I first met Anita Arvast at a Crime Writers of Canada multi-author event at the Barrie Public Library. Since that time, we’ve done a number of bookstore and library events together, with varying degrees of success. (Another little known secret: no matter how well-planned or well-intentioned, some events are simply a bust, but more about that on another day). Always engaging, I asked Anita to share how she gathers the information needed for her true crime novels. The short answer, she tells me, is “Slowly.” In her own words, here’s a longer version:

COURT
It’s a challenge being a part-time writer and full-time professor but, when possible, my starting point is going to court to watch and take notes during the preliminary hearings and then the trials. This is not something that has been happening very much during the pandemic, but the good news is that I have lots of information from a trial that took place during the late spring and early summer of 2019 in Kitchener/Waterloo. (This was a story about a former Mennonite who was convicted of killing his common-law wife and her daughter and burning their bodies in barrels).
By going to the courtroom, I’m able to make connections with defence lawyers and eventually with the accused and their families making visits to jails and homes for interviews.

BUILDING BONDS
The stories go so much deeper than anything we hear about in the media so that is my focus.
Forming bonds isn’t always that easy to do with someone who is accused, but when they understand my interest is telling “the truth and nothing but the truth,” or at least delving more into the position of the defence, they usually begin opening up to me. It takes time to create the bonds with family and friends as well.
I’d say next to the actual research, building the trust is the most important part of my process. In fact, without that trust, I can’t get to the research I need to do.

ESSENTIAL TOOLS OF THE TRADE…

DISCLOSURES AND TRIAL TRANSCRIPTS

• Disclosures are ALL of the files the police and eventually the crown use to arrest and convict someone. These become property of the accused. They give me the nitty gritty – photos of evidence, wiretap files and transcripts, and all interviews conducted.
• For my book on Jane Creba, I had 76 banker boxes of these in my living room, and trust me, I do not live in a big house.
• Trial transcripts are the records of everything said within the court and are automatically ordered when an appeal is launched. Again, the defendant has the option of releasing these to me through their lawyer.

CLOTHING (in order of need)

• Casual court wear which is comfortable for sitting on hard benches for extensive periods of time for days and weeks on end. Court is not nearly as exciting as TV and movies make it out to be.
• Pyjamas for the many days, weeks, months reading through the disclosures and then the writing – always an ask for Christmas and my kids never fail me.
• One fancy outfit that hangs in the closet for a very long time waiting for the money to roll in. (I haven’t bought mine yet. The truth is that I make less than minimum wage for the work I do, much to the surprise of non-writers. But I’m hopeful!)

TYPING CLASS
I took mine in grade 8 and hated it at the time but “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dogs” has been essential to my trade.

THE BOTTOM LINE
If you want to write true crime, be prepared for a lot of work and little pay but always the reward of an interesting experience!

Dr. Anita Arvast has worked as a professor, as well as a true crime writer and researcher driven to be a storyteller who has a few questions about what goes on in the justice system. She doesn’t look for gruesome stories where the guilty is getting just rewards, but to stories where things just don’t quite add up. Her books include What Killed Jane Creba, Bloody Justice, and the upcoming Brothers and Burn Barrels. Find out more about her and her books at anitaarvast.ca.