Cops and Writers Podcast

Send us a textWelcome to part one of a very special two-part interview with my guest Susan Snow. Susan Snow is the daughter of LAPD Detective Thomas C. Williams, who was killed in the line of duty on October 31, 1985,  in a contract hit while driving his six year old son to school. Thomas shielded his son from a hail of gunfire, saving his sons life while giving up his own. Detective Williams was a hero on so many levels.Susan was only seventeen years old and a senior in high school at the time of this incident. Susan's book "The Other Side of the Gun" was born out of Susan’s journey through the trauma she experienced with the death of her father. She wrote it to heal herself and help others heal through her words and experiences. Thank you, Susan, for sharing your story with us so we can better understand and appreciate the heroes and their families who have had to endure these types of tragedies. In today’s episode we discuss:·      The murder of LAPD Detective Thomas C. Williams on October 31, 1985.·      How she was forgotten due to the attention that was focused on her brother and mother. ·      Finally realizing that her father was killed in a contract hit because he was a LAPD detective. ·      Having a father who was a LAPD detective and trying to be a normal teenager.·      Her grief process and negative experience with her therapist.·      Lunch with a nun.·      Discovering she had PTSD and how she coped with this diagnosis.·      How Susan navigated having a mom with a drinking problem, getting through her senior year of high school, and processing her father’s murder. Visit Susan's website to learn more about her and her book.Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website.Support the show

Send us a textIt’s been a while since I recorded a question-and-answer episode, so that is what we are doing today. A very special thank you to the members of the Cops and Writers Facebook group for the questions.I was lucky enough to get back up from my friend and fellow author, retired Chicago Police Department Detective Lieutenant, Richard Rybicki.The good lieutenant served for over 29 years on the Chicago Police Department where he worked as a Patrol Officer, Tactical Officer, Gang Crimes Specialist, Detective, Patrol Sergeant, Detective Sergeant, Patrol Lieutenant, and Detective Lieutenant. His last assignment was as the Lieutenant/commanding officer of the Area Three Homicide/Sex/Gang Crimes unit.In today’s episode we discuss:·      Rick’s newest book series that is in development that has a very interesting plot twist! ·      Funny and disturbing Thanksgiving stories from the street.·      Alex Wilson asks; My story is a fictional murder in the UK.  Would a pathologist or similar ever go to see a body at the crime scene, to advise on the probable cause of death, possible weapons used etc, or would this only happen later at the postmortem?·      Sharon Reichs asks; How did you keep from killing a supervisor with all the liberal bullshit they spew as directives? (Not that I have an opinion or anything).·      Katherine Kovacic asks; What do you consider your best case and why? [Unrelated second question] Is there something you know now that you wish you knew then (specifically relating to policing!) and if so, what impact would that have had?·      Rose Bingham asks, Present day Chicago. A victim found strangled in the rain. Some paper found under her coat (that the killer would've handled) that didn't get wet had fingerprints on it (do-able?). Security camera at night had shown 2 separate people at the scene. I have the detective reviewing the footage but needs to have it blown up and possibly made a bit clearer. Who would be the people working on the footage?·      Lisa Messegee asks,California, present day, Is a detective required to attend the autopsy for a homicide victim? Would they want to, if it's not required? Could they delegate to a crime scene investigator?Visit Richard's author page on Amazon.Check out the Sam Laska Crime Thriller page on Facebook. Visit Richard at his website!Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website.Wellness Thru Reading Greetings and salutations book lovers. Welcome to Wellness Thru Reading. A podcast...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textToday’s show is for you authors out there who want to up their writing game, or just have a laugh, because we had a lot of fun recording this episode. I traveled across the pond, virtually, to Jolly Old England and was lucky enough to have Cara Clare and James Blatch from the Indie Writers Club Podcast on the show today. Cara Clare a prolific author who has penned over 47 books, is known for her steamy paranormal and fantasy worlds, Cara's the queen of "why choose" adventures, where love knows no bounds and neither do her characters.Cara is best known for her TikTok sensation, The Phoenix Prophecy series, and also writes super spicy romantasy under Alexis Brooke and women's fiction under Poppy Pennington-Smith. Returning champion James Blatch is back on my show! Many of you know James from the wildly popular Self-Publishing Show Podcast that he co-hosted with Mark Dawson. He also co-founded the Self Publishing Formula (SPF) that has been rebranded as Lean Self Publishing. James is also a cold-war aviation thriller author.Cara and James now host the Indie Writers Club Podcast that is a lot of fun and gives valuable information for authors at all stages of their writing careers. Please enjoy this very wide raging show where we talked about everything from the ending of the Self-Publishing Podcast, why you aren’t selling more books, me learning what a reverse harem’s, the upcoming presidential elections in the United States, and of course, James doing his Mafia Vampire Romance impersonation. In today’s episode we discuss:·      Why the Self-Publishing Podcast came to an end. ·      How the ending of the podcast and his partnership with Mark Dawson affected James personally and professionally.