Episode 22: The Realities of Police Work in Fiction with Patrick O’Donnell

🎙️ Writing crime fiction? Here’s what TV gets wrong and what real cops wish you knew.

In this episode of The Author Next Door, Angela Haas and Cassie Newell sit down with Patrick O’Donnell, former police sergeant and crime novelist, to explore how real-life law enforcement differs from what we see on screen and how writers can get it right.

We cover:

Patrick’s journey from police work to publishing 📝🚔

The most common mistakes authors make in crime fiction

How to research police procedure the right way

The emotional toll of the job and how it affects law enforcement families

The evolving role of technology in modern policing

What it’s like to be a part of the writing world after years in uniform

Plus: Patrick’s recent feature in the Wall Street Journal and what it means for crime writers today

Whether you're working on your first detective novel or want a behind-the-scenes look at the realities of policing, this episode is packed with invaluable insights and grounded storytelling advice.

👇 Are you writing a crime story? Drop your burning questions about police work in the comments!

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Patrick has spoken at the 20 Books to 50K conference in Vegas in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2023.
 
 👉Tubi TV show, Ms. Murder, Julene Simko, where I was an expert contributor. https://tubitv.com/tv-shows/200102287/s01-e02-julene-simko

📺British TV Show, Cops Gone Bad, Valerie Cincinelli where I was an expert contributor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xj8KVgMKxk&t=258s

🗞️Wall Street Journal (Front Page) https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/crime-writers-live-in-fear-of-a-fatal-error-these-cops-are-here-to-help-ebce1901

📰Local newspaper articles about my life after law enforcement.  https://www.gmtoday.com/the_freeman/news/retired-milwaukee-police-sergeant-takes-up-writing-podcasting-and-more/article_3652f131-6717-5c2f-bcc8-311360222922.html

https://www.gmtoday.com/the_freeman/news/book-signing-held-at-lake-country-cigars-in-delafield/article_a0bdb079-dfb5-5dc8-a2b5-6d3c17b3ec2f.html?=/&subcategory=28%7CArts

 

 

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Keywords 🔑: Patrick O'Donnell, crime writing, police procedurals, law enforcement, writing research, author interviews, crime novels, writing tips, technology in policing, family dynamics in law enforcement