Dixie Mafia Takes Out The Queen of Bootleggers – Cleo Epps

She was known as the Queen of Bootleggers, but she ended up at the bottom of a septic tank piled under 100lbs of rock and debris.

Cleo Epps started as a school teacher with a big heart. Her students said she was more of a mother than a teacher. Born on a farm in Arkansas, the young Cleo not only finished high school but also finished college. Afterward, she moved to rural Oklahoma and taught school.
Cleo’s first husband had a drinking problem that would eventually lead to divorce.

Cleo never drank alcohol but ended up marrying a man who became a bootlegger. That’s how a compassionate, soft-hearted school marm became a bootlegging queen. It’s also the beginning of the end for Cleo Epps. Although she eventually divorced for a second time, Cleo kept up the business.

During the 1940s and 1950s, Epps ran moonshine and had regular run-ins with law enforcement. Everyone loved her, even the police, and she would always continue business as usual. By April 1966, Epps was indicted on a multi-million dollar moonshine racket. Authorities claimed her business poured over 2,000 gallons of shine into the Tulsa area monthly.

Cleo Epps was making a lot of money, and it seemed no one could touch her. Although Oklahoma was a dry state, society shrugged off the law and continued to have shine delivered to their homes regularly.
By the end of prohibition, Cleo had successfully funneled her illegal income into a legitimate business. Epps became a sort of bank for those people looking to buy a home. She would hold the mortgage and receive the interest payments and principal.

How did she meet such a horrible end?

Cleo Epps had one problem. Although she was a shrewd businesswoman, it seemed she had a problem in the area of relationships. She tended to fall in love with the wrong men, and one of those men would end up plotting her murder.

During her run as the Queen of Bootleggers, Epps had developed many working relationships with various criminals. Some of these men were members of the Dixie Mafia. Thomas Lester Pugh and Albert McDonald were two associates of the moonshine distributor. At one point, Epps had even considered marrying one of them.

On August 25, 1970, a local judge’s car blew up in his driveway in an assassination attempt. The dynamite had been borrowed from Cleo Epps by a man she thought she could trust. When he came by a few days earlier claiming to need dynamite for some tree stump removal projects on his property, she believed him.

Cleo was devastated when she heard the news. Luckily the judge survived, but all Cleo could think about was the judge’s little girl. What if his daughter had gotten in the car to tell her daddy goodbye before he left for work? It was too much for the soft-hearted former bootlegger.

Although she knew her life was at stake, Cleo agreed to testify to a grand jury. She came in complete disguise, and the authorities were supposed to protect her. That didn’t happen.

A short time later, Cleo disappears. Her body was found at the bottom of a septic tank. She had been shot twice in the head and tossed into the tank. Nearly 100lbs of rocks and debris were piled on top of her.
Pugh and McDonald were charged with her murder, but somehow Pugh got off due to lack of evidence.

Further Reading:

Tulsa World

Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit

Justia.com

Recommended Reading:

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December 22, 2019 0

109 Yr Old Triple Murder Mystery – The Murder of Janie Sharp

She was slaughtered while walking home along a country road in Rural Hill, Mississippi. Her murder leads to an overturned conviction, an acquittal, two more murders, and a trial that would divide the community. The local paper bred chaos and sensationalism, the truth was forgotten and 109 years later we still don’t know who killed Janie Sharp.

Peninnah Janie Sharp was born on April 14, 1892, to William and Martha Sharp. They had a large family with eight children. Janie was well-liked in the rural farming community and was an excellent dressmaker. On July 21, 1910, Janie helped her mother clean up the dishes from the noon meal before setting out to town. She walked the mile and a half to the local post office and then continued to the general store. She was seen leaving the store around 3 pm, but she never made it home.

By nightfall, the entire community was worried about the 18-year-old and several local men created a search party. Armed with torches they searched well up into the night until they finally broke up with a promise to resume searching in the morning.

