PPWC 2026 - Day One - Morning

Having a fan-girl moment with David Lyons, true crime podcaster and retired homicide detective

One important task for first responders at the scene of a murder is to make sure the victim is actually dead.

We learned this, and so much more, in Fact. vs. Fiction: Writing Authentic Investigations, presented by David Lyons at the Pikes Peak Writers Conference 2026.

The morning of April 17, day one of the conference, was packed with craft and business sessions, and attendees meeting with agents and editors. Several options were available during each hour-long slot. These are the three I attended Friday morning.

My day began with true crime, learning the publishing business, and assisting writers in a small way with achieving their dreams. See my April 21 post about volunteering at the conference.

Back to the Fact Vs. Fiction session, one of the primary goals of the podcast David and his wife Wendy created is Victim Advocacy. The Murder Police Podcast seeks to ensure no victim is forgotten.

David presented a lively and interactive talk Friday morning. He demonstrated how television versions of criminal investigations differ greatly from real-life investigations. Then he gave the audience plenty of information on how we can write about crime authentically and responsibly. Accuracy builds trust in you as an author.

I have pages of notes from this workshop. Rather than attempt to re-create a class that was heavy with audience participation, I suggest you get David's book: True Crime & Consequences. And check out David and Wendy's podcast, The Murder Police.

Next on my schedule was attending Freelancers: Building a Business Mindset, presented by Callie Stoker from The Manuscript Dr. She offered the audience two powerful ideas. As an employee, we work in a business rather than for a business.

Writers need to think of their careers as their business. We are the owners of the business, with the power to make our own decisions. We need to develop a growth and goal mindset. Callie illustrated the Hedgehog Concept, where we asked ourselves vital questions. 

Identify your strengths and your passion. The intersection of what you do well, what drives you, and what sets you apart help you determine the focus of your business.

Although the actual numbers in self-publishing can appear bleak, Callie gave us hope that through personal branding and the right focus, we can succeed.

The third session that I attended was 0 to 60: Write Pacing Your Readers Won't Forget, with Stant Litore. The way to keep readers on the edge of their seats is through the use of Suspense, Tension, and Revelation. 

Stant took the audience through an explanation of each technique, with plenty of examples to illustrate how they can be used. He emphasized that being predictable is boring. Suspense keeps the reader guessing. And guessing wrong. Then finding out the were right to begin with. But oops, no that was wrong, too.

Tension works best with a balance of tension and release. Using the example of Shawshank Redemption, Stant showed the use of misdirection, and revelation at the last possible moment.

The session was great. I liked the concepts enough to buy the book so I can take a deeper dive, and apply pacing concepts better in my work. 

All this learning and inspiration, and day one was only half over. 

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