It's been nearly 11 years since Assistant Iowa Attorney General Charles Thoman dropped into the western Iowa city of Harlan. He was the powerful one-man prosecution crew against Dixie Shanahan. When Thoman finally left town, in May of 2004, he accomplished his mission. He branded Dixie Shanahan as a convicted and cold killer -- just as he intended to do. "I never felt cross examining the defendant Dixie Shanahan would be a slam-dunk," Thoman … [Read more...]
Ferak’s book DIXIE draws strong listener response on Shattered Lives
A terrific show. Radio host Donna R. Gore's most recent SHATTERED LIVES episode generated plenty of buzz over the weekend from both faithful and first-time listeners: www.blogtalkradio.com/insidelenz/2015/02/07/shattered-lives-wildblue-press-author-series--john-ferak Gore and her excellent co-host, Delilah Jones, interviewed me during Saturday's one-hour segment. We discussed my latest #truecrime book, DIXIE'S LAST STAND: WAS IT MURDER OR … [Read more...]
Who was your favorite character in DIXIE’S LAST STAND?
When I wrote DIXIE'S LAST STAND: WAS IT MURDER OR SELF-DEFENSE? I made a concerted effort to limit the number of key characters in this feature-length book for #WildBluePress. You can find out more about the book and how to purchase it at #Amazon #Kindle by clicking here https://wildbluepress.com/dixies-last-stand-john-ferak-true-crime/ Sure, there were plenty of names and positions that were paramount to the case. Iowa Division of … [Read more...]
Author Ferak to Appear on Tuesday’s Darkness Radio show to discuss DIXIE book
Curious to hear some of the behind-the-scenes back stories surrounding #author John Ferak's recently published #truecrime feature-length #book, DIXIE'S LAST STAND: WAS IT MURDER OR SELF-DEFENSE? via #WildBluePress (You can find out more about the book and how to purchase it at #Amazon #Kindle by clicking here.) On Tuesday night, Ferak will appear as the featured guest on DARKNESS RADIO's popular and lively talk radio show, True Crime Tuesdays, … [Read more...]
True Crime Reader: Domestic Violence Caused Dixie To Kill
From the Author: This particular #truecrime #author blog post is a little different as it deals with a controversial topic, domestic violence, brought up in my latest book DIXIE'S LAST STAND: Was It Murder Or Self-Defense? I invited Jennifer Marshall -- who is a loyal member of several true crime Facebook forums -- to write about her reaction to DIXIE'S LAST STAND. (You can find out more about the book and how to purchase it at #Amazon #Kindle … [Read more...]
DIXIE’S LAST STAND Murder Front-Page News
Small-Town Newspaper Covered Dixie's Crime And Now The Book Small town newspapers know the pulse of their communities inside and out. Over in western #Iowa, The #Harlan Newspapers have a rich tradition for exhibiting excellence in small-town journalism. The paper's history dates back to 1870. The Harlan Newspapers are the fifth largest twice weekly newspaper in Iowa. Harlan's journalists have won more than 250 state and national awards, as … [Read more...]
Readers Asked To Decide “Was It Murder Or Self-Defense?” in DIXIE’S LAST STAND
A WildBlue Press True Crime By Award-Winning Journalist John Ferak Dixie Shanahan had a terribly troubled and abusive marriage in the sleepy little town of Defiance, Iowa. Then one summer day in 2002, Dixie's mean and wicked husband was gone. Some of the local residents presumed that Scott packed his bags and left town. But others were skeptical. After all, Scott's brown Ford pick-up truck was still parked in his driveway. The disappearance … [Read more...]
DIXIE’S LAST STAND: Reviewer Gives True Crime Thriller 5-Stars
DIXIE'S LAST STAND: WAS IT MURDER OR SELF-DEFENSE? Below is Carol Tilson's unedited FIVE STAR review of my true crime book, DIXIE'S LAST STAND, a soon-to-be newly published true crime feature-length book at WildBlue Press: Reviewer Carol Tilson says "I had a hard time putting the book down" Whenever I review a book, especially non-fiction, I always read it a second time to pick up whatever I missed. Before that second reading, I make a … [Read more...]
A crime of national news intrigue, a book for cops, mystery readers
In about ten days, true-crime readers from across the globe can become acclimated with a tiny western Iowa community that captured the national spotlight a decade ago: https://wildbluepress.com/dixies-last-stand-john-ferak-true-crime/ This was a murder case that ultimately generated incredible public awareness on hot-button topics such as domestic violence and murder in self-defense. How big a deal was the murder case involving Dixie … [Read more...]
Meet the prosecutor in DIXIE’S LAST STAND: WAS IT MURDER OR SELF-DEFENSE?
In DIXIE'S LAST STAND, readers will follow the turbulent lifestyle of Defiance, Iowa, resident Dixie Shanahan, but nobody had a more pivotal role in the outcome of the case than Iowa prosecutor Charles Thoman. Thoman drew the assignment from his bosses at the Iowa Attorney General's Office to handle the criminal proceedings against Dixie. In DIXIE'S LAST STAND, you will learn how Thoman was almost bypassed for the assignment, based on his own … [Read more...]
