Monday, December 21, 2015

January San Joaquin Sisters in Crime Meeting

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? IT'S ALMOST 2016!

For the first meeting on 2016  our speaker is an active duty deputy--Juan Espinoza of the Fresno County Sheriff's Department.

Saturday, January 2, 10 a.m.

Deputy Juan Espinoza of the Fresno County Sheriff's Dept. is an active duty patrol deputy. He and Sunny Frazier became co-workers when he joined Undercover Narcotics. He is also part of the SWAT team. Come to listen to fascinating stories and an insider's look into law enforcement. Bring lots of questions!

Juan Espinoza's Resume:

DEPUTY SHERIFF

Seasoned Investigator and training officer with extensive experience in law enforcement. Highly motivated, energetic law enforcement graduate with strong work ethics and professional goals. Experienced in organizing, directing, and motivating a diverse work force. Analytical with a lot of common sense, intuitive instincts, and the ability to think outside of the box. Community oriented and a strong sense of resolve. Notable success in management of operations focused on lowered crime, heightened security, and overall quality of life across the community. Skillful communicator with excellent interpersonal, oral and written presentation skills. Bi-lingual with an articulate fluency in English and Spanish.
AREAS OF EXCELLENCE
* Narcotics Expert         * Scene Supervision                  * Court Appearance Testimony                               * Problem Resolution     * Investigations Lead                    * Evidence/Fact Gathering                       * Tactical Team              * Agency Collaboration                * Crisis/Emergency Management            * Peer Support Team     * Community Resolution                    * Senior Training Officer                           
_____________________________________________________________

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

DEPUTY SHERIFF, FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT, FRESNO, CA
Conducted law enforcement patrols across a 7,000 square mile community to ensure adherence to all laws. Issues citations, written warnings and traffic investigations. Collaborated in law enforced efforts with other and local federal agencies. Made arrests and reports and reviewed reports for corrections. Part of the Special Weapons and Tactics team both entry and scout sniper.
Senior Deputy Sheriff Training officer                                                                            (2009- Present)
  • Train day-to-day operations of a new recruits in the current laws and department policy and procedure.
  • Develop strategic plans, policies, and procedures to ensure efficient operations
  • Establish, develop, and maintain liaisons with public, private, and business organizations to implement community oriented policing objectives and/or resolve problems
  • Review and approve operational plans for special events and crime enforcement projects
 Deputy Sheriff Corporal (IV)                                                                                        (2006-2009)
Deputy Sheriff IV is a specialist area of law enforcement and involves activities such as Field Training Officer, Detectives, Civil, Vice/Narcotics, Administration, Planning and Res

THE MEETING:

EARLY START at 10:00 am

SATURDAY January 2, 2016. – Please come early by 9:45 am so Scene of the Crime
Yosemite Falls Restaurant On Ashlan, West side of 99

Members $15 Visitors $20

**NOTE: We will be served a choice of
RESERVATION PROCEDURE

RSVP by Wednesday before the meeting

If you can, we highly encourage you email your reservation instead of phoning it in, Thanks.

Please EMAIL TO:

reservationsforsisters@outlook.com

Meal Choices:

Chili and foccacia
Chinese Ckicken salad

Sourdough Cheeseburger


NOTE: please put your lunch choice on subject line

Do not log on to the website, simply send email to the above address.

IF YOU CAN NOT EMAIL Please call 559-431-0360
AND LEAVE VOICEMAIL
with your name & choice of lunch.

Dial carefully, there is no greeting announcing SJ SinC.

PLEASE NOTE WHEN YOU ATTEND MEETINGS:
****After paying,
 Sign up for your lunch choice
 Take meal colored card
 Put on the table in front of you.

****If you write a check, make it out to Yosemite Falls Café.

****Also, we ask that members and guests enter the restaurant and banquet room from the front. Only those with a load to bring in come through the back door of the restaurant. We will, of course always welcome the disabled to use that entrance if they need to.
Program


Sunday, December 20, 2015

Sisters in Crime to receive a Raven Award!

We wanted to be sure you caught the exciting news: Sisters in Crime is being awarded a Raven Award from Mystery Writers of America!

The Raven Award recognizes outstanding achievement in the mystery field outside the realm of creative writing, and will be presented to SinC at the April 2016 Edgar Awards Banquet.

“Sisters in Crime is thrilled with this award, honoring nearly thirty years of work in the trenches, promoting the advancement, recognition, and professional development of women crime writers. That it comes from one of our partners in crime and advocacy makes the honor doubly sweet.”
 -- SinC President Leslie Budewitz

The 70th Annual Edgar Awards Banquet, which will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City on Thursday, April 28, 2016.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

JANUARYS THROUGH THE EARLY YEARS by JoAnne Lucas

 JoAnne Lucas was one of the founding members of the San Joaquin chapter of Sisters in Crime. She wrote this for one of our newsletters. (Karen Besecker organized that first group who met in a restaurant to talk about organizing.)


1995 

We started as a group in April, so no January meeting. (Gotcha!)

1996  Karen Besecker, our founder,  was president. Faye Gaul, a member and private investigator the speaker. Author Bridget McKenna talked about getting into a good critique group and what to look for, what to watch out for. Win/Win (later known as the William Saroyan Writers’ Conference) announced their 6th Writers’ Conference that year.

1997  Lunch at the Daily Planet. In the Poison Pen newsletter Karen Besecker wrote, “In 1997 I resolve to . . . spend more time actually writing and less time fretting over the fact that I haven’t written more.”

   Sound familiar to you authors out there? Some things just never change, even 18 years later.

   And, we got some press from the then Northwest Neighbors newsletter. Yea for us!

1998  Kate Anderson was president. Various members wrote about their first Bouchercon experience, held in Monterey the previous November.

   A note in Random Shots says, “On each January 19th, from 1949 on, a mysterious figure would arrive at the graveyard of Westminister Church in Baltimore, Maryland to place a bottle of Cognac and three red roses on the grave of Edgar Allen Poe. The identity of the stranger has never been revealed.”

     Guess we’ll have to wait ‘til the 19th this month to see if someone has picked up the torch that faltered.


     So, let’s get our own torch going and have a spectacular New Year.

Watch for the announcement of the January meeting, coming soon!

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Why I Haven't Been Able to Attend SJSinC Meetings

As one of the founding members of the San Joaquin chapter of Sisters in Crime, I love attending meetings, hearing the wonderful speakers, and visiting with friends and meeting new ones.

However, I've missed a lot of meeting and this is the reason. I'm busily promoting my latest Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery, Not as it Seems. And when an opportunity presents itself to promote/sell my books, I must take advantage of it.


I participated in a holiday boutique at our local Art Gallery, and in a similar event right her in Springville. In fact this year, I've been to several book events also.


And right now I'm promoting a .99 cent book sale on Kindle--it's not a mystery, but it has mysterious elements in it. Not a new book, Lingering Spirit is one of my favorites.



The sale is from December 7 - December 11

Blurb for Lingering Spirit:

After her police officer husband is killed in the line of duty, Nicole Ainsworth struggles with the changes forced on her life. Her efforts to focus on her daughters and cope with her grief are kept off-balance by images of Steve, her deceased husband who seems to be trying to communicate with her. Eventually, Nicole finds that Steve isn't the only one watching over her, and discovers a second chance at happiness.



I also sent in my next Rocky Bluff P.D. mystery to the publisher and I"m busy writing the next Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery.

Merry Christmas to all.

Marilyn Meredith