·      How Cara Clare produces an incredible number of words for her own books and as a ghostwriter. ·      How and why the Indie Writers Club Podcast started.·      The Discord channel.·      Why your books aren’t selling.·      Taking a hard look at your title, blurb, and book cover and what they should and shouldn’t have.Visit Cara at her website!Visit James at his website!Come join the fun at The Indie Writers Club Podcast!Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website. Wellness Thru Reading Greetings and salutations book lovers. Welcome to Wellness Thru Reading. A podcast...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textHave you ever told yourself that one day you will tell your parents story? I know I have. Both of my parents are immigrants who chased the American dream. But I still haven’t, and I don’t know why. My guest today, Shirley Novack, has done this and wrote a book about her father and his amazing life coming to America as a young teenager after living in a brothel for three years in Poland with his little brother. Her book, The Story Of… is a story of hardship, joy, overcoming the odds, and realizing the American dream!  Shirley also has some grand tales to tell from her life. Everything from living next to a victim of the Boston Strangler and being detained as a suspected terrorist by the Secret Service and local police. Please enjoy my chat with the captivating Shirley Novak. In today’s episode we discuss:·      Having one of her neighbors killed by the Boston Strangler. ·      Her interest in true crime and wanting to be a police officer.·      Being detained by the Secret Service and police as a suspected terrorist. ·      Sitting next to a drug mule on an airplane.·      Her incredible book, The Story Of...·      Why she wrote the book.·      How she researched the book interviewing her relatives.·      What it was like for her telling her father’s incredible story.Grab a copy of Shirley's book, The Story of...Visit Shirley on her website.Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website. Wellness Thru Reading Greetings and salutations book lovers. Welcome to Wellness Thru Reading. A podcast...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textWelcome back to the conclusion of our special two-part interview with retired Death Investigator and author, Barbara Butcher of the New York City Medical Examiner's Office. Barbara Butcher spent 23 years at the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner as a death investigator, director of the Forensic Sciences Training Program, and chief of staff. There she investigated more than 5500 deaths, 680 of them homicides. She worked mass disasters, including 9/11, the 2004 tsunami in Thailand, the London Underground bombing, and the crash of Flight 587.During this interview, Barbara opens up and lets us into the life of a death investigator being confronted with death and profound sadness on a daily basis and the toll it took on her physical and mental health. We also have a candid talk about alcoholism and her “rock bottom.” Barbara also shares her recovery from this deadly disease and the good that came from it.  I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did.In today’s episode we discuss:·      Tools of her trade as a death investigator. ·      The relationship she had with the cops and how they worked together to solve the crime.·      How the time of death gets determined in real life. Spoiler alert, not like what you see on T.V. or the movies.·      Advise for rookie death investigators or someone thinking about this job as a future career.·      Testifying in court. ·      What she misses the most about the job. ·      Faith in a higher power after being subjected to so much death and profound sadness.·      Why she wrote her book, “What the Dead Know” and why it is so popular.·      Her writing process.·      “You don’t have that much time. Be kind.”Visit Barbara at her website!Purchase her book, What the Dead Know: Learning About Life as a New York City Death InvestigatorCheck out Weekends at Bellevue: Nine Years on the Night Shift at the Psych ER and When Breath Becomes AirCheck out my newest book, The Good Collar!Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website.Wellness Thru Reading Greetings and salutations book lovers. Welcome to Wellness Thru Reading. A podcast...