Meeting Penelope

Interview with Main Character

Welcome to WOKQ, 97.5. Are our listeners as tired of this weather as we are? I think my gills are beginning to show! Coming shortly, news and weather with Bill Shore and a 30-minute block of your favorite songs—with no commercial interruptions! But first, we have a special guest to introduce to all of you. Today is the fourth day in our week-long series on local law enforcement; we’ve spoken with K9 officers from Maine and NH and met their furry partners; we’ve toured the state pathology lab with NH’s Chief Pathologist, Dr. Kim Foreman; and the NH State Police stopped by to discuss sobriety checkpoints. For day four, we’ll be speaking with Penelope Walker, a crime writer, researcher, and analyst. Penelope’s latest book, “A Trunk Full of Crime,” was released just last week. Welcome, Penelope!

“Thanks, Mark. It’s great to be here; I’m a loyal WOKQ fan!”

“Oh yeah? Who’s your favorite artist, Penelope?”

“Well, you of course, Mark! Seriously, I love a variety of artists—from Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, and Keith Urban, to Trace Adkins, George Strait, and Reba McIntire. I got to see a live Garth Brooks show before he retired, and it was amazing. My iPod is loaded with good country music.”

“Wow, you really are a country fan! Penelope, I’m sure our listeners would like to better understanding of what it is that you do, and how you fit into our Crime Week series. Can you give us a brief overview?”

“Sure, Mark. Essentially, I’ve always been interested in crime—the who, what, when, where, and why of it. But I was never interested in joining the FBI or becoming a profiler. I prefer to study the real people who are affected by serious crimes, and how the process of solving crimes changes and impacts people. I leave catching the criminals and deciding who-dunnit strictly to law enforcement!”

“Is studying crime your full-time job, then? And how long have you been writing about crime?”

(Laughs) “No, I have what I call a “real-job” in addition to my crime writing. I own my own freelance writing business, NH Writing, and I write ad copy, newsletters, proposals, grant applications, and so on. I truly love all kinds of writing! Now, how long have I been writing about crime? Hmm. Well, I guess I wrote my first piece of crime fiction on my college application essay. But I didn’t get serious until I was in my late 30s, after I had established a career.”

“You don’t look a day over 25, Penelope! “

“Aw, you shameless flatterer, you!”

“Penelope, how do you feel your writing contributes to crime solving? And how do the victims of crimes view your work?”

“I wouldn’t say that my writing does necessarily impact the work that law enforcement does. They are truly the experts at solving crimes. What I do is dig deep into the lives of people affected by crime, particularly unsolved crimes. I think I can bring a fresh perspective to an old crime, and perhaps trigger a memory from someone. Or even just remind communities that there are crimes not yet solved, and neighbors waiting for resolution. (laughs) I guess I do impact crime solving a little bit!

I think I also help people understand more about how victims and their families feel and why they say and do the things they do. It’s not always easy to stand on the outside and understand some of the sound bites you hear on TV or the radio. I like to put those snippets into a larger context.”

“Well, I definitely enjoy reading your work, and it’s great how you really take the time to look at the families and what they’ve gone through. It’s easy to forget. Thanks so much for stopping by, Penelope. It was great to have you here.”

“Thanks Mark. I enjoyed it, and it’s been pretty special seeing where you all really work!”

“Shh, don’t tell anyone else, it’s a secret! For more on Penelope or to purchase her book, visit www.penelopewalker.com. Next up: a 30-minute Taylor Swift song block, and then news and weather, on WOKQ.”

Penelope sat back and smiled. “How did I do? I didn’t embarrass myself, did I?” Her bright red hair shone in the lights of the studio, but her skin looked pale and the shadows under eyes were obvious. Penelope was an average woman, in her opinion: Average height, average weight, average looks. And right now, she was a very tired average woman.

“You were terrific, Penelope. It’s tricky learning to speak in sound-bites, but you did okay. Where are you heading from here?” Mark asked.

“Home fortunately. I get a few days off, and then I hit the road for a round of book signings. I enjoy those, and people are usually very kind. And then, believe it or not, I’m taking a week off!”

“Hey, good for you. I visited your website earlier today, and I noticed the crazy schedule you had. Enjoy a little quiet time. Maybe solve a murder or two. You know.” Mark wiggled his shaggy brows at her, his jowly face and graying hair giving him a sheepdog look.

Penelope punched Mark lightly in the shoulder. “Bite your tongue! I want a quiet week to read, write, and be still. No crime!”