From Blog to Book

More than one reader of this blog has asked along the way: “How and why did you decide to take the blog and make it into a book?” (a formal announcement of which will be coming in the near future).

That’s a good question – and ultimately, it was the blog itself that created the impetus for a book in the first place. Way back in 2007 (I can hardly believe it’s been three years already!) shortly after I started this blog about an incredible homicide case, I heard from people all across America. One of those was author Andrew E. Stoner of Indianapolis.

Stoner, who e-mailed me and complimented the quality of the PC Blog, is the author of two previous books, including a biography on an Indiana governor for which he served as deputy press secretary, and an interesting book on murders from each of Indiana’s 92 counties. Stoner was looking around for a new book idea when he came across the PC Blog.

http://www.amazon.com/Andrew-E.-Stoner/e/B0033GBR82/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

“I was mostly interested in this case because of PC’s blog,” Stoner said. “He has always covered this as a story of murder and a terrible crime, not just as some salacious porn report. I remember e-mailing to him and complimenting the quality of his coverage of the story, and the comprehensive nature of the information provided.”

I’m happy to report Andrew and I struck up a good friendship, talking back and forth both by e-mail and phone – conversations that included “How do you write a book?” That is a question I had and one that Andrew helped answer. To make a long story short, we decided upon combining efforts and going in on a book that would bring thoughtfulness and sense to this senseless crime (but one that included incredible twists and turns from Virginia to Pennsylvania to California).

“PC’s research on this case has been outstanding, and that means the book we have written will be the most comprehensive look anyone can get of this case,” Stoner said. “We have worked hard talking to sources, dividing up research tasks, and basically working in collaboration from the start to come up with the best final product we can.”

This has been a good partnership, I will attest. We’ve had good interaction about what angles to follow, who to interview, and both of us have been to Wilkes-Barre and Dallas, Pennsylvania so we can write from a specific point of view. Our goal was to talk to as many people that we could – many would not talk to us – but we tried nonetheless. (The good news: We scored some very key interviews with one of the convicted perpetrators, members of Bryan Kocis’ family, prosecutors and police, and many others.)

I am convinced readers of this blog – and even people who have never even heard of this case before – will be pleased and engaged as we tell the story of the murder of Bryan Kocis. (And that is the story, not just some ‘porn actors gone bad’ sort of tale.)

Another added bonus – with the announcement of the book, long-time readers of this blog will finally learn the identity of PC – I’m using my full name as co-author of the book as evidence of how proud Andrew and I are of our work.