Along the way home, Janie’s brother, Lee continued his search. He looked along the west side of the road and followed the ravine that leads down to the water. Around 2 am, a gruesome sight confronted him. There laying half-submerged in the muddy water was his sister. Her throat had been slashed from ear to ear. Several stab wounds were under her chin and she had suffered severe blunt force trauma to the head. The sight caused her brother to faint. I can’t imagine how horror-stricken the poor brother was after witnessing such a sight flickering in the light of his torch.

Lee Sharp began to scream for help and ran to find his father. William came and removed his daughter from the desolate site and carried her home. William Sharp suffered from palsy. The thought of this disabled father stumbling through the darkness trying to carry his child home is heart-wrenching, but this story is just beginning.

The next morning a crowd gathered including Sheriff Hull. The crime scene was examined and told a terrible tale. According to the footprints in the area and the strewn belongings of Ms. Sharp it appeared she put up quite a fight. Two to three areas looked as if a terrible scuffle had taken place and it looked like poor Janie had escaped her captor more than once. Who could have such a thing?

No one had noticed any strangers in the area and suspicions immediately fell on a local boy named Swinton Parmenter. Some say he was acting strangely during the search. Others say he had a thing for Janie, but nothing could be proven. Did that matter? No. Before nightfall, Permenter would be surrounded by a lynch mob.

This tale is far from over. There will be a trial, actually two trials, a conviction, and an acquittal. Two more suspects will be named, and the investigator who found them will be brutally murdered. Swinton’s brother will be killed, and all the while a local paper will stir up a lynch mob. Unfortunately during all of this, the truth will be lost in t

THIS LIST OF LINKS IS NOT AN ALL-ENCOMPASSING SOURCE CITING. ALL OF THE INFORMATION USED IN THIS ARTICLE CAN BE EASILY FOUND ONLINE. LINKS BELOW WERE USED AS SOURCES AND ARE RECOMMENDED READING FOR SYNOVA’S READERS. SYNOVA STRIVES TO CITE ALL THE SOURCES USED DURING HER CASE STUDY, BUT OCCASIONALLY A SOURCE MAY BE MISSED BY MISTAKE. IT IS NOT INTENTIONAL, AND NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED.

Further Reading:

Find A Grave

Reddit

Winston Web News Article (There is a series of eight articles on this site. Only the first article has been linked. I encourage you to read them all if you have time)

Recommended Reading:

You can read more about this case in Murder in Rural Hill by W. McCulley.

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December 19, 2019 0

5 THINGS SUCCESSFUL WRITERS DO THAT YOU DON’T! PART 3

Could only five minor adjustments make or break your writing career? Synova thinks so. Here are five things you can implement today to help you succeed. This is part three of a five-part series.

#3 Self Study

Successful authors are continually studying. I know that sounds scary to those who hated school, but it’s easy when you find your perfect way of studying.

Whether you choose to self publish or to be traditionally published, you must learn how to market your book. When you have your manuscript completed, you are only 5% finished. Yes, you read that right. 95% of an author’s work is in marketing.

Hard Truth:

Publishers will NOT market your book for you!

I know it says on their website that they are going to help with marketing, but their idea of helping is uploading it to their website with all the other books they have published. You will not be found. Publishing houses spend their marketing budget on the top 3% of authors. That means unless you have a name like J.K. Rowling, you will not have one dollar spent on your marketing campaign. Trust me on this. I learned it the hard way.

Nowadays, the marketplace is flooded with books, and it’s your job to stand out from the crowd. If you can’t accomplish this, then you will be lost in the sea of want-to-be writers.

Don’t Despair. There’s Hope!

Successful authors know they have to keep an eye on their market. They have found their target audience and are actively studying their interests.

True Crime Example:

As usual, I will give you an example from the true-crime side of my business. I wrote my first book Unorganized Crime and marketed it as the biography of an ex-gangster from Chicago. There is one problem with this. The market has been flooded with Mafia-style books, and now the public is more interested in cold cases, serial killers, and even the Dixie Mafia. The Italian Mafia is slowly becoming “Old News” in the marketplace. I will be rebranding this book and relaunching it after the first of the year.

