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Group meets with local crime novelist
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Vens (left) was given a thank you by the library’s developing director, Debra Liptak. Knowing that many guests in the CSI Y-Town group are aspiring authors themselves, Liptak observed that Vens’ journey as an author should inspire others to stay persistent.
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Local author Kraig Vens visited the Boardman library on April 26 to talk with the friends of the library group “CSI Y-Town,” a group of readers with an interest in crime novels and related subjects. Vens shared his experiences as a former Trumbull County police detective and talked about how he became a writer.
By SARAH FOOR
Aspiring novelists, avid mystery readers and guests looking for an informative evening all call themselves members of the group “CSI Y-town,” an adult Friends of the Library group offered by the Mahoning County Library system.
In the past, the group has met with local judges, private investigators and forensic, gun, and bomb experts to learn about crime and crime scene investigation. On April 26, the group welcomed retired detective and local author Kreig W. Vens to the Boardman library for an informal discussion on his background and writing process.
“I worked for many years as a detective on the Trumbull County Police Force in Cortland,” Vens shared. “I’ve always been a voracious reader and I found that when I retired, I had so many experiences that inspired me to write.”
Vens has written three books since his retirement and is working on two more. He shared the process and research he completed to finish his first three books, “Prosecuted Innocence,” “Trail of Bodies,” and “Tears of Blood.”
Many of the guests of the CSI Y-town group are aspiring writers themselves and asked Vens about the trials and triumphs of being an independent local author.
“Deciding how to publish your own work is a very personal decision. I’ve found that I have to balance my art with the outside forces of agents and publishers and I’m hoping to publish my next two books on my own,” Vens shared.
Deborah Liptak, who is the developing director for Mahoning County Libraries, also helps organize the CSI Y-town group. After the author’s speech, Liptak found that the message Vens shared was one of persistence and passion.
“I know many of you are aspiring writers and I think Mr. Vens’ story shows us that being published doesn’t happen overnight. If you believe in your story, keep plugging at it and stay persistent,” Liptak shared with the group.
After his discussion, Vens chatted personally with many of the guests.
“This is my favorite part of my job as an author,” he shared. “I love to meet people with a passion for this genre.”