Quintin Peterson PSWA writing competition award winner

The Public Safety Writers Association (PSWA) held its annual conference at the Suncoast Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada from June 18-21, 2009. The annual conference is open to anyone writing crime and mystery fiction or non-fiction, technical writing for public safety magazines in print or online, or anyone interested in writing. On Sunday, June 21st, the winners of PSWA’s 2009 Writing Competition were announced at an award luncheon.

Crime fiction author Quintin Peterson, who has been a police officer with the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, DC for almost 28 years, took 2nd Place in the Short-Story Published category for A Dark Place, the story of a serial killer and the D.C. homicide detective tasked to track him down. It is available exclusively from Amazon.com as an Amazon Short.

Quintin Peterson has been writing crime fiction for a number of years. He is the author of two novels, SIN and The Wages of SIN, and several short stories, one of which, Cold as Ice, is featured in the George Pelecanos edited crime fiction anthology, D.C. Noir. He is also a contributor to the anthology, Bad Cop, No Donut, edited John L. French, which is scheduled to be published in 2010.

When his award-winning A Dark Place was first published in November of 2006, many contemporary crime writers praised Peterson’s work.
“Quintin Peterson, a working police officer and natural born writer, pens crime fiction that is earned and alive.”
– George Pelecanos, author of THE NIGHT GARDENER and DRAMA CITY
"Quintin Peterson writes with authenticity and honesty won from years of being a street cop, and in his chilling A Dark Place, he takes readers past the boring CSI or 'profiling' of a serial killer to show us the heart and soul of the badges who bring such monsters to justice."
– James Grady, author of MAD DOGS and SIX DAYS OF THE CONDOR
“Quintin Peterson takes his readers into the dark places that only cops are compelled to enter. Then he shows them how such terrible access darkens the souls of those who enter too often. This dark, and well detailed, story is so real and so believable that it becomes a trip you won't soon forget.”
– Retired NYPD Lt. Ed Dee, author of THE CON MAN’S DAUGHTER and LITTLE BOY BLUE
“You want to know how it's done? Read Quintin Peterson's A DARK PLACE. Of all the crime writers out there, he's the one wearing the badge. He writes with a sure hand and is certain to please. Sit back and get chilled....”
– Ridley Pearson, author of CUT AND RUN and THE BODY OF DAVID HAYES
"A Dark Place is a chilling, expertly crafted thriller."
– Jim Patton, author of THE SHAKE and DYING FOR DANA
“With a serial killer who'll make your skin crawl, and a REAL inside look at how cops work by this talented Washington, D.C. cop/novelist, 'A Dark Place' is the latest from Quintin Peterson's fertile, rooted-in-reality mind. He's the real deal.”

– Donald Bain, author of the MURDER, SHE WROTE mystery series, his memoir Murder HE Wrote: A Successful Writer's Life, and the Amazon Shorts selection, Ronnie and Me

All winners of the various categories of the PSWA writing competition receive plaques or certificates and publicity and recognition via a wide variety of public safety-related publications.

Founded in 1997 as the Police Writers Club, the PSWA is open to both new and experienced, published and not yet published writers. Members include police officers, civilian police personnel, firefighters, fire support personnel, emergency personnel, security personnel and others in the public safety field. Also represented are those who write about public safety including mystery writers, magazine writers, journalists and those who are simply interested in the genre. The association also welcomes publishers, editors, agents and others who help writers realize their writing goals.

More Information
http://www.police-writers.com/peterson.html

Police-Writers.com Annual Recognition

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated the listing state and local police officers who have authored books, recognizes the literary contributions of police officers through the “Police-Writers.com Annual Recognition Program.”

In 2007, Police-Writers.com had one form of recognition, “Police-Writers.com Book of the Year.” In 2008, in order to recognize the ongoing career successes and community service aspects of all of the authors listed on the website, Police-Writers.com will have two forms of recognition: “Police-Writers.com Author of the Year” and “Police-Writers.com Book of the Year.”

Police-Writers.com Book of the Year:
The “Police-Writers.com Book of the Year 2008” focuses solely on the written contribution made by the police officer. It is that book found by the panel of judges to be the most significant literary contribution made by a police officer in the previous year. Entry requirements are:

The police officer is listed on www.police-writers.com. (There is no charge for listing on the website and interested police officers need only visit the FAQs section of the website and submit the necessary information); The award is open ONLY to United States state and local sworn law enforcement officials; The book was published in 2007; and, The application and three copies of the book are received by December 31, 2007.

Police-Writers.com Author of the Year:
The “Police-Writers.com Author of the Year” recognizes a published police author’s continuing career and community service successes. Entry requirements are:

The author is listed on www.police-writers.com. (There is no charge for listing on the website and interested authors need only visit the FAQs section of the website and submit the necessary information); Applications for this award are only taken from the author; This award is open to ALL state, local and federal sworn law enforcement officials, as well as civilian law enforcement employees and international police officers listed on the website; The author published a book anytime prior to December 31, 2007; and, The application, supporting documentation and three copies of the any book published by the author are received by December 31, 2007.