Constant study is necessary to stay on top of these market trends. Also, you need to be studying delivery methods in the marketplace. Facebook Algorithms are continually changing. Youtube video guidelines are changing. Technology is continually evolving, and a good marketer will change along with them.

I also make it a habit to study the best in my field. Find the leaders in your genre and model their business plan. Don’t copy them, but find out what works for them and use it as inspiration to create your own business plan.

Self-study is the key to success in any field of endeavor, but some people hate book work. I understand that. Luckily, we live in the information age, and we can acquire the knowledge we need in various ways. Videos abound online, and most of what you need to get started, you can find for FREE on Youtube. Other video tutorials have a small cost, but it’s worth it when your business starts to flourish.

Audiobooks are a valuable resource, and you can get a subscription to Amazon’s Audible for less than $15/month. I recently found the Scribd App. It allows its subscribers to have unlimited audiobooks a month for less than $7/month. Look over the various options for audio programs. You can listen to them on your daily commute. Think about it. If you drive minutes to and from work, that is an hour a day that you could be studying. That hour will multiply to a whopping 260 hours a year! Do you realize the average college student only spends approximately 72 hours in the classroom a semester? This is the equivalent of 3.6 college courses, and all it cost was the price of an audiobook.

I listen to audio courses, seminars, and workshops on my earbuds while I clean the house. I particularly hate doing dishes and folding socks. Those chores, of course, have to be repeated daily, so I use my house cleaning time to study. I literally have a pen and notebook by the kitchen sink. I will be scrubbing my pots and pans and then dry my soapy hands to write down some notes.

...But I don’t have time

I hear this all the time, and it’s simply not true. Think about it. If you really want to do something, you will find the time. This sounds harsh, but believe me that I say it with utmost love and appreciation for you. I am a homeschooling mother of two. I do not have a babysitter, and so my children always want something from me. I run a cold case blog that goes out to half a million people each week. I blog twice a week, I have several books published, and I’m currently working on two more. I am going to launch a podcast series soon, and I am also working on two courses for authors. Yes, it is hard to squeeze in time for my study, but I know it is essential for my business, and I find a way.

Whatever you do, find a way to continue your education in your chosen field, and you will find yourself ahead of the pack.

This post is part of a blog series designed to help you with the business side of writing. If you missed Part 1 you can find it here:PART ONE. If you missed Part 2 you can find it here: PART TWO

Look for PART 4 next week. Also, keep your eye out for Synova’s new book Titled Ten Things Successful Writers Do That You Don’t…coming soon!

If you enjoy this content don’t forget to sign up for Synova’s Simply Biz Newsletter and get your copy of her Free Guide: Overcoming Writer’s Block.

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Empowering Aspiring Writer’s:

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December 17, 2019 0

5 THINGS SUCCESSFUL WRITERS DO THAT YOU DON’T! PART 2

Could only five minor adjustments make or break your writing career? Synova thinks so. Here are five things you can implement today to help you succeed. This is part two of a five-part series.

#2 Target Audience

Last week we talked about the question of “Who do I write for?” This week we are going to focus on the subject of finding your target audience. In this technological age, there’s an ocean of content floating around the internet. You can literally find an article on everything from toenail polish to astrophysics. If you don’t have a target audience in mind, then your content (books, blogs, etc.) will get swept away in the ocean of information.
How do you avoid getting lost in the shuffle?
The last thing you want to do is work on an excellent article and have no one read it. Picture this; you’ve spent possibly years writing a book only to find no one reads it. It’s heartbreaking and can have a devastating effect on your career.

I found myself ready to give up several years ago. I had written what I thought was a best selling novel only to find I didn’t have any viewership. No one bought the book, and I got such a horrible contract with the publishing house that I was ready to forget writing completely.
Honestly, I would have quit writing if I hadn’t already signed a contract with an ex-gangster.

Yes, you read that right. I was the president of a local writers group and had just gotten my first book published. I stepped away from the group to focus on my marketing and couldn’t wait to travel on my worldwide book tour. It never happened. The contract I received was so horrible. I lost money trying to sell my book.