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textToday is episode one of a special two-part interview with retired Death Investigator and Author, Barbara Butcher of the New York City Medical Examiner's Office. Barbara Butcher spent 23 years at the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner as a death investigator, director of the Forensic Sciences Training Program, and chief of staff. There she investigated more than 5500 deaths, 680 of them homicides. She worked mass disasters including 9/11, the 2004 tsunami in Thailand, the London Underground bombing, and the crash of Flight 587.During this interview, Barbara opens up and lets us into the life of a death investigator being confronted with death and profound sadness on a daily basis and the toll it took on her physical and mental health. We also have a candid talk about alcoholism and her “rock bottom.” Barbara also shares her recovery from this deadly disease and the good that came from it.  I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did. In today’s episode we discuss:·      Her interview on the James Altucher Show Podcast and his notion that New York is dead, spoiler alert. She doesn’t think so! ·      Her honesty and willingness to be vulnerable with her new book and this interview.·      Growing up in New York being the oldest of nine kids and her dad being on the New York Police Department rising to the rank of Deputy Inspector.·      Ghosts or other paranormal feelings being involved in 5,500 death investigations.·      Myths and misconceptions regarding alcoholism. ·      Barbara hitting rock bottom with her drinking and rising from the ashes. ·      How Barbara got the job with the New York Medical Examiner’s Office as a death investigator and the training involved in her job.·      Her first time going to a death investigation solo.·      The job of the death investigator.Visit Barbara at her website!Purchase her book, What the Dead Know: Learning About Life as a New York City Death InvestigatorCheck out Weekends at Bellevue: Nine Years on the Night Shift at the Psych ER and When Breath Becomes AirCheck out my newest book, The Good Collar! Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website.Wellness Thru Reading Greetings and salutations book lovers. Welcome to Wellness Thru Reading. A podcast...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textWelcome back to the conclusion of a special Cops and Writers Podcast where myself and my special co-host, Retired ATF Deputy Assistant Director Peter Forcelli will attempt to break down the problems with the United States Secret Service and what can be done to fix them. Because, who wants to hear a bunch of bitching and complaining without any answers?   I hope you enjoy this thought-provoking and critically important discussion. In today’s episode, we discuss:·      How to fix the broken Secret Service. ·      Having Secret Service Agents go to Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, and work with the cops on the street. It’s like army trauma surgeons going to ERs in these cities to learn how to work on gunshot wounds. They need to experience police work.·      The Congressional hearings and the grandstanding by the people asking the questions. It was nauseating. ·      Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle and her incompetence as a leader, including the things she should have done as the director of the Secret Service.·      Secret Service Agent burnout and what can be done to alleviate this during an election cycle.·      Disbanding the United States Secret Service and having the FBI and U.S. Marshalls absorb those duties.Visit Peter's website to learn more about him and his books.Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website. Wellness Thru Reading Greetings and salutations book lovers. Welcome to Wellness Thru Reading. A podcast...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textWelcome to part one of a special Cops and Writers Podcast. Today, myself and my special co-host, Retired ATF Deputy Assistant Director Peter Forcelli will attempt to break down the problems with the United States Secret Service and what can be done to fix them. Because who wants to hear a bunch of bitching and complaining without any answers?   I hope you enjoy this thought-provoking and critically important discussion. In today’s episode, we discuss:·      My special co-host, Retired ATF Deputy Assistant Director Peter Forcelli. In January, Peter was on the show talking about Government Cover-Up and Corruption Surrounding Operation Fast and Furious. Peter has testified before Congress and was considered a whistle-blower for doing the right thing.·      In a historical event on July 15 in Butler, Pennsylvania, President Donald Trump was shot in an assassination attempt. ·      How the gunman, 20 years old with little to no training, armed with an AR-15 platform rifle with scope, got on the roof of a shed 130 yards away from the former president.·      On September 16 at the Trump International Golf Course, a subject armed with an AK-47 with a scope, two ceramic plates and a GoPro and food lay in wait for about 12 hours, about 400-500 yards away in what the F.B.I. is calling an assassination attempt. The Secret Service fired at the gunman, and missed, who got away, but was captured later by local law enforcement. ·      The biased media’s coverage of these events and the dangerous political rhetoric that is plaguing our country.