Award:
Selected authors will receive:

A Plaque indicating their award;
Press release distribution through the website; and,
Front page exposure on the website throughout the award year.

Additional information as well as application forms can be obtain on the website at www.police-writers.com. Police-Writers.com now hosts 699 police officers (representing 321 police departments) and their 1501 police books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Midwest Crime, Drugs and Fiction

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books, added three cop writers from the Midwest: Baird Davis, Greg Ferency and Mel McNairy.

Baird Davis retired from the Muncie Police Department (Indiana) at the rank of Captain. His book, The Middletown Myth: Based on True Events, is tale of corruption and conspiracy in Muncie, Indiana. According to one reader/reviewer, “The story involves Davis' search to discover who planted the bomb that nearly killed his police officer father. His quest takes him on a journey through a small-time world of corrupt politicians, corrupt labor unions, bad cops and greedy businessmen. Add an assortment of prostitutes, hit men and petty thieves and you'll see why Muncie has been nicknamed "Little Chicago."

Greg Ferency has been a police officer for the Terre Haute Police Department (Indiana). His assignments have included a county-wide Drug Task Force. He has extensive experience in drug related crimes as both an investigator and undercover officer. Greg Ferency has specialized police training and experience in methamphetamine related investigations. He has certifications from the DEA Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement Team in the area of Basic, Site Safety and Tactical Operations. Greg has been at the scene of over 550 methamphetamine lab scenes as both lead investigator and site safety officer since 1999. He is a court certified expert in methamphetamine and its associated clandestine labs. Greg has trained law enforcement, civilian groups, educational system employees, medical staff and correctional personnel in methamphetamine and other drug related topics. Greg Ferency is the author of Narc Ops: A Look Inside Drug Enforcement.

Mel McNairy joined the Indianapolis Police Department 1980. In addition to being a field training officer for the Indianapolis Police Department, he has been a air traffic control in the military, martial arts instructor and a student of creative writing, commercial art and Japanese. His book, Art of Vengeance, is billed as a “fast-paced novel crafted by an 18 year veteran of the Indianapolis Police Department.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 426 police officers (representing 187 police departments) and their 904 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Corruption, murder and tragedy

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books added three police officers who have written books about corruption, murder and tragedy in American policing.

Antonio Bustillo is a former Miami Police Department police officer. His first novel, Renegade Crew, is based on the 1980s Miami Police Department corruption scandal often referred to as the Miami River Cops. According to one reader of his novel, “Books about cops are usually the same old re-hashed, ponderous stuff. Renegade Crew is the exception. It is fast-paced, action-packed and humorous all in one. The author allows the reader to feel empathy for any or none of the river cops in question. Whether you agree with how they went about arresting criminals or not, the story is different from any other cop book that is out there. Giving it even more credibility is the author who is a former police officer. "Renegade Crew" deserves five-stars. I did not want to put it down and I will be re-reading it again tonight. I'd like to read the sequel to see what ever happened to these guys. I wonder if they are swimming with the fish, yet?”

Antonio Bustillo’s second book is a Steady Training, and is “recommended for any karate enthusiast who wonders how to adapt his training to real fighting encounters. Bustillo’s advice: train realistically, keep in shape, and keep it simple.”

Lieutenant Nelson Andreu (retired) dedicated nearly his entire police career with the Miami Police Department to homicide and death-investigation cases. During his nearly 23-year tenure with Miami Police Department, Lieutenant Nelson Andreu spent over 21 years in the Homicide Unit. He investigated thousands of death cases ranging from routine natural deaths, accidental deaths, industrial deaths, murders and suicides, to his working on five separate serial killer investigations. His murder investigations culminated in 2002 with the conviction of Francisco Del Junco, a Miami serial killer who bludgeoned to death and then set fire to four women in South Florida.

According to the book description of Nelson Andreu’s Dead Read, “Detective Peter Copeland wakes up on the beach one morning with a killer headache and no clue how he came to be there. Before long, he discovers that the exotic redheaded stranger he met at a party the night before is washed up on the beach, dead. What's this? Another detective mystery? But finally, here's one that departs from the mold. "Dead Red" is based on first-hand knowledge of solving mysterious deaths, thanks to author Nelson Andreu's twenty-two years in Miami's Homicide Unit. Readers who are curious about the workings behind crime investigations finally get what they want: insight on the inner workings of homicide(extracting answers from a reluctant witness, capturing an elusive fingerprint, distilling evidence from a mutilated victim) woven within an intriguing plot. Of course, Detective Copeland uncovers the answer--but that answer is what every cop dreads.”

According to the Library Journal, “On a summer day in 1986 Steven McDonald, a New York Police Department police officer, was patrolling his Central Park beat when a teenager whom he approached shot him, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. This book, with its alternating voices, recounts how Steven and Patti Ann have survived the incident and its aftermath.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 383 police officers (representing 160 police departments) and their 833 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.