERIES available at Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Sony, iTunes, Smashwords, and most online and book retailers.

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You can tag along with Emily Stone in a “live-action” novel short:

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Author Blog: https://authorjenniferchase.com/

Book & Crime Talk: http://blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-chase

Books: Compulsion Dead Game Dark Mind Dead Burn Silent Partner Screenwriting

Posted in crime, Forensic | Tagged amino black, compulsion, crime, crime scene, criminal, csi, dark mind, dead burn, emily stone thrillers, examination, fingerprint, fingerprint identification, fingerprints, forensic scientists, forensics, investigation, jennifer chase, jennifer chase author and criminologist, Magana brush, nindydrin, silver nitrate | 3 Comments

Guest Post: Will a Conveniently Placed Item Stop a Bullet by Benjamin Sobieck

Posted on December 19, 2013 by jchasenovelist

Photo: Getty Images

I thought a very interesting and thought-provoking crime article from friend and author Benjamin Sobieck would be a perfect post today — being Thriller Thursday and all. Enjoy!

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Will a Conveniently Placed Item Stop a Bullet?

by Benjamin Sobieck

Many thanks to the wonderfully talented and always gracious Jennifer Chase for once again hosting me here. I’m always humbled to be invited for a guest post on firearms in fiction, especially from an author writing from the lens of criminology.

In a classic episode of The Simpsons, Ned Flanders takes a bullet to the chest. The pious neighbor walks away unscathed, all thanks to a piece of wood from the ol’ rugged cross under his shirt.

Although the show is meant to be satirical, it’s a scene played out with a straight face in the rest of fiction, most notably the crime genre. A character is seemingly shot to death, only to stand back up thanks to a convenient object beneath the clothing that “stopped the bullet.”

So how close is this to reality? Is it possible for this to happen?

Yes, but the odds are pretty low. Here’s why.

A bullet in motion, like any other projectile, transfers its kinetic energy into whatever it hits. That energy is what causes the bullet to penetrate a target, in this case a character. There are two ways to prevent this from happen: absorption and deflection.

Absorption, aka “Stopping the Bullet

In order for the bullet to stop, the energy needs to go somewhere other than into the character. The best bet is a material that can absorb that energy without causing injury to the character. It must be strong, yet flexible enough not to break.

That’s why bullet-proof gear is made from threads of durable, synthetic fibers woven together. Energy leaves the bullet and becomes trapped in the web of the fibers, sort of like a soccer ball getting caught in the netting of a goal.

Any conveniently placed item – a book, a flask or even Ned’s piece of cross – needs to be able to do same. A malleable piece of metal would work better than wood, since that will splinter into pieces. However, metal can also indent and cause injury anyway.

What about a book? Or even the good book itself, the Bible? Books are actually pretty decent at absorbing energy. However, larger calibers are going to punch through books – as well as other small items – without a problem.

Deflection: The More Likely Option

That’s why deflection is more likely than “stopping the bullet.” Anything hard will do, although metal wins top honors. Don’t forget human bone, too. It’s actually a good candidate for deflection, especially the skull. Just remember that bullets don’t magically disappear. A deflected shot has to terminate somewhere.

Be it absorption or deflection, the conveniently placed item isn’t the only factor at play. Distance, caliber, bullet type, trajectory and more can all influence what happens. I made some big generalizations so writers can quickly look like a pro without getting all Tom Clancy on readers. Leave me a comment if you have a specific scene in mind.

Bottom Line: Luck Isn’t On Your Side

No matter what, the character with the conveniently placed item would be extremely lucky – and left with a bastard of bruise. The item would also need to be lucky, since it would need to absorb or deflect the bullet’s kinetic energy without shattering or puncturing the character’s body.

That doesn’t mean it’s not possible. It’s just not probable. What a writer does with this slim percentage isn’t up to me. I’m just here to explain what’s going on here. Take my word for it. This isn’t one you want to try at home.

If you’re interested in learning more about firearms and knives in fiction, be sure to check out my guide from Writer’s Digest. It hits shelves in print and as an e-book in late 2014. Until then, you can find more tips at my website, CrimeFictionBook.com. Look me up on Facebook and Twitter, too.

P.S. Cheers to writer bud Laura Roberts of ButtonTapper.com and BlackHeartMagazine.com for inspiring the topic of this post.