·      The history of presidential attempted and completed assassinations.·      The difference between protection for a former president/candidate and a sitting president/vice president.·      Poor communication between the USSS and local law enforcement in Butler, Pennsylvania.·      The understaffing and inadequacies of some agents on scene in Butler Pennsylvania. Visit Peter's website to learn more about him and his books.Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website. Wellness Thru Reading Greetings and salutations book lovers. Welcome to Wellness Thru Reading. A podcast...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textOn today’s episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast, we are hitting the road with retired Motorcycle Officer and Master Motorcycle Trainer Jerry “The Motorman” Palladino. I grew up watching CHIPs and have been riding motorcycles since I was 16. I love being on my bike, so I thought it would be fun to have a police motorcycle expert on the show. Jerry “The Motorman” Palladino served with the Pasco County Sheriff's Department for 25 years, 15 of those as a motorcycle officer. Jerry Palladino is a certified Police Motor Officer and certified Motor Officer Instructor. His extensive background as a Motor Officer Instructor and owner of Ride Like a Pro, Inc. in the State of Florida has Jerry Palladino ranked as the “go to” authority when it comes to anything dealing with motorcycles and rider training. Jerry is also called upon as an expert witness helping jurors understand the physics of motorcycling and the causes of most motorcycle accidents with his compelling expert witness testimony.Sit back and roll the throttle forward and enjoy my conversation with Jerry “The Motorman” Palladino. In today’s episode we discuss:·      His beginnings as a lounge singer and entertainer before becoming a sheriff's deputy. ·      Why he decided to hand up his mic and become a sheriff's deputy.·      How and why, he became a motor officer. ·      What is the function of the motorcycle unit in a police department?·      Why motor officers are loved by their colleagues.·      Most common causes of car and motorcycle crashes.·      Jerry’s ‘Ride Like a Pro’ motorcycle course.·      Where he got his entrepreneurial spirit.Visit Jerry's website to learn more about Ride Like a Pro!Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website. Wellness Thru Reading Greetings and salutations book lovers. Welcome to Wellness Thru Reading. A podcast...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textOn today’s episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast, we are going into the courtroom with Attorney and Author Mark Bruce. California native Mark Bruce attended Humboldt State University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Journalism. He then attended UC Berkeley Law School, where he graduated with his jurist doctorate. While attending UC Berkeley, he was a finalist in an oral advocacy competition where he appeared before Justice Scalia, who told him. “I like you because you’re not a wimp.”Attorney Bruce has been a lawyer for 38 years, 18 as a public defender. Presently, he works for Estelle & Kennedy doing criminal and family law.In 2018, he won the Black Orchid Novella Award and has appeared four times in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, including the May 2023 Cover Short Story. In today’s episode, we discuss:·      His education in journalism and his shift to attend UC Berkeley law School. ·      His encounter with Supreme Court Justice Scalia as a law student.·      38 years as an attorney, 18 as a public defender. ·      Why is he a defense attorney?·      One of his most memorable cases as a defense attorney and what it meant to him personally.·      Winning the 2018 Black Orchid Novella Award and appearing 4 times in the Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, including the May 2023 Cover Short Story.·      Why Perry Mason was a terrible lawyer.·      Has he ever refused to defend a client? Why?·      How he explains the fact that he defends guilty criminals.Visit Mark at his website to learn more about him and his work.Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website. Wellness Thru Reading Greetings and salutations book lovers. Welcome to Wellness Thru Reading. A podcast...