Allan Duffin - Writer/Producer

Policewomen On Patrol, New York City, 1974

March is Women's History Month! Celebrating the publication of my new book, History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police, Sheriffs, Detectives, and State Troopers: Here's a clip from YouTube featuring rare black-and-white footage of New York policewomen on patrol in the Bronx, 1974. For more information, click on the clip to contact the filmmaker.

History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police, Sheriffs, Detectives, and State Troopers is published by Kaplan Publishing (a division of the Washington Post Company) and distributed by Simon & Schuster. Visit your local bookstore, or order your copy from the Simon & Schuster website or from Amazon.com, Borders.com, or BarnesandNoble.com.

Comic books, Charlton Comics, and how the job gets done

If you're a fan of comic books, head on over to Diversions of the Groovy Kind for lots of info and even scanned artwork to enjoy. I've always loved comic books, and it's nice to be able to look at issues online, appreciating the stories and art that provided fun diversions when I was a kid -- and still do today. Two of my favorite artists, Russ Heath and Pete Morisi , are featured in Diversions. (Morisi, by the way, was an officer with the NYPD who moonlighted as a comic book artist. How's that for variety?)

Diversions of the Groovy Kind includes material from the big companies like Marvel and DC, but also takes the time to feature smaller publishers (many of them defunct) like Charlton Comics, one of my favorites. Charlton was never known for quality printing, but they published a lot of fun books with material by big names in the comics industry, including John Byrne, Mike Zeck, Dick Giordano, Sam Glanzman, Tom Sutton, Steve Ditko, Joe Staton, and others. Many of these luminaries were new to comics and had their early work published by Charlton.

As a kid I visited the Charlton plant in Derby, Connecticut. It was my first real exposure to how the publishing world worked, and it was fascinating -- especially since Charlton was vertically integrated. All functions, from layout to printing to distribution, were under one roof. My visit was a crash course in the publishing process. Later on I worked in a printing plant for awhile. All of this occurred before I became a writer, but I'm grateful that I learned about -- and learned to appreciate -- the industry at such an early age.

(Graphic: A gorgeous Mike Zeck cover for Charlton Comics' Scary Tales. Click here for a closer look.)

Women in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Celebrating the publication of my new book, History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police, Sheriffs, Detectives, and State Troopers: Here's a clip from YouTube featuring women of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police, Sheriffs, Detectives, and State Troopers is published by Kaplan Publishing (a division of the Washington Post Company) and distributed by Simon & Schuster. Visit your local bookstore, or order your copy from the Simon & Schuster website or from Amazon.com, Borders.com, or BarnesandNoble.com.

Official publication date for History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police, Sheriffs, Detectives, and State Troopers

It's February 2, 2010 — the official publication date for History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police, Sheriffs, Detectives, and State Troopers. Check your local bookstore today!

— We're #1 in Australia! History in Blue is listed as the #1 title at Borders.com in Australia (under "Police & Security Services Books"). Check it out here.

— Our publisher, Kaplan Publishing, is generously supporting charity events like the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association's Black Tie Gala on February 25, 2010. Five copies of History in Blue will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to the Association's college scholarship program, the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Foundation, and the Minnesota Special Olympics.

I want to thank a bunch of people for making this happen: Jane Dystel, my agent; Don Fehr, editorial director at Kaplan Publishing; Rachel Bergmann, my editor on the book; Kim Bowers, production editor; Tim Brazier, director of marketing at Kaplan Publishing; Janet Renard, copyeditor; Nancy Gillan, proofreader; Adina Kahn, who sold the original concept; and everyone else who helped turn a pretty cool idea into a real, honest-to-goodness book. (I've missed a few people who were part of the process and will update my thank-you's to include them soon.) Thanks so much!

History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police, Sheriffs, Detectives, and State Troopers is published by Kaplan Publishing (a division of the Washington Post Company) and distributed by Simon & Schuster. Visit your local bookstore, or order your copy from the Simon & Schuster website or from Amazon.com, Borders.com, or BarnesandNoble.com.

Many thanks to BearManor Media and Ben Ohmart

With History in Blue about to come out, I wanted to take a moment to thank the publisher of my first book — The "12 O'Clock High" Logbook — for believing in me during that first go-round, and generously publicizing History in Blue on his website and blog.

Ben Ohmart founded BearManor Media to publish unique books about "classic cinema, retro radio, and timeless television." Hey, why don't I stop explaining and let him tell you about it? From his website:

Ben Ohmart here, and I started this publishing company in 2001, as a writer. I learned how hard it was to tap into the mainstream market with what is essentially nostalgia fodder. So I published The Great Gildersleeve myself. Then I learned something important. I seemed to enjoy the publishing side more than the writing side, so, when I began to get offers to publish other people's work (Jane Kean was one of the first), I began doing what I love full time. It still doesn't seem like work. And I know now that that's the greatest life of all.

Back in 2004, when co-writer Paul Matheis and I were shopping The "12 O'Clock High" Logbook to publishers, we were fortunate to meet Ben, because the book was a perfect fit for his catalog and his company's interests. And because Ben was so generous with his time and expertise, he made the process of creating my first book a terrific experience. He taught me a lot, and for that I am forever grateful.

So Ben, though I've said it before, many, many thanks to you. You made a huge difference in my life. And I hope you enjoy the new book!

Police Magazine and women in law enforcement

As we count down to the release date (February 2) for my new book — History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police, Sheriffs, Detectives, and State Troopers — I'll be cross-posting information from various sources so you can read more about the topic if you'd like to.

