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Linda J. White | Mark My Words
My friend Sharon and I sat watching the televised news conference of a
political candidate I liked. The man had been accused of having an affair.
Standing in front of reporters, he denied the campaign-ending allegations. I
wanted to believe him. My friend knew better.
Sharon Smith is a retired FBI agent and a forensic psycholinguist. She studies
language, the words people use, in the context of criminal investigations.
Detecting deception, analyzing kidnappersโ notes, and assessing threats are just
a few of the areas in which she applies her specialized knowledge.
What tipped her off that the politician was lying? Body language does sometimes
provide clues to what a person is thinking, but more recent studies have shown
words are more reliable indicators of whatโs going on inside.
For example, the use of qualifiers like โsort of,โ โkind of,โ and โpossiblyโ
indicate a suspect is backing away from the truth. A man suspected of killing
his girlfriend may admit that he was โsort ofโ angry with her when neighbors
heard the fight. These โminimal descriptorsโ also include words like โI believeโ
and โprobablyโ. Not answering directly is also a clear red flag. For example,
when an investigator says, โDid you kill your wife?โ and a suspect responds,
โHow dare you accuse me of ยญยญ that!โ the investigator can have a pretty good
idea the suspect is hiding something. There are many other revealing word
patterns as well.
I write FBI thrillers. Nothing holds my attention like a gripping, suspenseful
story. So it wasnโt long after learning about Sharonโs ability to analyze
language that a plot began taking shape in my head. Setting it in the
politically charged atmosphere of my hometown, Washington D.C., was a natural.
So what if the daughter of a powerful senator was kidnapped and the only
clues the FBI had to go on were the kidnapperโs words?
In โWords of Conviction,โ a forensic psycholinguist, Special Agent Mackenzie
Graham, joins an FBI team searching desperately for young Zoe Grable. Sheโs
intrigued by two things: language and another agent, John Crowfeather, a Navajo
and grandson of a World War II Code Talker. What follows is a story thatโs
keeping readers flipping pages.
Sharon was a tremendous help to me as I worked on the book, enabling me to write
with authenticity. For example, I drafted the kidnapperโs notes, Sharon analyzed
them, just as she would in a real case. Is this the real kidnapper or a fake
looking for fame? Does he know specific things only the true kidnapper would
know? Is he a man or a woman? Does his language reveal geographic, age,
educational level or occupational specifics?
The more I hang around Sharon, the more I realize how much our words reveal
whatโs truly in our hearts. The tongue, as James says, cannot be tamedโeither by
us or by politicians seeking to avoid an embarrassing past.
Linda J. White writes white-knuckle fiction from her home in Virginia. The
author of three FBI thrillers, she can be contacted through her website.
Comments
16 comments posted.
Re: Linda J. White | Mark My Words
After reading your posting, it sounds like I've been missing
out on some great reading!! I'll have to keep my eyes
peeled for your books, and put them on my TBR list for this
Summer!! Your latest book DOES sound like a real page
turner, especially due to the fact that my Dad served in
WWII, sending out Morse Code messages to the troops, and was
nearly killed during his term of service!! This book would
hold special meaning to me!! Congratulations on your latest
book, and I'll be sure to look for it, as well as your other
books!!
(Peggy Roberson 9:37am June 16, 2014)
Thank you, Peggy! I can't imagine sending Morse Code under battle conditions--
I had to learn it to earn my Ham Radio license. It takes a lot of concentration,
even sitting in your living room!
I hope you enjoy Words and my other books. My Website, lindajwhite.com, has
more information.
(Linda White 10:45am June 16, 2014)
i love the book info and would love to read an blog i have not read any of your bok yet but i will have to try to find some thanks
(Desiree Reilly 1:42pm June 16, 2014)
This does sound like a really interesting book! I double majored in English
and Spanish in college and I took a linguistics course too. I will definitely
have this book on my To Be Read List. Oh, I also hung out with a group of
girls who were getting their Ph.D's (sic) in Psychology.
(Shelley Maier 2:37pm June 16, 2014)
Sounds interesting. If I win, I write reviews.
(Jane Squires 4:09pm June 16, 2014)
I like the way two minds work together
(MaryEllen Hanneman 5:03pm June 16, 2014)
It sounds like a book I would truly enjoy
(Shelly Itkin 5:24pm June 16, 2014)
sounds like it is full of suspense.
(Mal Kaplan 6:00pm June 16, 2014)
I love FBI thrillers and profilers!!! It is so fascinating!
Wish I had a friend that did that or better yet, me. Love
it!!!
(Vicki Hancock 6:44pm June 16, 2014)
I will probably cry while reading this book.
(Martha Crutchfield 1:27am June 17, 2014)
I love FBI thrillers.
(Pam Howell 8:37am June 17, 2014)
A captivating book and a thought provoking post.
(Sharon Berger 11:58am June 17, 2014)
This book sounds fascinating. Also, I found the information interesting about body language and certain phrases used when trying to conceal information. I need to remember some of this the next time a politician is declaring his innocence.
(Anna Speed 1:29pm June 17, 2014)
This sounds really good!
(Denise Austin 6:27pm June 17, 2014)
What an exciting book! Interesting post about the importance of analyzing language in criminal investigations. Thanks for sharing.
(Bonnie H 9:45pm June 17, 2014)
Wow, Congrats on your new book: WORDS OF CONVICTION. I love
the book cover too! Your FBI thriller sounds like a fantastic
book. I would love to win and read your new book in 2014.
Thank You very much. Cecilia CECE
(Cecilia Dunbar Hernandez 11:18pm June 17, 2014)
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