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textOn today’s episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast, we are going to the greater Cleveland area to chat with Bestselling Author, Drummer, and former Police Chief Rick Porrello.Rick’s first career was as a jazz drummer. At the age of 18, he got his first big break when he started touring internationally with Sammy Davis, Jr. Despite a skyrocketing music career, Rick traded his sticks for a badge. What followed was a 33-year career as a police officer in Greater Cleveland, with the last ten of those years as chief of police.As an organized crime historian, Rick Porrello’s perspective is an intriguing one. He began writing his first book during family research into the murders of his grandfather and three uncles, all of whom, he learned, were mob leaders killed in Prohibition-era violence. The Rise and Fall of the Cleveland Mafia quickly became a regional favorite.His second book caught Hollywood’s eye before it was published. Hollywood snapped up To Kill the Irishman—the War that Crippled the Mafia and turned it into the movie Kill the Irishman, starring Ray Stevenson, Vincent D’Onofrio, Christopher Walken, and Val Kilmer.Please enjoy this wide-ranging conversation where we talk about everything from being on tour with Sammy Davis Jr, becoming a police officer and eventually becoming the chief of police, researching his family’s organized crime roots, to writing bestselling books that become movies. In today’s episode, we discuss:·      Playing the drums for Sammy Davis Jr. ·      Why Rick became a police officer and his career trajectory.·      How and why, he became a police chief. ·      Why are we, as a culture, so fascinated with organized crime?·      Omerta. What it is and what it means in mob culture.·      His father’s pushback when writing the book, “The Rise and Fall of the Cleveland Mafia Corn Sugar and Blood.”.·      Elliot Ness and The Untouchables cleaning up police corruption in Cleveland.·      The book, “Kill the Irishman.” The story of Cleveland Mob Boss Danny Greene. Why he wrote this book and how it became a major motion picture.Visit Rick Porrello's website for links to his books. Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!Check out Field Training (Brew City Blues Book 1)!!Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website. Wellness Thru Reading Greetings and salutations book lovers. Welcome to Wellness Thru Reading. A podcast...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textHave you ever wondered what it would be like to be a female detective in the mean streets of New York City? Today’s guest, Marique Bartoldus, is here to tell us all about it. She’s a retired 20-year veteran of the NYPD and an author! Marique attended John Jay College of Criminal Justice where she graduated Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in Police Science. Shortly after graduating, she was sworn into the NYPD, and after six months of training in the Police Academy, was assigned to Transit District 20. After a year, she was reassigned to Patrol Borough Queens South's 105th Precinct. She was assigned to multiple units within the Precinct including Patrol, Conditions, SNEU, Anti-Crime, and Field Intelligence, then left the 105th Precinct and became one of the first detectives assigned to the Animal Cruelty Investigation Squad, where she investigated dog fighting and animal cruelty complaints throughout New York City. She returned to the 105th Precinct where she ended her career assigned to the Intelligence Bureau, investigating illegal firearm and narcotics sales and possession. She effected 400 arrests and executed hundreds of search warrants during her distinguished twenty-year career. Marique recently published Twenty and Out: A Compilation of Chaos Experienced while serving 20 years in the New York City Police Department, and I can’t recommend this book enough.  Please enjoy this entertaining and honest conversation about being a big-city detective, through the eyes of someone who actually did the job. In today’s episode, we discuss:·      The universal cop slang of Felonious Mopery.·      Her father being an NYPD homicide detective and growing up in a cop house.·      Coming to the NYPD a short time after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. ·      Working in the subway during a major power blackout.·      Working undercover, posing as a prostitute.·      Her promotion to the rank of detective.·      Being a cop on New Year’s Eve working in Times Square.·      Marique’s author career, including her debut book, Twenty and Out: A Compilation of Chaos Experienced while serving 20 years in the New York City Police DepartmentCheck out Marique's Amazon Author Page.Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!Check out Field Training (Brew City Blues Book 1)!!Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website. Wellness Thru Reading Greetings and salutations book lovers. Welcome to Wellness Thru Reading. A podcast...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textOn Today’s show, we will chat with Award-Winning Author, Green Beret, and Former Secret Service Agent Steve Stratton!Steve joined the Army in 1973 at the age of 19. His first assignment – the White House Communications Agency supporting the President, Vice President and Secretary of State. The next four and a half years included trips to Russia, Africa, South America, the Pacific and all over the US. The transition to Secret Service was an easy move and Steve’s role changed to that of Technical Security Specialist. Working at the White House when not on travel his more interesting tasks included managing suspicious package incidents, the Carter-Sadat-Begin peace accord meetings, and support for candidates during the 1980 Presidential Campaign.After a job change to take on a security role with DOE as a contractor, Steve also earned his Green Beret as a member of the National Guard 20th Special Forces. From 1986 until his retirement in 2000 Steve and his teams supported counter-drug missions in the US, Central and South America.Steve’s contractor career includes programs at the FBI, the Pentagon, Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, and US SOF commands.We also talk about Steve’s newest book, Shadow Sanction. Please enjoy this amazing conversation with a guy who has been there and has done that. And yes, we do discuss the recent assassination attempt on President Trump and our mess of a withdrawal from Afghanistan. In today’s episode we discuss:·      Protecting President Ford while skiing, when he didn’t know how to ski.