While I was with the writers’ group, an ex-gangster from Chicago approached one of the members wanting her to write his biography. She didn’t have the time to devote to such a massive project, so she sent him to me. This happened a few months before my first book was published. I eventually agreed to take on the project and signed a contract with him. Little did I know that little piece of paper was all that would keep me from giving up on my dreams.

It took me five years to get his book written. In the meantime, I had another child, a house fire, and moved twice. But, I also had about given up. Other than researching his past, I didn’t write anything. I hated even working on it because it depressed me.

Although it was a dark time, I determined to study and find a better way when my next book was published. By the time Unorganized Crime was released, I had completely rebranded, found my target audience, and my business has taken off ever since. Sure there’s been bumps in the road, but I know I can find a way to achieve my goals.

What changed?

Well, I had found my purpose, and I found my target audience. My target audience for true crime stories is split into different segments. First, there are true crime fans who like to read, watch, and listen to anything to do with true crime stories. My second segment is law enforcement. Current officers, retired officers, and even those college-age kids going for a criminal justice degree tend to love to read true crime stories. The last segment is where I found a deeper purpose.

While I had my purpose in mind when marketing my first true crime book, I was still getting my feet wet in the area of business. I started blogging to generate content for true crime fans but didn’t have a good idea of what to write. That’s when I found a more profound purpose. I started targeting the family members of the victims. I wanted to hear their stories and share them with the world. This was when I became a victims advocate with Missouri Missing.

Now, I had a profound purpose for my writing beyond entertainment. I was giving a voice to the victims that had been forgotten by traditional media.

So, how does all of this relate to your business?

Finding your purpose is first and foremost, and second is finding the perfect audience for your writing. I don’t try to market my true crime books to an audience of theologians. I don’t try to sell my books to teenagers into sci-fi and fantasy. I found a specific group of people that like my content, and I market ONLY to them.

Who likes to read your books? Don’t say your mom! Besides her, who would enjoy your content? Think about that and do a little research on your specific genre. Find a successful author in your field and model them. Watch their websites and see what type of people they target. Build an image of your perfect reader and then find them.

Laser focus on your perfect client and watch where they hang out. No, I’m not saying you need to stalk people. Watch where your target audience hangs out online. Is your perfect reader hanging out on Instagram or Facebook? Are there conventions for your genre? If so, go!

Goodreads is an excellent tool to find out where your target audience hangs out. Use this as a research tool, and you’ll find it helps you in various aspects of your business. Don’t get on there and start spamming people about your books! Instead, get on there and see what everyone is talking about. You don’t want to write an entire series on mermaids if the going trend in your genre is about vampires.
This week I want you to figure out who is your target audience and then find out where they go online.

This post is part of a blog series designed to help you with the business side of writing. If you missed Part 1 you can find it here:PART ONE

Look for PART 3 next week.

If you enjoy this content don’t forget to sign up for Synova’s Simply Biz Newsletter and get your copy of her Free Guide: Overcoming Writer’s Block.

Join Synova’s Newsletter here

If you’d like even more help with your writing business, Synova has recently launched a course for aspiring writer’s.

Empowering Aspiring Writer’s:

This course will focus on helping aspiring writers develop their craft and show them how to build a business from their writing.

For more information check out Synova’s store page HERE

For more free tips about writing check out Synova’s Simply Biz Facebook Group

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December 11, 2019 0

Mobster Monday – The Public Assignation of Wolf Rimann

After shooting down a prominent businessman, the killer looked up and gazed at the people in the factory windows. Why would a hitman do this? Was he confident, arrogant, or was he backed by the Mafia and knew he was untouchable? Whatever the case, Wolf Rimann lay dying in his car, and the killer got away. Seventy years later we have a full description of the killer, but no arrests.

