Pesticide: How One Woman Solved a Mystery for a Cause w/ Kim Hays
April 1, 2022
Hosted by Diane Dewey
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Guest Information
Episode Description
Bern, Switzerland—known for its narrow cobblestone streets, decorative fountains, and striking towers. Yet dark currents run through this charming medieval city and beyond, to the idyllic farmlands that surround it. After a rave on a hot summer’s night erupts into violent riots, a young man is found the next morning bludgeoned to death with a policeman’s club. Later that day, an elderly organic farmer turns up dead and drenched with pesticide. Seasoned detective Giuliana Linder is assigned to the first death, while her younger colleague Renzo Donatelli heads out to the countryside to investigate the second. Giuliana’s disappointment that they won’t be working together is tinged with relief. Her life is complicated enough without having to deal with the distractingly attractive Renzo. But when an unexpected discovery ties the two victims into a single case, Giuliana and Renzo are thrown together closer than ever before. Their investigation takes them down a dangerous path, threatening not only Giuliana’s marriage but also her assumptions about the police. To prevent the murderer from killing again, she’ll have to put her life on the line—and her principles. This debut mystery in the Polizei Bern series is a suspenseful detective story laced with romance. An inventive tale with a fascinating Swiss setting, it’s packed with enough surprises to keep you guessing till the end. Drop in with us to find out how Kim Hays wrote her first crime novel to much acclaim, how she'll turn it into a series, and turn her dream of writing a murder mystery into reality!
Dropping In
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Drop in to the dream of becoming an author. How does the book publishing business actually work? If you’re ready to tell your story, what’s the best way to do it? Do you need help crafting this tale? What about workshopping – is that helpful? When are you ready to show your work to a developmental or copy editor? The time may be now. If you’ve finished your manuscript, what are the next steps? Place your book in the context of the marketplace and decide, who is your audience? What’s the best platform to publish your work? Podcast, electronic or paper bound book? Are you well-versed in developing your book proposal? That means having your agent pitch down. Once you’ve secured an agent, what’s the optimal venue to get your book published, with all the support it needs to be seen and heard in media outlets? Whether through traditional, hybrid, indie presses, or a combination, we’ll bring you the experts in the fields of book coaching, agenting, editing, legal advice, publishing, and publicists, plus resources on the craft of writing. No matter what route you take, your best bet is to get educated. Drop in to how stories are made. In the end, we’ll all become stories. —Margaret Atwood
Diane Dewey
My most pressing question has always been about identity: Who am I? Growing up near Philadelphia with my adoptive family, my genetic identity was hidden. Then, my Swiss biological father, Otto, contacted me when I was age forty-seven in 2002. I’d been told by my adoptive parents that my biological parents were dead, supposedly to protect me. Meeting Otto upended my life. Through him, I met my German biological mother’s family to discover that her story too, had been changed; that she’d not wanted to surrender me and she’d searched for me all her life. Finding my truth was essential.
Based on my experience I am excited to talk to people about their own search for identity. My education includes a BA from Villanova University, a certificate from the Art Institute of Philadelphia and a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from Capella University. I’ve worked for The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, The SoHo Partnership and the National Academy of Design and have studied writing through New York University’s Continuing Education program. As an entrepreneur, I founded my art appraisal business, The Realization of Art in 2006. My non-fiction writing has been published in Shared Space, a monograph, and in Artes online magazine. Writing workshops worldwide have given me the chance to learn and hone my craft. My first book, “Fixing the Fates,” was awarded the National Non-Fiction Author’s Association Silver Medal and the Living Now Award.
Episode Directory
May 2022
April 2022
- 4/29/2022: NaNoWriMo! The Writing Motivation You Seek with Letitia Jones Listen Now
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- 4/8/2022: What's a Hybrid Publisher & How Can I Be Published? W/Lauren Wise Listen Now
- 4/1/2022: Pesticide: How One Woman Solved a Mystery for a Cause w/ Kim Hays Listen Now
March 2022
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