About Guns, Gams, and Gumshoes
We’re a couple of PIs who also happen to write. One of us, Shaun Kaufman, is also a trial attorney specializing in personal injury, criminal defense and business litigation. The other, Colleen Collins, is also a multi-published novelist (21 novels, and currently contracted to write a novel with a private eye protagonist, release date 2013).
Starting back around 2005, writers began contacting us with questions about sleuths, PIs, cops, and legal eagles. Fielding those questions let to our teaching online classes to writers and presenting workshops at regional and national writers’ conferences (Left Coast Crime, Rocky Mountain Mystery Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, others). We’ve also written articles about private investigations for magazines, newsletters and online sites such as PI Magazine, Pursuit Magazine, PINow.com, Romance Writers Report, NINK (for Novelists, Inc.), Reflections in a Private Eye, and others.
Teaching courses and writing articles for writers led to the Guns, Gams, and Gumshoes blog, which in turn led to our writing several nonfiction books about private investigations (How to Write a Dick: A Guide for Writing Fictional Sleuths from a Couple of Real-Life Sleuths and How Do Private Eyes Do That?). We have several more we want to write…
So that’s our story, thanks for dropping by.
As Rockford would say, leave your name and message–we’ll get back to you. *beep*
Related articles
- Guns, Gams, and Gumshoes Listed in Top PI Blogs! (writingpis.wordpress.com)
Patti Abbott said
Would either of you two care to contribute a review of a “forgotten” book to my blog project? You can see it every Friday at http://pattinase.blogspot.com
Me email is on there should you be interested. Thanks.
Dan Jones said
Great site and informative for us.
We run an online news archive at http://www.newslibrary.com.
We know legal investigators use our site for research, but we have not done much marketing to this group.
When and how does a news archive help with legal investigation? What value are old news articles to building a case?
Thanks
Dan
writingpis said
Thanks for dropping by, Dan. To respond to your question, news archives are wonderful for such things as confirming that people lived in a certain place, that people performed a certain kind of work, relationships among people (such as wedding announcements, births, deaths), character history (for sentencing purposes in capital litigation), establishing heirs, finding contact information (let’s say a person wrote an article and their website or phone number is in the byline), establishing income and business histories, sometimes finding if someone is selling off property or other items (that is part of litigation), and more. Great question, and we hope you visit Guns, Gams, and Gumshoes again.
Ann Musso said
I’m reading “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Private Investigation” by Steve Brown and noticed you had interviewed him. I want to contact him and wanted to see if you had his email. Currently I work under my husband California PI license with him, but I want to attend school as there is so much still for me to learn and then hopefully, get my own license. There are so many “schools” out there, I was hoping for some opinions from other PI’s on what to look for in training. Your website looks great; can’t wait to read!
writingpis said
You can look up Steven using Google (Steven Brown+private investigator). We would imagine your husband, being a licensed California PI, would have resources who can recommend qualified PI schools in your area. Otherwise, we suggest you check out PI Magazine or Pursuit Magazine for their recommendations.
Ann Musso said
Yes, I do have recommendations from my husband, however, I find it prudent to get opinions from others in the industry.
ReadersHeaven said
Hi, nice to meet you !
Sean said
A friend showed me the link. Great site. I’m a pulp writer who does some 30s gumshoe writing, and I’ll definitely be back. I’ll add you to my site’s links, if that’s okay with you. And feel free to visit mine as well. It’s called Bad Girls, Good Guys, and Two-Fisted Action — http://seanhtaylor.blogspot.com. (Which is why my friend sent me your link, I’m sure.)
writingpis said
Thanks for dropping by. Just checked out your blog. Very cool. We’ve added you to our links as well.
Sean said
Thanks. That’s awesome.
Black Raven Investigations said
I found your blog by accident and I am very impressed!
I think it’s great that your both husband and wife and still able to work together. I’m not too sure if me and my wife could pull off a similar situation!
If it’s ok with you, I would like to add your blog to our list of private investigator resources at: http://scottish-pi-network.com ?
If your interested, we would consider exchanging links on http://blackraveninvestigations .
Either way, you have a new reader!
Writing PIs said
Glad you enjoy the blog. We’ll add your blog link in a few days (we’re on deadline right now for another project).
Best wishes, Writing PIs
Becks said
Hi! I love your blog! I have a question and I can’t find your email, so I’m asking here: could a minor hire a private detective?
Writing PIs said
Hi, thanks for writing! We’re going to address your question in today’s post.