Wolf Rimann, 43 was a marked man. He had been warned. Perhaps he thought he was too powerful in Kansas City to be taken out so easily. Rimann was a Deputy Sherriff in Jackson County. He was neck deep in corruption and thrived. Rimann was a golf professional and the manager of the Hillcrest Country Club. He also owned the Western Speciality Company which supplied jukeboxes and pinball machines to area businesses. Rimann was known to slip a few strategically placed slot machines in as well. It was a well-known fact that Rimann would use his badge to force tavern owners to install his slot machines. If the bar owner refused, Rimann would decide to enforce the county’s
“dry” laws and shut the bar down. At one point there were four other officers on Rimann’s payroll for this sole purpose.

The local Mafia kingpin, John Blando had exclusive rights to the Schenley Liquor products and was making a boat-load of money on the deal. Rimann decided he wanted a piece of the action and bypassed Blando. He went directly to New York and was given permission to sell Schenley liquor. This obviously upset Blando, so he sent word for Rimann to back off, but Rimann refused and continued to stock a warehouse full of the product.

On March 24, 1949, Wolf Rimann was walking towards his car on the corner of 14th & Chestnut when a black Ford peeled around the corner. One man stepped out and stood as a century. Another man stepped out firing a pistol. Rimann was riddled with bullets as he opened the car door. He slumped across the front seat of his car as the shooter approached. The hitman’s final bullet met its mark in Rimann’s skull. Then the killer did something very odd. He turned and looked at the factory windows full of witnesses exposing his face to the crowd. If this were a Hollywood film, he probably would have tipped his hat. After the strange moment passed, the two men jumped back into the Ford and raced away.

The sketch above says the Ford was parked, but early reporting of this case say the Ford never stopped and the two men who exited the car had to jog to catch back up to it. The getaway car was found ten blocks north of the crime scene. The vehicle was traced back to a St. Louis car dealership. It was recently purchased by an Italian man claiming to be from Denver. He paid with cash and asked to borrow a couple of license plates. He never picked up the car title. He apparently had other plans for the car. The mysterious Italian was never found.

After his death, Rimann’s illegal business dealings came to light and exposed how deep the corruption had become in Kansas City. Although the case was never solved, the Kansas City Crime Commission was formed because of the murder of Wolf Rimann. Everyone knows the mob killed Rimann, but the triggerman was never found, and the crime boss of K.C. was never convicted of hiring the hit.

More Info:

Synova’s Youtube Video:

Youtube Video #2:

Kansas City Star

All photos used in this article are from the Kansas City archives. I do not own the copyright on any of these and no infringement is intended. This article is for informational purposes only,All photos used in this article are from the Kansas City archives. I do not own the copyright on any of these and no infringement is intended. This article is for informational purposes only,

All information used to create this content is a matter of public record and can be easily found online. Any participation or alleged involvement of any party mentioned within this site is purely speculation. As the law states an individual is Innocent until PROVEN guilty. ©2017-2019. All rights reserved.

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Shattered: behind every story is a shattered life

Every year Synova compiles the most popular blog post from the previous year into a case files book. In 2018, Synova Ink was filled with serial killer cases, cold cases, famous cases, and many obscure unsolved missing persons’ cases. Don’t miss this one.

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December 8, 2019 0

An Obvious Homicide – The Janice Wilhelm Story

A disabled woman incapable of lifting her arm is found dead from a gunshot wound to the neck. Somehow it is labeled a suicide even though she lacked the tendons and muscle tissue after having a tumor removed years earlier. The victim’s medical records and the subsequent autopsy report was reviewed by a renown forensic pathologist. After reviewing the records, he claims the death of Janice Wilhelm warrants further investigation. Janice Wilhelm could not have shot herself. Why won’t the authorities reopen the case then? Your guess is as good as mine. Read on to find out more about this startling case.

December 8, 2010:

911 dispatch received a call from Gerald Willhelm of Centerville, Texas. The strangely calm husband reported his wife had shot herself. He claimed they were asleep in their recliners and at some point, she woke up and shot herself in the neck. Officer Grimes of the Leon County Sheriff’s Department arrived on-site twenty-two minutes later to find the first responders and strangely a county judge.

