TCB Interview True Crime Author, JAMES RENNER

True Crime Broads

We are excited to have James Renner as our special guest on True Crime Broads:

James Renner is mostly known for his true-crime journalism. As a reporter for Cleveland Scene, he uncovered new clues and suspects in the cold-case murder of Amy Mihaljevic (⁠http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/30/tech/crowdsourced-cold-cases-james-renner-amy-mihaljevic-feat/⁠). His work led to the successful closure of the Tina Harmon case (⁠http://www.indeonline.com/article/20081126/NEWS/311269903⁠) in 2009. He spent months researching the Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus abductions when the girls were still missing and is haunted by the fact that he had Castro’s name in his notes (⁠http://www.cracked.com/personal-experiences-1614-i-hunt-serial-killers-6-insane-realities-my-life.html⁠). His true crime writing has been featured in the Best American Crime Reporting anthology. His selection was the first true crime article to use a dream sequence as a narrative device. Renner has always been interested in filmmaking, as well. In 2004, Renner directed a short film based on the Stephen King story, All That You Love Will Be Carried Away. King sold him the rights for $1. The movie starred Joe Bob Briggs and the late-great Harvey Pekar. It premiered at the 2005 Montreal World Film Festival.Later that same year, Renner directed a documentary about the influence of J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye (⁠https://jamesrenner.com/?page_id=399&=1⁠). The adventure culminated in a short meeting between Renner and the reclusive author at his home in New Hampshire.In 2012, Renner’s debut novel – The Man from Primrose Lane (⁠https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/the-man-from-primrose-lane-by-james-renner/2012/03/06/gIQAf4bCLS_story.html⁠)– was published by Sarah Crichton Books. Set in Northeast Ohio, The Man from Primrose Lane blends mystery with scifi in a very unique structure. The story is currently being adapted for television.Renner’s second novel, The Great Forgetting (⁠http://www.fsgbookkeeping.com/the-sweet-spot/⁠), is a “love letter to conspiracy thrillers.”A new work of nonfiction, True Crime Addict (⁠https://jamesrenner.com/?p=701&=1⁠), was published in May by Thomas Dunne Books. The New York Times Sunday Book Review (⁠http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/31/books/review/true-crime-addict-james-renner-and-more.html⁠)called it “shamelessly entertaining.”James Renner is also the founder of The Porchlight Project (⁠https://porchlightonline.org/⁠), a nonprofit that raises money for new DNA testing of cold cases in Ohio. In 2020, an arrest was made in their first case – the unsolved murder of Barbara Blatnik (⁠https://www.beaconjournal.com/news/20200506/cleveland-man-arrested-in-1987-murder-of-teen-whose-body-was-found-near-blossom-music-center⁠) – thanks to their funding of genetic genealogy.

James lives in Akron with his wife and children and can be found online at ⁠Jamesrenner.com⁠

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