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MurderCon
WPA NEWS!

After planning for one solid year, the Writers' Police Academy took writers to a place they'd never before experienced ... behind the scenes at Sirchie, the global leader in crime scene investigation tools, equipment, materials, and training. It was indeed a rare opportunity!

Arriving at the Sirchie Compound
Arriving at Sirchie

The excitement was nearly palpable as MurderCon attendees first set foot inside Sirchie headquarters to begin their training sessions.

BOSTON LEGAL met TRUE BLOOD

It was a common theme this year - writers of all stages of the game, from beginners to masters of the craft, coming together to learn how real-life detectives solve the crime of murder. In the image above, Phoef Sutton, writer of the TV series CHEERS and BOSTON LEGAL, examines the gravesite of a buried body, while over his left shoulder, Charlaine Harris, writer of the TRUE BLOOD series watches and learns the techniques involved in investigating the crime scene. They're joined by a variety of writers.

You Left the Driving to Us!

Sirchie's private compound is tucked away in the countryside approximately 45 minutes from Raleigh, N.C. The WPA, as always, provides transportation from the event hotel to the main event. This year we reached out to our good friends at Horizon Travel LLC who came to us all the way from Greensboro, N.C. to safely transport us between locations.

Horizon provided bus service to us during our years at the GTCC academy near Greensboro. Wonderful company. Wonderful staff and drivers!

Other News

- Thanks to everyone who completed the post event survey. Your feedback was extremely helpful!

- Once again, it was a pleasure to welcome writers who traveled from all across the globe to attend the event. 

- We're sad to report that Linda Lovely and Howard Lewis, the two folks who did most of the heavy lifting for the past several years, have decided to call it quits and will no longer be a part of the WPA team. We thank them for their hard work and dedication to the Writers' Police Academy and its attendees, presenters, and sponsors. They'll be missed, greatly.

- A new WPA anthology is in the planning stage. We hope to have details available in early January. Sales of the 2019 anthology, After Midnight: Tales of the Graveyard Shift (foreword by Lee Child) are doing well. Proceeds benefit the WPA with funds going toward our massive operating expenses. 

- Lee and Denene Lofland are pleased to announce the upcoming launch of New Arc Books, a new imprint under the umbrella of Level Best Books. New Arc Books will feature both well-written nonfiction, and works of fiction that lean toward crime, thriller, mystery, and/or suspense . Submission guidelines to be announced in January 2020. 

- Planning is currently underway to publish a collection of 200-word short stories from past Golden Donut Contest entries. WPA staff will soon be in touch with the authors of selected stories.

*Level Best Books is an MWA recognized traditional publisher who's well-regarded by readers and reviewers. Stories published by Level Best have won the Agatha, Anthony, Macavity, Derringer and Robert L. Fish Award for Best First Short Story presented at the Edgar® banquet. Level Best short stories have also been recognized as Best and Distinguished Mystery Stories by the editors of the Best American Mystery Stories series. Level Best also publishes the winning story from the Al Blanchard Award every year. 

- Planning for the 2020 WPA is well underway and, as you know, we strive to top the previous year. It's a difficult task, but you're worth the effort and it shows in your books.

Pictured below are attendees and instructors from the 2019 MurderCon event in Raleigh, N.C.

Above left - Clandestine Grave/Buried Body instructor Dr. Meredith Tise, Phoef Sutton, Lee Goldberg.

Above right - Sherry Harris, president Sisters in Crime and unidentified MurderCon attendee.  

Below right - Instructor Dave Pauly of Sirchie and unidentified MurderCon attendee.

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Writers' Police Academy

1604 Ironside Rd., Newark
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