The .45 caliber bullet traveled into the neck at a downward trajectory, passing through the lungs, and immediately severing the spinal cord through the 7^th vertebrae. This would cause instant paralysis, so why do the crime scene photos show Mrs. Willhelm’s hands neatly tucked under her lap blanket? Where did the gun land? Six feet away the gun was laying on the floor pointing away from her chair. The spent casing landed behind the sofa.

If Janice was a physically capable woman, she would have to hold the gun upside down, press it to her neck with her elbow wrenched out above her head. This might be possible IF you omit one very important fact. Janice Willhelm had a tumor on her left arm the size of an orange removed. This surgery took much of her muscle tissue and damaged the nerves in her arm making it impossible for her to hold her arm above her chest, much less over her head. This is not merely conjectured on the part of grieving family members. This fact is corroborated by medical documentation.

Gerald Willhelm claimed his wife was out of pain meds and killed herself because they couldn’t afford to get more. Crime scene photos show her medications were clearly sitting within arms reach of the deceased. To further dispel this accusation, UPS had recently billed the couple for their prescription delivery service. She was on disability and this covered most of her medications and she had worked out a co-pay deal with the drug companies for the remainder of the fees. Janice Willhelm was not out of pain medication and if anyone doubts this, they can refer to the toxicology reports that clearly show medications in her system at the time of death.

Below are two pictures of the crime scene. The only changes that were made to these photos are the addition of the blacked-out portions hiding the graphic details of the deceased’s wounds.

Notice the following:

The gun is laying 6 – 8 feet away from the deceased. If this had been a suicide, then the weapon would have fallen directly beside the chair, not six feet away in front of the couch.
The shell casing is found several feet away behind the couch. Again, this wouldn’t be the case in a suicide. The casing would have landed in the chair or amongst the blankets.
It has been reported that the blood under the recliner was already coagulated. Why? If this happened as Gerald claimed, then the police arrived 12 – 15 minutes later then there is no way that blood would be in such a state.
A gunshot residue test was done on Janice Wilhelm’s hands but was somehow lost in transit between the Dallas Medical Examiner’s office and the Leon County Sherriff’s office.

Blatant Lies:

Gerald claims in the 911 call that Jan killed herself because she was out of pain medication and they couldn’t afford more. This was proven false. The crime scene photos clearly showed Janice’s medication sitting on the table beside her chair, and the toxicology reports state she had pain meds in her system at the time of her death. Also, the children were able to prove that not only were Janice’s medicines mostly covered by Medicare, and the small remainder only amounted to a $5/month copayment.

The report states that Janice left a suicide note. It was later determined that the so-called note was nothing more than a diary of her symptoms and the medications she had taken. These standard nursing notes were what they claimed to be a suicide note.

Final Proof of Homicide:

July 2001:

Janice Wilhelm was admitted to the Baylor Richardson Medical Center surgery. A large tumor measuring 4″ x 4 3/4″ x 3″ was removed from the upper portion of her left arm leaving the muscular tissue and tendons severely damaged. This surgery saved her life but left her dominant arm nearly useless. Janice would no longer be able to lift her arm above her chest.

June 2015:

Vincent J.M. Di Maio, M.D. a forensic pathologist out of Dallas, reviewed Janice Wilhelm’s medical records and determined that it would be impossible for her to have committed suicide in such a manner.

Aftermath & Motives Revealed:

The family waited for word of a will but were repeatedly told that Janice didn’t leave one. Then, suddenly within a couple of months of her death, Janice’s will was quietly pushed through probate court.

After fighting to get a copy of her mother’s will, Janice’s daughter was surprised at the supposed signature of her mother. It wasn’t even close to her mother’s signature, and yet there it was, and two people had witnessed it.

Finally, it was determined that both so-called witnesses had not seen Janice sign the documents at all. They were pre-signed before being presented for a witness signature.