Police: The Law Enforcement Magazine has a section that focuses on women in law enforcement. (Click here to access.) Here's an excerpt from a current article:

Gone are the days when a woman police officer was acting as a social worker with a badge, and they now fill as many roles as male police officers do. Many companies are adjusting what they manufacture and sell to specifically meet the needs of women police officers. This is after years of providing only unisex products and using a one size fits most business model.

I'd like to thank David Griffith, editor of Police Magazine, for taking the time to read and review History in Blue. In part:

History in Blue is an excellent social history of women in law enforcement that's full of powerful stories of the creativity, determination, and courage of women on the job.

History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police, Sheriffs, Detectives, and State Troopers arrives on bookshelves in February 2010 from Kaplan Publishing (a division of the Washington Post Company), distributed by Simon & Schuster. Pre-order your copy now from the Simon & Schuster website or from Amazon.com, Borders.com, or BarnesandNoble.com. Or you can place an order at your local bookstore.

Everything old is new again

One of the neat things about doing historical research is that you often run into previous versions of today's ideas. History has a way of recycling itself. As each generation gives way to the next, certain items drop out of the collective consciousness, only to be resurrected later on.

While researching a new book I ran across an article from the Hagerstown (Md.) Morning Herald about eating six small meals a day to keep up energy levels and to affect body weight. That's something you hear from some of today's nutritional experts... except this mention of the idea was published on April 5, 1910 —  nearly a century ago. Dr. Joseph Aub talked to a panel at the American College of Physicians about "reducing" (weight loss), saying that

The... reducing diet is given, but spread over six meals. In eating so often, the hunger pangs do not get a chance to become really gnawing... This, however, is only the beginning of the benefits. After about a week, the stomachs of dieting persons shrink a little. Due to the smaller size, the stomach demands less food and appetite actually drops a bit.

A little more digging, and we come across Dr. Aub's papers at the Harvard Medical Library, which tell us a little more about him:

During World War I, [Dr. Aub] was part of [a Massachusetts General Hospital] unit that spent 20 months in France and treated soldiers with pneumonia at base hospitals. He also collaborated in France with ... physiologist Walter Cannon to study the effects of traumatic shock on the recently wounded.

Wonder what else I'll run across while going through old content? Research is an adventure, that's for sure.

(Photo of Dr. Aub via this link)

History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police, Sheriffs, Detectives, and State Troopers

Here's the first mention of my new book! It has a new title: History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police, Sheriffs, Detectives, and State Troopers. The publisher is Kaplan, a division of the Washington Post Company. Simon & Schuster is the distributor. Publication date is February 2, 2010. Here's some of the marketing copy:

Spanning 160 years, History in Blue is the first book to tell the riveting story of the uphill struggle for respect and recognition sustained by women in the modern police force. Featuring rare photographs and original interviews with pioneering female officers, this fascinating book chronicles the ongoing fight for equality in the world of law enforcement. In this vivid and remarkable history, Allan T. Duffin tells of the extraordinary women who broke down the barriers of gender so that they—and many generations of successors—could do the work they loved most.

Thanks to everyone for your support and encouragement through all of the steps in the process: pitching, researching, writing, editing, design, and now publication. More news as it happens.

Birthing a new book

My new book is in the galley stage -- I've just received the draft pages, which provide the first glimpse at what the actual book will look like.

If you haven't had the opportunity to see a labor of love go through the production process, let me tell ya, it's really an amazing experience. A small team of experts guide you through editing, design, marketing, and all of the other things that wind up with the bound pages peeking out at you from a shelf at the local bookstore (or the virtual shelf at an online merchant).

I have a lot of people to thank for making this happen, and I'll share some more as we head toward the publication date of February 2, 2010.

World War II bombers experience High Noon Over Haseluenne

My friend Mike Faley, the historian for the 100th Bomb Group (WWII) and a big help on my Twelve O'Clock High book, has authored a brand-new volume about WWII B-17 raids on Berlin, Germany in March 1944. High Noon Over Haseluenne, published by Schiffer Publishing, is available at Amazon.com. Here's a summary from Mike:

“Let’s go Lieutenant; your crew is scheduled to fly.” That's how pilot Robert Shoens was awaken on a cold March morning in 1944. Little did he know that by the day’s end, many of the bunks in his hut would be empty and this mission would forever be synonymous with his crew.

The date was March 6, 1944, and the Eighth Air Force was launching a full scale assault on the German capital of Berlin. High Noon over Haseluenne is a  look at one bomb group that flew the mission -- and the catastrophic results that ensued. The book deals with the 100th Bomb Group, “The Bloody Hundredth” and the mission that solidified that moniker.

The concentrated attacks by the Luftwaffe would destroy 69 American Bombers that day -- the single highest loss for any mission by the 8th Air Force. Fifteen of those losses would come from the 100th Bomb Group.

Lt Robert Shoens is our guide.  His story, and that of many other 100th BG crewmen, puts you in the melee that followed the head-on attacks by over 100 German Me109’s & FW190’s. We take you inside the men and machines that had to brave one of the deadliest air battles of World War II. High Noon over Haseluenne is filled with firsthand accounts, personal diaries, letters home, news clippings and over 200 photos. The book is capped off by a one hundred page historical appendices compiled by noted 8th AF researcher Paul M. Andrews (Project Bits and Pieces).