July 2022 Dear Librarians and SinC Members, In this issue of We Love Libraries News, attorney and award-winning author Keenan Powell provides links and tips for doing legal research for crime writers. Please see this fascinating article below. A new We Love Libraries grant winner will be selected in August. Please find details and the link to apply below. Do you have an interesting idea for an article for We Love Libraries News? Send suggestions to: librarian@sistersincrime.org |
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My Research Tools by Keenan Powell I write legal thrillers, so it’s convenient that I’m a lawyer. But the truth is, I do not know everything. And for accuracy’s sake, I double-check what I think I know to be true frequently. Currently, I’m working on a scene where my lawyer protagonist will seek a bail review hearing for her client who was recently arrested for murder in California. I want to know how many days can pass between an arrest and a motion for bail, because that would relate not only to pacing but also to what happens to the client while he waits for bail. So, I’ll look it up. Other topics I’ve researched include “three times you’re out” laws, such as how much time a person may serve before s/he is released on parole or probation, what kinds of sentences can be handed down under various facts, and how much time will lapse between indictment and trial under the Speedy Trial Rule. If that doesn’t do the trick, go to your local court system website. I googled “California free legal research,” and this is what I found: Legal Research (ca.gov). Go to the State Bar page. It lists free engines. Then I googled “Iowa free legal research” and ran across Iowa Legal Research - FindLaw, one of the sites on the Scalia Law School page. It’s your law. You’re entitled to know what it says. |
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Keenan Powell is the Agatha, Lefty, and Silver Falchion nominated author of the Maeve Malloy Mystery series and numerous short stories. She belongs to Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She writes a legal column, Ipso Facto, for the Guppies newsletter, First Draft; and blogs with Miss Demeanors. When not writing or practicing law, Keenan can be found oil painting or studying the Irish language. Website: https://www.keenanpowellauthor.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keenanwrites/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/keenanpowell6 |
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How Can Your Library Win a We Love Libraries Grant? Does your library need materials? Do you have a great idea for a library program? Apply for the We Love Libraries award! Find grant details and the brief grant application on our website. A WLL winner of $500 is selected every other month. |
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Do you have a great idea for an article in We Love Libraries News? Did your library put together an excellent display of mysteries that you would like to share? Submit your ideas and suggestions to Susan Hammerman, Library Liaison at |
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To find out more about all SinC offers, including live webinars, please visit our website. Thank you for all you do for your communities. Sisters in Crime loves libraries. Best wishes and happy reading! Susan Hammerman
Library and Bookstore Liaison Susan Hammerman, a former rare book librarian, is the Library Liaison and coordinator of the We Love Libraries program. Susan writes crime and neo-noir short stories. Her stories have been published by Mystery Magazine, Dark City Mystery Magazine, Blood and Bourbon, Mondays are Murder, and Retreats From Oblivion. Website, Twitter |
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WLL and WLB News Editor: Gail Lukasik’s latest book, White Like Her: My Family’s Story of Race and Racial Passing, was named one of the most inspiring stories of the year by The Washington Post. She is also the author of the Leigh Girard Mystery series and the stand-alone mystery, The Lost Artist. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications, such as The Washington Post, The Daily Beast, and The Georgia Review. Gail appeared in the documentary, History of Memory, which is available on Amazon Prime. Website: www.gaillukasik.com |
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Here's a spreadsheet with our members' 2022 books. This month's releases are in a separate worksheet. Sort the spreadsheet by author name, location, title, or release date. |
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Sisters in Crime hosts LIVE webinars each month. Webinars last 60-90 minutes depending on the topic and the audience questions! These webinars are open to all. |
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Looking for diverse books? For many years, SINC has curated Frankie’s List, an extensive list of crime novels by people of color and other marginalized groups. Frankie Y. Bailey, building on work by the late Eleanor Taylor Bland, began to compile a list of published Black crime writers over a decade ago. Frankie has expanded the list to include other WOC and LGBTQ+ authors. Here’s a link: https://www.sistersincrime.org/page/FrankiesList |
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Sisters in Crime is the premier crime writing association focused on equity and inclusion in our community and in publishing. Our 4,500+ members enjoy access to tools to help them learn, grow, improve, thrive, and reinvent if necessary. They also gain a community of supportive fellow writers and readers, both peers to share the peaks and valleys of writing, and mentors to model the way forward. |
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