Why would anyone want seven acres of farmland in this area? Oil

Despite the will being a blatant forgery and the lawsuits pending, Gerald Wilhelm signed off, and the oil companies came in. An oil well and a gas well were fully functioning within a year of Janice Wilhelm’s death. The Clayton #1H well generated $400,000 worth of royalties within the first eight months of its existence. Can we say motive?

Cold Case did a segment on this case in 2010, and Gerald Wilhelm actually agreed to an interview but refused to let it be recorded because of the pending lawsuits. Strangely, he was dead within a week after the show aired. He supposedly died of a heart attack, but there was no autopsy, and he was cremated before anyone could request one.

I wish I could say that was the end, but there are a few more twists in this homicidal tale. I will leave you with one question.

Who owns that land and oil wells now?

I will give you a hint. It’s a toss-up between a blond banker, a ranch hand, and a false witness. Mix that with a possible extramarital affair, a vindictive family member, and big oil, and you will find the truth hiding in there somewhere.

More Info:

911 Call

Crime Watch Daily Part 1

Crime Watch Daily Part 2

Crime Watch Daily Part 3

Synova’s Interview on Crime Wire

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December 5, 2019 0

5 Things Successful Writers Do That You Don’t! (PART 1)

Could only five minor adjustments make or break your writing career? Synova thinks so. Here are five things you can implement today to help you succeed.

Purpose!

Every successful author has a specific purpose behind their writing business. Ask yourself the following questions before you go any farther. If you cannot answer these simple questions, then you aren’t ready for the Big Time. Sorry, I don’t mean to sound harsh, but you have to be set in your own mind before you can convey anything to the world successfully.

#1. Why Do I Write?

#2. Who Do I Write?

#3. When I’m Gone What Will My Children have to tell about my writing career?

#4. Where Do I want to End Up In 5 Years?

Stop and write down these four questions on a sheet of paper. Don’t merely do this in your head. Writing it down will bury the concepts deeper into your mind. Sit back and really think about each response. Then write it down. Keep a copy nearby your workstation. This will help keep you on track.

I know it can be hard to come up with some truly meaningful answers, so I will answer them to give you an example. I have two sides to my business, so I will provide two responses for each question.

#1. Why do I write?

On the True Crime side – I write about cold cases each week to give a voice to the victims of violence. I could probably make more money if I focused on famous cases like Jon Bennett, but instead, I write about obscure cases that have been forgotten by the traditional media. This is the passion and purpose behind my writing. It is what gets me up at 5 am to study my craft. You must have a clear mission to drive you when the going gets tough.

On The Simply Biz side – I write each week to help other authors. For those of you who follow Synova Ink, you can see that I have built a small empire. I have done it all myself. I haven’t hired anyone to run my website, design my graphics, or publish my Youtube videos. I have spent thousands of hours studying, taking seminars, and working through online courses. I know how frustrating it can be not to be turning a profit on your business. I watched as several authors I know gave up on their dreams, and it broke my heart. I don’t want you to let go of the creative spark within you. This is why I write for authors.

**Don’t think that your fiction book cannot serve a purpose! Life is complicated, and 90% of people are needing and longing for entertainment. Why do you think Hollywood is so successful. People are tired, stressed, and discontent. They are looking for a way to escape the hardships of life. Your fiction book can fill this need.**

#2. Who Do I Write For?

This question focuses on your target audience. You really need to get a laser focus on them. Who are they? What do they want? Where do they hang out?

On the True Crime Side – I have a split target audience on the true-crime side of Synova Ink. First, there are the victim’s families. They have a specific set of needs and desires. Separate from those people are my True Crime Fans. I have even split this segment down even further. My target audience is women 35+, college kids going for a degree in criminal justice or law enforcement, and Law Enforcement personnel. Those are my targets, and I know what to provide for each one separately.

On the Simply Biz side – I have also split this into two target groups. I have aspiring writers who have never published a book and don’t know where to start. Then, I also have seasoned writers. Some are frustrated with their business, and some are merely looking for the next insider tip.

Find your target audience and keep them in mind when you write. It makes things so much easier, and it will require less editing later on down the road.

