Category Archives: Meetings

November Meeting

Meetings, Uncategorized

Capital Crime Writers presents “Observations of a Former Homicide Detective”.  The guest speaker is Dr. Gregory Brown, research fellow and retired police officer.  The meeting will be held on Wednesday November 13 at 7:00 pm at the Ottawa City Hall in the Honeywell Room on the second floor.  Please note that evening parking is currently free at City Hall.

Dr. Greg Brown (currently a research fellow at Osgoode Hall Law School, York University) worked on many of the most significant homicide investigations across the Ottawa region as a Detective-Sergeant in the  Major Crime Squad between 2002 and 2010 – including the kidnapping and murder of Barrhaven teenager Jennifer Teague (his experiences throughout this investigation were the subject of the 2018 season premier episode of CBC’s true-crime drama The Detectives), the organized crime assassination of cocaine kingpin Hussein El-Hajj Hassan, and the triple murder of retired Chief Justice Alban Garon, his wife, and the Garon’s next-door neighbour. Dr. Brown will share some of the most interesting aspects of these homicide investigations throughout this interactive presentation.

 

October Meeting

Meetings

CAPITAL CRIME WRITERS’ October meeting is on Wednesday, October 9th, 2019.  We meet at Ottawa City Hall, in the Honeywell Room (2nd floor), starting at 7 pm.

Our speaker is Michael Murphy, who spent his career working in public libraries.  His talk will discuss some favourite TV series which you may have missed watching.  Amid the flood of offerings one can easily miss series which will hold your interest.  He will also discuss some favourite crime fiction websites, and series of reissued crime novels  which may help you in choosing your next book.

Time to renew your membership or join Capital Crime Writers for the same low price of $40. You can pay at the meeting, by cheque or cash.

Or you can pay by electronic transfer, using the email; Treasurer@capitalcrimewriters.com

If you have any questions, please email Treasurer@capitalcrimewriters.com

September Meeting

Meetings

CAPITAL CRIME WRITERS’ first meeting of the year will be on Wednesday, September 11th, 2019. We meet at Ottawa City Hall, in the Honeywell Room (2nd floor), starting at 7:00 pm.

Our speaker will be Robert Barclay, author of Jacob the Trumpeter. Set in 17th century Germany during the 30 Years’ War, the book provides some insight into the privileged life of the military trumpeter. Robert is not only a talented writer, but also an accomplished maker of historic horns and trumpets. I’m sure he’d be happy to talk a bit about the art of making musical instruments.

Time to renew your membership or join Capital Crime Writers for the same low price of $40. You can pay at the meeting, by cheque or cash.

Or you can pay by electronic transfer, using the email; Treasurer@capitalcrimewriters.com

If you have any questions, please email Treasurer@capitalcrimewriters.com

Pizza Night & Book Exchange

Meetings

NOTE: THE MEETING WILL BE IN THE BILLINGS ROOM (NEXT TO THE HONEYWELL)

The Wednesday May 8, 2019 meeting is also Pizza night.  The executive serves pizza, drinks & dessert.  The event starts at 6:30.  

If you are coming for pizza please email Micheal Murphy at m.murphy345@hotmail.com so that we order enough pizza .  RSVP BY 5 P.M. ON MONDAY MAY 6, 2019.

Our book exchange also takes place at the Wednesday May 8, 2019 meeting.  Bring a book you have read, leave it on the table and take a book someone else has left on the table.  Discover a new author.

 

April Meeting – Rescheduled from February

Meetings

When writing a fight scene, it is useful to know what works and what doesn’t. Sonia is an author, martial arts instructor and self-proclaimed oddball born in Quito, Ecuador. When she isn’t brutally killing your favourite character, she teaches martial arts, live streams video games, and cuddles her cats. In other words, she teaches others to kill, streams her digital kills, and cuddles furry murderers. For more information about the speaker, please see her website: www.smcarriere.com

March Meeting

Meetings

David Tremain, author and intelligence historian, will discuss the historiography of espionage. David is a retired paper conservator and museum security specialist. He has contributed book reviews to the Canadian Association for Security & Intelligence Studies (CASIS), published articles on conservation for the museum and conservation professions, and taught workshops on emergency preparedness and museum security nationally and internationally. Born in Britain, he now lives in Ottawa, Canada. He is the author of Double Agent Victoire: Mathilde Carré and the Interallié Network, (The History Press, 2018) and  Rough Justice: The True Story of Agent Dronkers, the Enemy Spy Captured by the British (2016). His most recent book is The Beautiful Spy. The Life and Crimes of Vera Eriksen. 

Click here for a list of Spy Fiction References.

January Meeting

Meetings

“HOW TO SOLVE A CRIME WITH BUTTONS – AND OTHER PIECES OF CLOTHING”

Retired Ottawa Police Detective Mark Cartwright, began his extensive career as the youngest detective in the force in the UK.  Later he was a detective in Bermuda.  In Ottawa, he worked in various departments including sexual assault, break and enter, and undercover in narcotics.  Drawing on his experiences in Bermuda he was instrumental in changing the way drug raids are carried out here.  He also helped start the Ottawa police bike patrol.

November Meeting

Meetings

Sergeant Chris O’Brien of the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) graduated from Carleton University in 2000. Currently, he is a member of the Major Crime Unit, conducting homicide investigations and handling other major cases assigned. He also has experience as a patrol officer and as a detective in the Guns and Gangs Unit. His time with OPS includes a four-year, joint-forces stint as a detective in the Ontario Provincial Police’s Weapons Enforcement Unit.

Writing Workshop on Critique Groups

Meetings, Workshops

Join us this Wednesday, September 12 at 7 pm at City Hall in the Billings Boardroom (2nd floor, next to the Honeywell room) for our first meeting of the year.

Writing is a solitary job. The author spends hours, days and sometimes years creating characters that live and breath, commit crimes or solve them. Every scene is meticulously crafted and flows to an awe inspiring conclusion.

Is that what the reader sees? Or do they see two-dimensional characters and so many plot holes that they almost overshadow the predictable ending.

That’s where the invaluable advice of a critique group, with fresh eyes that aren’t emotionally invested, can help.

Join Madona Skaff in a discussion that covers: where to find a critique group in your area or on-line; starting a group yourself and the pros and cons of these groups.

Madona Skaff is a long time member of CCW. She has published several SF as well as mystery short stories and is the author of the mystery novel, Journey of a Thousand Steps.