Kimberly A. Davies:
First textbook fulfills author's lifelong dream to work as a writer

While teaching a class called the "Sociology of Murder" at Augusta State University, where she serves as chair and associate professor in the Department of Sociology, Criminal Justice and Social Work, Kimberly Ann Davies saw that there were no books available for students that focused on the breadth of the homicide studies done by academics. "All the books focused mostly on serial and spree murders, and some were less than academic in my mind," she said.

With some encouragement by an editor at Prentice Hall, where her work habits as a reviewer -- being extremely thorough in her editing, meeting deadlines, and carefully balancing issues of race and gender -- got her noticed, combined with her lifelong dream of working as a writer, Davies decided to write her first textbook.

Because she enjoyed her work with Prentice Hall, she chose to pitch her textbook idea to them. "I started by contacting an editor there, who sent me the publisher's outline on how to do a book proposal," said Davies. "I read it carefully and followed their directions, which included writing an outline of the book. I also was required to compare other books in the field, determining and arguing for the need for my book."

Before she signed the contract with Prentice Hall, she sought assistance from a colleague who had signed textbook contracts before. "I asked him about those contracts and the university's policies on intellectual property [She used her time, not the university's, in writing her book]," she said. "I was nervous and so very excited [about signing the contract]. As far as I know, the contract wasn't overly author-friendly, or unfriendly."

From start to finish, it took Davies three years to complete The Murder Book: Examining Homicide, which was published in the fall of 2007 by Prentice Hall. Her experience as a reviewer, and the guide provided by the publisher, helped her through the process, she said, but most importantly, her long-time teaching experiences helped her write an ideal textbook that students would want to read: "I wanted the book to be like my teaching style, which is to present information in a clear, straightforward way to students."

Davies' textbook is different from other textbooks on the topic of homicide today. Her goal was to cover all different types of homicide, as well to cover how it's counted and defined. "I wanted to aim the textbook a little more at criminal justice professors by including chapters on murder in court and solving murder," she said. "Most importantly, I wanted to cover the academic studies on homicide and to encourage critical thinking by my readers."

As a member of the Homicide Research Working Group, Davies realized how much research is available on homicide and violence and wanted to include that in her book. "I want students to become aware of the fact that they can't draw conclusions solely from their own experiences," she said. "My textbook offers different perspectives on homicide. I enjoyed including boxes throughout my chapters, filled with interesting, brief fun facts about homicide-related information."

Along with including academic studies and encouraging critical thinking, the book is unique in that it is written in the first person. This feature has set her textbook apart from others, said Davies: "I explain in the first chapter that I write in first person to emphasize that people write textbooks, and though we work not to be biased, being unbiased is impossible. Throughout the textbook, I share my thoughts and views. I ponder questions. I want the students to ponder questions right along with me."

She enjoyed working with Prentice Hall she said: "They were reasonable. For example, when I was named chair of my department, they allowed me to renegotiate a deadline." Part way through the project, the publisher reorganized the company. Davies then worked with a subcontractor, who she said, "was nice and thoughtful." The subcontractor also pushed people to review quickly for her when she was coming down to the wire. "I told editors I was new and to explain everything," she said. "I asked questions if I had them. My father always told me, 'Don't be afraid to be stupid,' and that advice has served me well over the years."

Davies was amazed at how much she loved the process of writing her first textbook. "I loved writing this book more than I thought I would I would love it," she said. "It is so much fun for me to learn and to teach, and that is what I'm doing. Also, on some level, I always wanted to write a book. The idea of being a writer is so appealing."

She was surprised by two things during the process of writing the book: that reviewers weren't as thorough in editing her textbook as she has been in her reviews; and that the publisher outsources work to other countries. "In the end, I was working with an editor who lives in India," said Davies. "It was interesting. But it was all quick and smooth at the end with the help of e-mail."

When she wasn't teaching or taking care of chair duties, Davies said she was writing all of the time and everywhere. "I tried to schedule one morning a week to write in addition to nights, but it did not always go as planned," she said. Since completing her textbook, she has realized how much time she spent writing: "I've taken up golf lessons to fill in my days now."

She wrote mainly out of her home office, but whenever she experienced writer's block, she would move to a different location. "I would go to a local coffeehouse or bookstore with my laptop," she said. "Or I would move on to writing a different chapter, and return to the challenging parts later."

Davies said she wishes she had included more photos in the textbook: "I enjoy photography and that may have enhanced the experience even further."

Holding the first copy of her textbook in her hands was a mix of emotions for Davies: "It was a rush, but then I felt a little down because it was all over. It was the most fun at Thanksgiving when my grandmother asked me to sign her copy of the textbook. She took my picture with it."

Davies also was thrilled to see her book cover on Amazon.com. "It was 2 a.m. and I was actually working on the book," she said. "I was so excited that I e-mailed all of my family and friends."

Davies is looking forward to using her new textbook for the first time to teach the Sociology of Murder class in the first semester of 2008.

"I plan to continue teaching, serving as chair of the department and will consider writing another textbook when I see another need for one," she said.

Kim Seidel, a freelance writer based in Onalaska, Wis., contributed to this article.