#3. When I’m Gone What Will My Children have to tell about my writing career?

I want my children to see me pull myself up out of depression, financial scarcity, and insecurity to become a world-famous author and entrepreneur.

I want them to tell my grandkids of all the victims’ family members I have helped and how many cases I helped to solve by generating leads for law enforcement.

What will your grandkids hear about your career?

#4. Where Do I want to End Up In 5 Years?

I want to be a New York Times best selling author, an award-winning author coach, and be titled America’s Greatest Crime Writer. What do you want? Make the goals BIG. Small goals aren’t inspiring, and they won’t push you forward.

This post is part of a blog series designed to help you with the business side of writing. Look for PART 2 next week. Also, keep your eye out for Synova’s new book Titled Ten Things Successful Writers Do That You Don’t…coming soon!

If you enjoy this content don’t forget to sign up for Synova’s Simply Biz Newsletter and get your copy of her Free Guide: Overcoming Writer’s Block.

Join Synova’s Newsletter here

If you’d like even more help with your writing business, Synova has recently launched a course for aspiring writer’s.

Empowering Aspiring Writer’s:

This course will focus on helping aspiring writers develop their craft and show them how to build a business from their writing.

For more information check out Synova’s store page HERE

For more free tips about writing check out Synova’s Simply Biz Facebook Group

JOIN SYNOVA’S SIMPLY BIZ FACEBOOK GROUP HERE

December 2, 2019 3

The Albanian Mobster – John Alite

He was an enforcer for the Gambino crime family for twenty-five years. Now he’s trying bust through the glamorous gangster facade and show America’s youth the ugly truth behind the Mobster life.

John Alite was the grandson of Albanian immigrants born in Queens, New York, on September 30, 1962. He was raised in a rough neighborhood known for violence by a father who was emersed in the gambling rackets. Despite all of this, Alite was once headed for a career as a pro baseball player. Why, then, did he end up on the streets selling drugs?

Alite attended the University of Tampa on a baseball scholarship and played for the university team. It seemed like he might escape the violence of his hometown of Woodhaven, New York. Alite suffered an injury early in his college career and found it a natural move to transition back to the street life.

Alite had known Gotti, Jr. since childhood, and by 1983 he had successfully aligned himself with the would-be infamous crime family. Before this, Alite had a small drug business but quickly found his place alongside the Gotti’s as an enforcer. He was a fighter from childhood, and with a quick fuse, Alite was the right man for the job. If someone needed roughed up, or taken out, the Gotti’s knew who could take care of the situation.

In his tenure, it is believed that Alite beat at least 100 people with a baseball bat and shot 37 people. All of this violence he justified as mob business. These men had it coming, according to Alite. They were street guys who had broken the rules. In reality, these people were just caught up in the same mess as their attacker.

Alite believed in the facade of loyalty and honor behind the mafia, but quickly realized it was a lie. The mob was all about money. Loyalty and honor were only in vogue if it was convenient for the boss. If cheating and backstabbing made more money, then the facade was quickly dropped.

Alite witnessed many incidences of treachery during his tenure with the mob, but still believed deep down that his crime family had his back. He was wrong. By 2003, Alite was facing indictment and fled the country. He had plenty of money, so he thought he could run forever.
Alite had one major problem. The very people he had killed for were now turning on him and becoming informants. Alite would eventually be caught in Rio de Janeiro in 2004. Stuck in one of the worst prisons in the world, John Alite discovers his childhood running buddy, Jr., had talked with the Feds.

Alite finally reached his breaking point. There in that Brazillian cage, Alite decided to change roads. He spoke with the authorities and eventually was extradited to the U.S. Alite was finally released from prison in 2012, but he refused to enter the witness protection program. Instead, he became a motivational speaker.

Today, he has three books written about his life and tours the country speaking to America’s youth. His predominant message is about the facade of the mafia and the dangers of choosing the street life.

Darkest Hour: John Alite: Former Mafia Enforcer for John Gotti & The Gambino Crime Family