·      Why Steve Joined the Army and how his career progressed to Special Forces and earning the Green Beret.·      The difference between Special Forces (Green Berets), Ranger, Ranger Battalion, SEALS, Marine Force Recon, Delta Force, and Air Force PJ’s. ·      The biggest misconceptions regarding S.F. you see in movies and books.·      With your experience, what is your opinion on our withdrawal from Afghanistan?·      Steve’s path to becoming a Secret Service Agent.·      Looking at the recent assignation attempt on President Trump, what were the glaring errors? How can they be fixed?·      Steve’s Award-Winning Author career.Check out Steve's website to learn more about him and his books!https://x.com/strattonbooksTwitter https://instagram.com/stevestrattonusa – Instagram https://facebook.com/stevestrattonusa - Facebook Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!Check out Field Training (Brew City Blues Book 1)!!Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website. Wellness Thru Reading Greetings and salutations book lovers. Welcome to Wellness Thru Reading. A podcast...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textWelcome everybody! On Today’s show we are going to jail with Author and Jail Psychiatrist Dr. Joseph Baskin. Joseph H Baskin is a psychiatrist in Cleveland, Ohio, where he was Born and raised.After graduating medical school at The Ohio State University, he completed a surgical internship in Chicago.  Seeking a way to stab at patients without the use of a scalpel, he switched to psychiatry, training in The Harvard South Shore Program in Brockton, Massachusetts.Additional fellowships in the specialties of psychodynamic psychotherapy (Freudian-based without the sofa) and forensic psychiatry (the interface between the law and mental health) followed. His unique background has fostered an ability to work with varied populations, including incarcerated folks both in prison and in jails where the level of mental illness is far greater than the general population.Dr. Baskin’s newest book, Burning River is his first in the Horror/Supernatural genre.Please enjoy this super informative conversation where we dig into the minds of criminals and not-so-criminal folks.In today’s episode we discuss:·      Joseph’s beginnings in medicine and how he became a physiatrist in prisons and jails.·      The concept of ‘re-parenting’ and how it helps jail inmates. ·      Explaining ‘executive function.’·      PTSD and helping military veterans overcome mental challenges.·      Throwing pills at patients, the overprescribing of psych medications.·      Using de-escalation techniques in the jail/prison setting when dealing with inmates.·      Can people change for the better? ·      Dr. Baskin’s wide variety of books and his writing process.Please visit Dr. Baskin's latest book, Burning River!Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!Check out Field Training (Brew City Blues Book 1)!!Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website. Wellness Thru Reading Greetings and salutations book lovers. Welcome to Wellness Thru Reading. A podcast...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textWelcome everybody! Today’s show is for you writers out there! No matter if you are a bestselling author with a huge backlist or you are just kicking around the idea of writing a book, today's show will have huge value to you!My guest on the show today is Clay Stafford! This guy has been in the entertainment business since he was 10 years old being discovered as a singer/actor child protégé in rural Appalachia. Did I mention he became a published author at age 10 and started a film production company at age 16?Clay is an award-winning author, screenwriter, actor, and filmmaker. He has sold over four million books that are available in 16 languages and has seen his film work distributed internationally in over 14 languages.Clay is the founder and operator of the acclaimed mystery/thriller writer's conference, Killer Nashville, which I will attend this year from August 22-25. If you’re going to be attending, come say howdy and I will buy you a drink at the open barPlease enjoy this informative and inspirational conversation with this one-of-a-kind entertainer. In today’s episode we discuss:·      Clay being discovered at age 10 and being a child actor.·      The life, or lack of, of a child actor.·      Being a published author at age 10.·      Having mentors as a young actor, including Alan Alda, and hanging out on the set of MASH.·      The importance of Being a risk taker in the entertainment biz.