Chapter Meeting

10:00 am Welcome, Announcements

10:30 am – 12:00 pm Morning Session - Clinical psychologist, Dr Janice Larkin, will speak to us about common mental health problems we writers face (imposter syndrome, fear of failure, fear of success, procrastination, isolation, etc), as well as the challenges our characters face—good guys and bad guys. What motivates them? Why do they do what they do? How do we address the tropes in our genres but still paint a believable picture? (How do amateur sleuths really feel about stumbling over so many dead bodies? Does my thriller antagonist need a kitten? How does my PI retain trust in humanity?)

12:00pm – 1:00 pm Lunch (brown bag or visit nearby restaurants)

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Afternoon Session - Michael Clark is a 20-year officer with the Denver Police Department. He’s currently assigned as a general investigation detective and hostage negotiator, and in one of his toughest roles, he's Becky’s nephew. He will be discussing witness statements—the psychology, protocols, pitfalls, how to tell if someone is lying, benefit of solo vs partner, what happens after the statement is taken (where it goes, who sees it, etc). He will also speak about the differences between being a patrol officer and a detective, in particularly on the personal side—the risks, hours, separating work and family life, among other things.