Forensic specialist, screenwriter Jennifer Graeser Dornbush pens a crime novel

HALLIEEPHRON: I met Jennifer Graeser Dornbush at Willamette Writers Conference and knew I'd met a kindred spirit. She writes crime fiction for film, TV, and now novels. 

She was literally born into the forensic life. Her father was a medical examiner and his office was in their home. For decades she went on death investigations, received 360 hours of forensic training through the Forensic Science Academy, and studied current and historical forensic science. Her book, FORENSIC SPEAK, is used by cops, CSIs, and writers of all levels and hailed as the north star to crime writing. 

Now she's out with her first crime novel, THE CORONER, and I'm delighted to welcome her to Jungle Red. 

What inspired you to write THE CORONER, and did the story grow out of personal experience?

JENNIFER GRAESER DORNBUSH: 100%. Long before American television was saturated with CSI and Forensic Files, I was living my own weekly CSI adventure with my family in northern Michigan. My father was a medical examiner for three counties and my mother assisted as his office manager. They ran the office out of our home because the county was underfunded and could not provide him with one.

Dad performed autopsies at the small county hospital morgue, but all the records, paperwork, and photographs were kept in our family office. Samples of blood and  body tissue were stored in a basement freezer, right under the pork chops and frozen beans like some B-rated horror flick. Dinnertime conversations often revolved around the case of the week.

“Let me tell you about an interesting suicide I saw today,” my dad would say. “Oh, and pass the corn, please.” 

Dad investigated an average of 100 deaths a year. Accidents, suicides, natural deaths, and scores of drunk driving fatalities filled Dad’s days and nights and kept food in the cupboards and clothes on our backs. During the 23 years Dad worked in forensics, I had a hands-on education in death investigation. It was as natural as brushing my teeth.

When I started writing I began to tap into my past and discovered that I was drawn to crime stories – from Hitchcock to Fargo to Breaking Bad to Bones. The discovery that I loved this genre surprised me because until this point, I was not a CSI fan and rarely read crime novels. Now, suddenly, I felt deeply connected to my past. And I wanted more! I wanted to know everything.

I hounded Dad and Mom with phone calls, e-mails, and questions. I attended the Forensic Science Academy. From this experience my non-fiction book, FORENSIC SPEAK, was born and continues to be used by writers, professors, and law enforcement alike. I began speaking  about forensics to empower other storytellers with the treasure trove of experiences and knowledge from those decades of death investigation in my family’s home.

THE CORONER harkens to my experiences growing up in a small town and seeing how death investigation works in a rural area. I like to expose the reality that resources in rural areas are often limited and different than they are in big cities. I’m not saying they are not professional. They are. But the elements of staffing, equipment, education, experience, and budget all factor in and vary vastly from county to county.  I think it’s interesting to explore how small communities react when one of their own is taken from them.

No one remains anonymous in small towns. Everyone plays a role. Everyone is affected. Everyone has an opinion and a stake.

  

HALLIE: You’re also the author of an inspirational novel and feature film about an Army widow called God Bless the Broken Road - in theaters September 7th,  and a nonfiction book, Forensic Speak, about how to use the science of forensic investigation to write crime dramas.

How did writing a mystery differ?

JENNIFER: Storytelling is storytelling no matter the genre or format. All genres and formats follow the same story rules and arcs. I find it takes the same amount of time, effort, thought, energy, and research to develop a story whether it’s for book or screen. Creating a screenplay requires the same amount of story work as it does for a novel.

The only difference is that I can write a screenplay in a fraction of the time it takes me to write a novel because most of the backstory and ground work never shows up as words on the page.

Non-fiction is a whole different ball game. It requires a lot less emotional energy. And in that sense, it feels less exhaustive.  I love the challenge and results of all of them.

HALLIE: What was it like, being a little kid and getting to tag along on death investigations?

JENNIFER: One Sunday, when I was eight, my father toted us all over to the local airstrip. A small plane had crashed the night before and Dad wanted to return to the scene in daylight to scour the area for any remaining body pieces. My younger sister and I paired up to help him. Outfitted in our Sunday best, we roamed the damp field that early spring morning in search of brain matter and skullcap. And yes, we found some.

As a  teenager, I was rather grossed out and embarrassed about what my father’s job at M.E. These were the days before CSI and Forensic Files made death investigation exciting and cool. When my friends found out my dad did this, they took great interest, so that lessened the embarrassment on my part. And while I do love the sciences, I always knew my calling was to be on the storytelling side of crime solving.

HALLIE: Do you find yourself having to balance the requirements of storytelling with presenting accurate forensics science?

JENNIFER:  Yes and No. Both storytelling and forensic science are such a part of who I am that I feel like they flow innately from me almost through my subconscious. This is not to say that I don't have to research forensics. I do. It's a huge field of science that is always changing.

I have also studied story structure and character development for most of life and continue to do so. I'm a very strong plotter and learner and researcher. But there also comes that time in the creative process when you've outlined and researched enough to know that the balance is in check… or at least good enough… (done is better than perfect!) Move forward and just write! Trust that internal muse! After you get that first draft on paper, you can fix it in post (as they say in "the biz"). 

HALLIE: Did you plan out the mystery before you started or did you see where you writing took you? 

JENNIFER: I’m a plotter. That comes from my screenwriting training. When I start a new mystery I pretend I’m the investigator and I create a case file for my “case.” From there I create a rough skeleton outline of the mystery plot. After that I flesh out the character’s arcs and emotional journeys, and B, C, and D stories surrounding the case. Then, I create a treatment. Workshop it. Then, a first draft. More workshopping. I’m a collaborative writer. It’s more fun, makes the project stronger, and gets the project done faster.  

HALLIE: I'm so jealous. My writing process is much messier and sadly I fly solo.

You advise writers on how to get the forensics right. What are the three biggest mistakes writers make when writing in the crime genre? How can they best fix them?

JENNIFER:   

Mistakes:

1. Not spending the time, energy, or research to get the forensic facts right. 

2. Thinking that what you see on TV or in movies is correct procedure. 

3. Writing crime scenes that come off at cliche, plastic, or static (in action and dialogue!).

Fixes

1. Get a copy Forensic Speak! There are over 300 forensic terms, plus, a list of  

over 50 resources that will make your crime writing more authentic

2. Make friends with a cop, coroner, toxicologist, or crime scene investigator who can show you the real ropes!

3. Know the correct forensic terms and how to use them. Don't over use terms. Layer in the facts of the case/evidence to keep the plot moving, but center the focus of scenes around character conflict, tension, and emotional needs.

HALLIE: Jennifer will be checking in today, so take advantage of her expertise! Forensics! Plotting! The movie business! Ask away...

ABOUT THE CORONER: Summoned from her promising surgical career first to her estranged father’s bedside, and then his post as medical examiner when his small town needs urgent help with a suspicious death, Emily Hartford discovers home is where the bodies are in this pitch perfect mystery debut.

“If you like small town mysteries, twisty reads or books by Lisa Black or Patricia Cornwell, you'll love The Coroner.”―Karen Harper, New York Times bestselling author of Shallow Grave