Lee Martin

Male

Virginia Beach, Virginia

United States

Profile Information:

Hometown:
Dolton, Illinois
About Me:
I am a retired Forensic Crime Scene Investigator from Norfolk, Virginia.

Born in 1950 in Lexington Ky., I was brought up in Dolton Illinois, a Southern Suburb of Chicago.

Graduating from high school in 1968, I entered the military and stayed in service until 1973. Being discharged in Norfolk Virginia I stayed there as my parents had retired and were on a vacation trip in every state in the United States.

I worked as a job printer in Norfolk until 1975 when I joined the Norfolk Police Department in Norfolk Va. I worked 5 years in the Patrol Division and 25 years in the Detective Division with the last 17 of those years as a Forensic Crime Scene Investigator. Thirty years later, I retired.

Becoming bored with retirement after a couple of months, I got a job as a Service Technician with a local pool company. While working on a job site, I was accidently struck in the head with a piece of wood. I sustained a sub-dural hematoma and had to have emergency surgery. I had 4 strokes on the operating table which put me into a 3 week comma. Upon awakening from the comma, I found I was paralyzed on the right side of my body, which used to be my strong side. It has been 2 years now and I have rehabed myself but am left with a permanent cane assisted limp.

I had the idea for my book while still in service as a Crime Scene Investigator but didn't complete it until after my retirement..

My book is about actual cases I have investigated but with a special twist. One of my cases was the shooting suicide of a well decorated WWII Army veteran. While still in the victim's house with the victim, waiting for the removal service to take the victim to the Medical Examiners Office, I was contacted by the victim's spirit/ghost (fiction of course). Frank, the victim;s spirit/ghost comes and goes throughout the book giving me hints and tips in an attempt to assist me with some of my more serious cases.

I also talk about the time I spent in New York City immediately after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center building at 9-11. I talk about the various dutes I performed while assisting the NYPD, searching for victim's remains at Ground Zero, walking foot beats, working in the Bomb Squad (Acutual accounts).

I made a website for my book. It's my first website and it might stink, I'm not sure. It is justanothercase.com
I Am A:
Reader, Writer
Website:
http://www.justanothercase.com
Books And Authors I Like:
I enjoy Crime Fiction Books and Mysteries, too many to mention individually.
Movies And TV Shows I Like:
I like action adventure movies, such as Death Wish, Next, Tora,Tora,Tora, Live Free or Die Hard, all of the Die Hards, Dirty Harry series and other Clint Eastwood movies and many many more. I also like the old movies I saw when I was young like Flash Gordon (Buster Crab version), James Cagney movies, Charlie Chan and many more.
I also like some of the older TV shows (comedies).

I have seen several Forensic TV shows and I have found some of them pretty good but some of them are, in my opinion, ridiculous.

Comment Wall:

  • Pauline Rowson

    Hi Lee, thanks for the request. Sounds like you have had a fascinating career, lots of background there to give you ideas for more books, short stories etc. Best wishes, Pauline.
  • Julie Lomoe

    Hi Lee,
    Yes, I'm very satisfied with Virtualbookworm. They're very efficient and responsive to my requests, and the physical quality of their product is excellent. My main problem is with the POD scene in general - maybe I'll open a discussion on the forum on that, or write about it on my page.

    Love the photo of your dog Sasha - I used to own a couple of shepherd-mix dogs and one of them, Rishi, plays a major role in my novel Mood Swing - in fact his name is the first word in my book! Read the first chapter on my website www.julielomoe.com.
  • Lee Martin

    Good Morning,
    Thank you for the quick reply. I too am satisified with VBW. I am a new author and there were a thousand questions I had about getting published. I found the contact person I had was quite helpful as well. Instead of a thousand questions I now only have 950.

    I actually spent over three months, almost every day researching info on publishers, the different type of publishers, some of the ins and outs and so on before I chose VBW. Most of what I had read said getting a traditional publisher to pick up a first time author was virtually impossible or if they do decide to read a manuscript from a newby, it might take several months.

    Then there is the business of "you need an agent" and "you DON'T need an agent". It makes ones head spin trying to figure out everything. I agree with you though, POD does have it's draw backs and hinderences, but it's a start.

    I'm glad you liked the pic of Sasha, she's a good dog. I got her because the people who had her (when she was a pup) were going to abandon her somewhere and I couldn't let that happen, so the owners gave her to me. She was a bag of bones when I firt got her at about 6 months, but she has really filled out and is an excellent watch dog and protector. When I took her in, I already had two quite elderly toy poodles, but it all worked out.

    Do you have any pics of Rishi? I'd love to see them.
    I am definately going to check out the first chapter in Mood Swing, The bio on it sounds intreging. Do you think you would have time to read the manuscript version of my book and let me know what you think? (Being a first time author, I'm naturally interested in what people in the business think).

    Would it be OK with you if I added you to my friends list?
    Thanks,
    Lee
  • Julie Lomoe

    Hi Lee,
    I'm delighted the first chapter of Mood Swing intrigued you enough to order the book. I can use the morale boost - yesterday I was on a panel of Sisters in Crime authors at the NYS State Museum. I thought the panel went well, and I was very entertaining if I do say so myself, got a lot of laughs, but only sold two books. This is a tough business!

    Feel free to add me as a friend, and I'd be glad to look over your manuscript, although I don't have time to do detailed critiques. I guess you could send it as a word or PDF file.