·      How he sold over four million books and what sells books today. ·      Conversations with David Hasselhoff.·      How can we prepare ourselves for a career as a writer?·      Hosting Killer Nashville, who it is for, and how to get the most out of it as an attendee. Visit Clay's website!Learn more about Killer Nashville!Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!Check out Field Training (Brew City Blues Book 1)!!Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website. Wellness Thru Reading Greetings and salutations book lovers. Welcome to Wellness Thru Reading. A podcast...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textWelcome back everyone to the conclusion of my two-part interview with retired City of Miami Police Lieutenant and Master Dog Trainer Garret Wing.Garret Wing grew up in a law enforcement family. His father, mother, stepmother, and stepfather were all city of Miami cops. His father and stepmother were K9 officers. It makes sense that Garret entered the police academy at the tender age of nineteen. Garret was assigned a K9 after only two years on patrol and quickly rose through the ranks of the police department promoting to lieutenant and worked a variety of highly sought-after specialty units. After eighteen and a half years, Garret did something unheard of for most cops in his position. He left the police department and went into business for himself. Taking this leap of faith and following his passion for training dogs, he founded American Standard Dog Training and DIY K9. He has now devoted his life to training civilian dogs and has turned this passion into a very successful seven-figure business!Please enjoy this entertaining and informative interview with a true entrepreneur. In today’s episode, we discuss:·      Police K9s and the difference between patrol, bomb, duel purpose, narcotics, firearm dog, single purpose dog, money dogs, and missing person dogs.·      Training police dogs.·      Pit Bulls and other banned dogs.·      One or two dogs in a home. What’s best for the dog and owner?·      Clickers, treats, regular and premium treats, shock collar or E collar, pincher choker collar. When are these appropriate for training dogs?·      How to stop a dog fight or dog attacking a human? ·      What advice would you give someone who wants to be a K9 cop?·      Garret’s huge media presence! How he built it and maintains it? Check out Garret's website to learn more about him and his businesses.Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!Check out Field Training (Brew City Blues Book 1)!!Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website. Wellness Thru Reading Greetings and salutations book lovers. Welcome to Wellness Thru Reading. A podcast...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textWelcome everyone to part one of my two-part interview with retired City of Miami Police Lieutenant and Master Dog Trainer Garret Wing.Garret Wing grew up in a law enforcement family. His father, mother, stepmother, and stepfather were all city of Miami cops. His father and stepmother were K9 officers. It makes sense that Garret wound up entering the police academy at the tender age of nineteen.  Garret was assigned a K9 after only two years on patrol and quickly rose through the ranks of the police department promoting to lieutenant and worked a variety of highly sought-after specialty units. After eighteen and a half years, Garret did something unheard of for most cops in his position. He left the police department and went into business for himself. Taking this leap of faith and following his passion for training dogs, he founded American Standard Dog Training and DIY K9. He has now devoted his life to training civilian dogs and has turned this passion into a very successful seven-figure business!Please enjoy this entertaining and informative interview with a true entrepreneur. In today’s episode we discuss:·      Interviewing his father on his podcast.·      K9’s role in the United States Secret Service.·      Doing the unthinkable, leaving a secure job in the police department after 18 ½ years to pursue his dream job.·      Growing up with a family of cops and police dogs in the house.·      Garret’s career path with the City of Miami Police Department.·      Garret taking his first bite with the sleeve when he was eight years old.·      What it is really like to wear the bite suit and be chased and bitten by a police dog.All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.Check out Garret's website to learn more about him and his businesses.Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!Check out Field Training (Brew City Blues Book 1)!!Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website. Wellness Thru Reading Greetings and salutations book lovers. Welcome to Wellness Thru Reading. A podcast...