Meetings

Pre-Meeting Chat: 12:30 pm ET
Program Starts:  1:00 pm ET

The twenty-first century has witnessed an explosion of unique jobs for scent detection dogs. Dogs are detecting endangered plants and animals and sniffing out cancer in humans. They work alongside archaeologists to find lost—sometimes ancient—burial grounds. And they can play a critical role in solving crimes. But like people, dogs aren’t perfect. Adding a realistic detection dog to your plot is both art and science. And a ton of fun.

Cat Warren is the author of the New York Times bestselling book What the Dog Knows: Scent, Science, and the Amazing Ways Dogs Perceive the World. In it, she tells the story of learning to harness her German shepherd Solo’s boundless energy to learn to locate the dead. Cat retired from North Carolina State University in 2021, where she taught science journalism and creative nonfiction. She is currently working with archaeologists, cadaver dog handlers, historians, and activists to locate and protect historic burial grounds in the Southeast United States, as well on two new book projects. One is fiction — and features a scent detection dog.

Clued IN: Contrasting and Comparing Fictional Sleuthing and Real-Life
Investigative Work with Aine Caine and Kevin Greenlee
Crime fiction is more fun than real crime. How do crime tropes around “amateur
sleuthing” play into real life cases? How is storytelling different in real cases
versus fiction? Podcasters Caine and Greenlee will share their experiences in
getting involved in cases, connecting with real live investigators (e.g. police,
prosecutors) as real as witnesses and the players in a case (e.g. family, defense
attorney). Drawing on these experiences they will share how they see fictional
stories influence the audience’s views on real-life mysteries.
Aine Cain and Kevin Greenlee co-host The Murder Sheet podcast. Their book,
Shadow of the Bridge (August 2025) delves into the murders and the dark side
of the American Heartland
Áine is a journalist who previously worked as a senior reporter for Insider, where
her beat included business-related crimes. She and her husband, Kevin Greenlee
founded The Murder Sheet, an investigative true crime podcast.
Kevin Greenlee is an attorney whose professional foray into true crime began
in 2016, when he began investigating the Burger Chef murders and came to represent a victim’s relative pro
bono. Kevin, Aine, and their dog live in India.

Topic TBD

The Book Coaching Maze: How to Choose the Right Support Without Wasting
Time or Money with Melissa Haveman.
Coaching for writers is on the rise, but what kind of coach do you really need? With so
many options available (book coaches, writing coaches, author coaches, and more), it
can be hard to know the differences, let alone understand which one fits your needs. In
this session, certified executive coach (PCC), developmental editor, and author Melissa
Haveman will demystify the coaching landscape for writers. You’ll gain clarity on the types of coaching,
what each one is best suited for, and how to choose the right support for your spot in the writing journey.
Whether you’re brainstorming a book, feeling stuck, or navigating a successful author career, this session
will help you understand the options and how coaching can help you move forward.
Melissa Haverman is a ICF Certified Leadership/Team/Career Coach (PCC), Everything DiSC Certified
Trainer, and Accredited Facilitator for the Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team

Topic TBD