    No dog pictures on my computer, but you can see my dog Lucky with me, the picture I used as the author photo for Mood Swing. He was a golden retriever, 4 years old, that was given to us after my other dogs died. We only had him for 6 months - he turned out to have lymphoma. Since then, I've turned to cats - I may post some pictures of them on my page.

    Talk to you soon I've got to get ready to go out and enjoy a day of touring some local dairy farms/cheese producers!
  • Kim Howell

    Hi Lee,
    Your history sounds quite interesting to say the least, and I'm really looking forward to reading your stories. It's a bit rainy here in Chesapeake tonight, so I'm sure the Beach is getting close to the same there. My Dad retired from the Navy back in the late 70's, so our family pretty much stayed close to the area then as well. After 27 1/2 years of being a resident of Va Beach, I finally took a step over the border and advantage of NC's lifestyle over a decade back. With the newest grandson that arrived this past month, it seems I've been back here a lot more than home, for most of this year now. Perhaps we'll get a chance to cross paths in the near future. Dan Coleman had recommended your writing and mentioned he's going to try making another trip out this way soon.
  • Peery

    Hey there Lee,

    Hope this finds ya havin a SOLID Monday!

    It's cool to have ya in our network and we're happy to be included in yours!

    We'll have to compare notes soon.....

    Keep on pickin'

    kwp
  • Vikki Petraitis

    Hi Lee, are you writing fiction or non-fiction? All of my work to date has been non-fiction.
  • Vikki Petraitis

    Have you ever thought about writing them as non-fiction? There is a big market out there for the real stuff.
  • Vikki Petraitis

    I think that people who work in the field of policing can often think that what they do is dry or boring but to the onlooker (which on so many occasions has been me) it is fascinating. I think the reader is interested in procedure and also, equally as importantly, the human element. Most of my books end up being about how ordinary people cope with extraordinary circumstances.
  • Vikki Petraitis

    It depends on how well the first one did. If it was a best seller, then sure, write another one. But if it didn't sell that well, try something new. If you have got seventeen years of cases, then there is a huge market for that. This gives you the opportunity to be the 'main character' and people you met along the way become your peripheral characters. If you are wondering if it will work, try writing one of the cases as a short story. Books like this are usually a dozen cases put together as a book, rather than one long investigation.
  • Sheila English

    Hi Les! The site looks really great. I'm spending a little time getting around here today. Cheers!
  • Loretta Craig

    Thanks, Lee. I'll check out your website. Hope to talk with you soon! Thanks for the welcome!
    Loretta
  • Sheila English

    Hi Lee! I love the premise of your book!
    I really enjoy Crimespace and have met a lot of great people here!
  • Preetham Grandhi

    Hi Lee, I want to introduce you to my debut novel "A Circle of souls" which is a paranormal, murder, mystery thriller and a tale of justice and hope. Do visit www.acircleofsouls.com to read more about the book. Make sure you sign up to win an autographed copy of the book. Thanks for your time in advance.

    Best regards

    Preetham Grandhi

    Early Endorsements for “A Circle of Souls”

    Linda Fairstein, NYT Bestselling Author: "A fascinating debut - this novel takes the reader to the darkest places in the human soul, from a writer with the authenticity to lead us there. A stunning thriller and an important read."

    Judge Judy Sheindlin, star of the Judge Judy Show: "The seminal work of this fine author kept me glued to my chair until the adventure was over and the mystery solved. A great read!"

    Book Synopsis:

    The sleepy town of Newbury, Connecticut, is shocked when a little girl is found brutally murdered. The town s top detective, perplexed by a complete lack of leads, calls in FBI agent Leia Bines, an expert in cases involving children.

    Meanwhile, Dr. Peter Gram, a psychiatrist at Newbury s hospital, searches desperately for the cause of seven-year-old Naya Hastings devastating nightmares. Afraid that she might hurt herself in the midst of a torturous episode, Naya s parents have turned to the bright young doctor as their only hope.

    The situations confronting Leia and Peter converge when Naya begins drawing chilling images of murder after being bombarded by the disturbing images in her dreams. Amazingly, her sketches are the only clues to the crime that has panicked Newbury residents. Against her better judgment, Leia explores the clues in Naya s crude drawings, only to set off an alarming chain of events.
    In this stunning psychological thriller, innocence gives way to evil, and trust lies forgotten in a web of deceit, fear, and murder.
  • david manderson

    Hi Lee,

    Thanks for the welcome. Glasgow is a great place, as I'm sure you know. Looking forward to being a member of Crimespace.

    David
  • Shaun Jeffrey

    Thanks, Lee :)
  • Ann Godridge

    Thanks Lee...

    Just looking around at the moment, looks interesting here

    Ann :)
  • South Street Magazine

    thanks Lee! i am sure i will find this place interesting.
  • Rick

    Howdy Lee,
    Course I've heard of Dolton, I'm a Harvey boy myself. Graduated Thornton Township in 75. Spent my teen years running around Harvey, Dolton, Riverdale etc.
    Thanks for the welcome, been a sci fi fan most of my life but have become addicted to crime literature big time in the last couple of years. This looks like a great place for like minded people.
  • Gayle Carline

    Thanks, Lee! I'm definitely wandering around in here, making new friends!
  • Michael Wiley

    Thanks for the welcome, Lee. It's great to be here -- and great to see other Chicagoans

    Michael
  • Michael Wiley

    And thanks for the befriending, Lee!
  • Lee Martin

    You're more than welcome. Talk to ya later Michael
    Lee