by Marilyn Meredith, aka F.M. Meredith
Oh, oh, I’m in trouble right off the bat. Thonie asked me to write about what research I do into cop culture.
Since its April Fool’s Day, I could say that I’ve been in law enforcement and hope that no one reads the whole blog and sees where I write in tiny letters, April fool.
So I guess, I’ll just come clean and tell the truth. Usually works best anyway. Our neighborhood was filled with cops and their families. I was friends with the wives, listened to their gripes about their husbands and their jobs. We partied with the husbands and wives and knew a lot about what was going on in their homes and on the job.
When I wrote the first book in the Rocky Bluff P.D. series, many of the ideas came from what my son-in-law police officer told me about his job. He always stopped in for coffee after his shift and I was a good listener. He was the first one to take me on a ride-along. (I’ve been on two others since.)
When I wrote that first book, I wanted to show how the job affected the family and what was happening with the family affected the job. I never thought that I’d continue on with a series about the Rocky Bluff P.D. When I was done with that first book, I wanted to know what happened to the characters after that. The only way to find out was to write the next book, and then the next.
I’ve also had a lot of help from members of the Public Safety Writers Association and can credit them with what research I have done. Plus, I now have two grandsons in law enforcement and I’m still a good listener—and a good observer.
Because Rocky Bluff is a small town, and the police department understaffed and underfunded, my police detectives and officers solve crimes in the old fashioned way, gathering clues and asking lots of questions. Any forensic information needed is done by the county.
Though there is always a main mystery and/or crime to be solved, much of the focus is on the characters themselves and what is happening in their lives.
Murder in the Worst Degree: The body that washes up on the beach leads Detectives Milligan and Zachary on a murder investigation that includes the victim’s family members, his housekeeper, three long-time friends, and a mystery woman. Click on the title to buy this book!
Bio: F. M. Meredith aka Marilyn Meredith is the 
author of over 35 published books. She enjoys writing about police officers and their families and how what happens on the job affects the family and vice versa. Having several members of her own family involved in law enforcement, as well as many friends, she’s witnessed some of this first-hand.
Webpage: http://fictionforyou.com/
Blog: http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.meredith/
Once again I am offering the opportunity to have your name used as a character in a book to the person if you comment on the most blogs during this tour for Murder in the Worst Degree.
Tomorrow I’ll be visiting M.M. Gornell http://mmgornell.wordpress.com/
I really enjoyed reading about your background, and that’s no April fool! Looking forward to the next blog.
Nice blog post, Marilyn. Your background is so interesting. Thanks for sharing with us. I’ve found in doing my research and asking experts for advice and information, they really enjoy sharing their knowledge. And what an education it is for me!
Hi, Nancy, thank you for following me along.
Kathleen, it is amazing how many experts will answer the most bizzare questions.
I hope everyone reads this one because it’s the best one in the series IMHO.
Thank you for being my cheerleader, Lorna!
I’ve probably said it one hundred times before but I’ll say it again: I love your Rocky Bluff PD series! I’ve come to know and love your characters and I can’t wait to see what happens to them in “Murder in the Worst Degree.”
Patricia, thank you for the kind words–you’re the best.
As you can see, I’m backtracking because I wasn’t sure about how to post a comment. I like how you dig into the characters’ backgrounds to make them more relevant to your readers. It was interesting to learn how you do your research. BTW, anyone who watches “Blue Bloods” would love your books. Both of that show and your books have a factual backdrop.
Thank you, Catherine. I’m backtracking too to make sure I’ve counted you for each time you’ve commented.