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textWelcome everyone to this very special episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast. As most of you listening to my show are cops, first responders, or someone who writes stories about first responders, I thought this episode would be extremely useful to you all. We all have dealt with, or are still dealing with, a high volume of death. Sometimes we don’t deal with it at all. But I guarantee, it will come back to haunt us. So today on the show I have a very special guest, Dr. BJ Miller.Dr. Miller was the executive director of San Francisco's Zen Hospice Project from 2011 to 2016. He's the co-author, with Shoshana Berger, of the book "A Beginner's Guide To The End: Practical Advice For Living Life And Facing Death." Dr. Miller is also known for his 2015 TED Talk, "What Really Matters at the End of Life". Miller has been on the teaching faculty at UCSF School of Medicine since 2007. Dr. Miller is no stranger to death, coming very close to himself by being electrocuted with 11,000 volts that resulted in several months in a burn unit, and eventually losing both legs and his left arm. Dr. Miller is also the co-founder of Mettle Health, an organization that provides personalized, holistic consultations for any patient or caregiver who needs help navigating the practical, emotional, and existential issues that come with serious illness and disability.Dr. Miller is one of the most inspirational and knowledgeable persons I have ever spoken to regarding death, and life.In today’s episode, we discuss:·      Clinton Eastwood quote from the movie, The Outlaw Josey Wales. “Death is easy for us; it’s living that’s tough.”·      My first time hearing Dr. Miller on the Tim Ferriss show back in 2016.·      Experiences with ghosts or the presence of a person after their death.·      The beauty of the mundane of death.·      Dr. Miller’s unexplainable synchronicity with his patients.·      The difference between palliative care, end-of-life care, and hospice.·      When is it time to stop treatment and what do you do when a loved one pushes back against that?·      Visions or conversations with dead relatives? Sebastian Younger’s new book, In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife on the James Altucher podcast.·      Assisted suicide or assisted dying.·      The role of child life specialists when helping children with death.·      Regrets at the end of life.                 The Netflix documentary featuring Dr. Miller, End Game.Visit BJ at Mettle Health.Watch BJ's TedTalk.Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!Check out Field Training (Brew City Blues Book 1)Wellness Thru Reading Greetings and salutations book lovers. Welcome to Wellness Thru Reading. A podcast...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textMy guest today is a Swiss Army Knife of law enforcement experience. Mike Roche has over four decades of experience starting as a street cop, detective, and special agent for the ATF and the U.S. Secret Service. Mike also served as an adjunct professor teaching threat Assessments of Physical Structures and Behavioral Threat Assessments of Mass Killers. Mike shares his vast experience with us today and gives us valuable insights into law enforcement, especially his time with the U.S. Secret Service.In today’s episode we discuss:·      How Mike became interested in law enforcement and why he choose to spend the bulk of his career with the U.S. Secret Service.·      What it was really like working a protective detail with U.S. Secret Service.·      How he and other members of the U.S. Secret Service investigated threats against the President of the United States.·      How to identify potential mass killers in the workplace and school.·      The role that the U.S. Secret Service plays in the detection and recovery of counterfeit currency.  All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.Visit Mike Roche's website!Wellness Thru Reading Greetings and salutations book lovers. Welcome to Wellness Thru Reading. A podcast...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

Send us a textWelcome back everyone and thank you for joining me for the conclusion of my interview with Bestselling Author, Television Personality, and retired Homicide Detective Lieutenant Joe Kenda.  Joseph Patrick Kenda is a retired Colorado Springs Police Department detective lieutenant who was involved in 387 homicide cases over a 23-year career. He solved 356 cases, a closure rate of 92%. He was featured on the Investigation Discovery television show Homicide Hunter, where he recounted stories of cases he solved. Kenda hosts the Discovery+ show, American Detective With Lt. Joe Kenda. Lt. Kenda is also a bestselling author with four books under his gun belt.  Please enjoy the conclusion of my interview with this crime-fighting legend, Lt. Joe Kenda.In today’s episode we discuss:·      Crime reduction strategies that work.·      A community meeting that turned into a Donnybrook with a woman using her high heels as deadly weapons.·      Going to a victim’s funeral.·      When Joe knew it was time to retire from police work.·      Joe’s second career in television and book writing.·      Best advice for someone thinking about starting a career in law enforcement.·      “They all count, or none of them count.”All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!Check out Field Training (Brew City Blues Book 1)!!Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website. Wellness Thru Reading Greetings and salutations book lovers. Welcome to Wellness Thru Reading. A podcast...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show