Writing is a Crime
Diane Fanning, author of fourteen true crime books and ten mystery novels, blogs about writing, reading, crime and observations of life. Sometimes serious, sometimes irreverent.
Criminal Justice at New Braunfels High
Last Friday, I spent the day at New Braunfels High School talking to students in four Criminal Justice classes taught by Jennifer Thompson. I had a great time--they all paid attention, never looked bored and laughed when I said something funny. What more could I ask...
Knoxville is a Snap
Snapped Producer David Lane with the murder weapon rack Last week, I went one of my favorite cities, Knoxville, Tennessee, to tape an interview for an episode of Snapped. I simply love that place--I have never encountered friendlier people anywhere. The guys in the...
Ethics, Rumors & the Tragic Deaths of Caylee Anthony and Beau & Calyx Schenecker
On Sunday, I had written a post for Forbes that I had not yet put up on the site when the horrific news about the Powell case roared out of Washington State. Because of the breaking news, I delayed the original post. It is up on the site now. In the past, as a crime...
The Explosion that Killed Susan Powell’s Sons
After yesterday afternoon's disturbing news, I posted on Forbes about the horrific developments in this case: The last time anyone saw Susan Powell was at dinner on the evening of December 6, 2009, in her home inSalt Lake City, Utah. Soon after her disappearance, her...
New Book, Busy Days
Last Tuesday, St. Martin's Press released my eleventh true crime book, HER DEADLY WEB. This true story blew my mind the whole time I researched it. How could so many unusual things happen in one life: The death of a husband by cattle stampede; the loss of one of...
New Year’s Wish: One More Civil Case Against Casey Anthony
I am really befuddled by the court's decision to allow Casey Anthony to remain silent and cling to her fifth amendment rights. On the one hand, she objected to answer questions in a deposition saying she would incriminate herself if she did so in the civil cases...
Breaking News: Novelist Michael Peterson Gets a New Trial
I posted on Forbes today about the possibility of Michael Peterson getting a new trial. Ten years ago this month, New York Times bestselling novelistMichael Peterson murdered his wife Kathleen in the stairway of their home in Durham, North Carolina. He claimed...
Cold Colorado Warmed My Heart
Yes, it was cold in Colorado--snowy and never got above freezing while I was there. However, after looking at yesterday's weather in Boulder, I am happy that I went last week and was not there on Monday where the high was 12 degrees and the low went down to 1 degree...
My Inaugeral Post of Forbes
There's a new blog on Forbes, Crime, She Writes. The six contributors are women with expertise in an area of criminal activity. We are Kathryn Casey, best-selling true crime writer and author of the Sarah Armstrong crime novels; Stacey Dittrich, a former police...
Beyond Productions for Behind Mansion Walls
Joe, Diane, Maurice and Chris in Diane's front yard Friday, I welcomed this bevy of Aussies into my home--the crew from Beyond Productions. They interviewed me for an episode of Behind Mansion Walls, the show that stars the quirky British-born New Yorker Christopher...