Ahhh…. Arkansas. Home of my mom’s family, a series of glorious state parks, and even a haunted house or two (ooookaaay…???), Arkansas adopted the nickname the “Natural State” in 1995. Popular Christian fiction authors Tricia Goyer, Laura V. Hilton, Jenny B. Jones and Robin Caroll call the state home. You’ll learn more about those lovely ladies later. For now, you and I are on the job. We’re digging for the best legal resources available for writers of Christian romantic suspense and legal thrillers in the state of Arkansas…
(1) For a quick overview of available government resources, visit the Arkansas.gov website first.
(2) The “Criminal Offenses” section of the Arkansas Code rests at Title 5. The site permits both natural language and “terms and connectors” (or Boolean) searches.
(3) Need a handle on what a hardened criminal’s rap sheet might include? Enter search terms into the Arkansas Department of Correction’s Inmate Search mechanism. You’ll find photos, aliases, scars/marks/tattoos, as well as past and current prison sentence history. Though nothing adds realism to a novel like actual faces and genuine facts, exercise caution when “borrowing” information from an inmate’s page.
(4) The State of Arkansas’ Public Defender Commission website includes handy-dandy links to sites such as the Arkansas Judiciary and the Death Penalty Information Center.
(5) Benton County’s Office of the Prosecuting Attorney offers a limited cache of helpful resources for the public. Benton County’s Links of Interest page, however, contains a host of community, educational, cultural, governmental and historical resources for writers seeking general information about the state.
(6) Okay. I know. Enough with the law stuff already. How about those awesome writers dwelling in the place once known as “The Land of Opportunity?” The healthy microcosm of inspirational fiction writers calling Arkansas home includes the following: Tricia Goyer, the prolific author of thirty contemporary fiction, historical fiction, and non-fiction books; Laura V. Hilton, a homeschooling mom and pastor’s wife, who writes for the growing Amish fiction romance market; YA (Young Adult) and contemporary romantic fiction author Jenny B. Jones, a high school teacher accommodating the under-25 crowd; and Robin Carroll, the award-winning author of spine-tingling novels of mystery and suspense.
So, why do I suddenly have a hankerin’ for milk and pink potato soup, baking soda biscuits and molasses cakes? Uhhh, maybe not. I don’t even know what those things are. Hahahaha! But, how about you? Are you an Arkansas resident, a Razorbacks fan, or just a curious passerby? Leave a comment below. I’m always pleased to hear from you. (And, don’t forget to follow my blog via email or RSS.) Blessings!
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The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. Visitors to this Web site should not act upon any information found herein without first seeking professional legal counsel. The author does not provide any warranties whatsoever with respect to any hyperlinks found on this Web site. The hyperlinks are offered as a service to my readers.
January 13, 2013 at 9:58 am
Great information! Thanks for compiling. I’ll be sure to mention to others. Oh, and thanks for mentioning ME!
January 13, 2013 at 3:27 pm
My pleasure, Robin. I’m honored that you stopped by and hope that you’ll visit again. Blessings!
January 12, 2013 at 12:55 pm
Great resource.
Can’t wait until you get to Mississippi and Tennessee!
January 12, 2013 at 2:25 pm
Hahaha! It looks like that’s going to be the big challenge — getting to all of the states quickly enough. Thanks for your comment, Patricia. Blessings!
January 12, 2013 at 4:10 pm
Great info, Sybil. You can make it through all the states in a year!
Pam, from MS, not AR!
January 12, 2013 at 4:30 pm
I agree, Pam. That’s the plan anyway. This year, the focus will be upon criminal law primarily. Next year, I hope to tackle family law resources. And then, who knows? Either way, I’ll endeavor to push full steam ahead until I get to Mississippi. LOL! Blessings, ma’am. Thanks for the comment.
January 12, 2013 at 10:28 am
Whoa! This is a boatload of useful information. I’m a contemporary fiction writer (unpubbed for now), and I’ll be digging through your archives to see if you’ve done a post on South Carolina yet. You’ve got a new follower…and I’ll spread the word! Thank you for putting this together!
January 12, 2013 at 10:33 am
Aha. They’re in alphabetical order. (That doesn’t bode well for me.) Still, you’ve given me great ideas to hunt on my own. What a fabulous resource!
January 12, 2013 at 11:04 am
I’ll try to get to South Carolina no later than early Fall — hahahaha! Thanks again for the feedback, and I’m glad to hear the post has encouraged you to seek out resources on your own. I hope you’ll feel free to share them here. Blessings!
January 12, 2013 at 11:02 am
Thanks for the follow and for the promise to spread the word, B.R. I appreciate it. I sincerely hope that others will find the information beneficial going forward.