ABOUT ISABELLA MALDONADO:Before my foray into the world of writing, I retired from a career in police work. It’s not the way most writers get their chops in crime fiction, but it was an incredibly rewarding career that I look back on fondly. Sometimes I think it would be fun to change out of the yoga pants and sneakers and put on a gun belt and Hi-Techs one more time. Then I think…nah! I’ve got it good.LAW ENFORCEMENT BACKGROUND:I retired as a police captain with over two decades of law enforcement experience. During my tenure on the department, I was a patrol officer, hostage negotiator, spokesperson and recruit instructor at the police academy. After being promoted, I worked as a patrol sergeant and lieutenant. Finally, as a captain, I commanded the Special Investigations and Forensics Division, Gang Council, Public Information Office and a patrol district station.One of my most memorable experiences was graduating from the FBI National Academy in Quantico in 2008. It was eleven weeks of physically and mentally challenging study for law enforcement executives from around the world. Fun to sit at a dining table (or run the famous FBI obstacle course) with about 220 police officials from agencies as diverse as Australia, NYPD, France, Korea, the Texas Rangers, and even a Canadian Mountie!WRITING BACKGROUND:After retiring as a police captain and moving to Arizona, I joined the Sisters in Crime Desert Sleuths Chapter in 2010 with the goal of embarking on a second career as a crime fiction writer. I have always been a huge fan of the genre, and figured years of police work could help me write with credibility about the world of criminal investigations.For five years, I attended workshops and writer’s conferences and also studied numerous books on the craft of writing. In order to hone my skills for a full length novel, I wrote three short stories, which were published in Desert Sleuths anthologies.In 2015, I was elected President of the Desert Sleuths Chapter. It was an amazing year, full of excitement as the organization grew to 120 members. I had the opportunity to work with an incredibly talented and dedicated group of people on our board of directors and in the chapter.At our annual “Write Now!” conference, I pitched my debut novel to Terri Bischoff, Acquiring Editor for Midnight Ink. I was subsequently offered a three-book deal, and my writing career began in earnest. The first book in the Veranda Cruz series is now available at bookstores nationwide, and I’m finalizing edits on book two while I write book three. Busy, busy, but living the dream!PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:Sisters in Crime (national)Mystery Writers of AmericaInternational Thriller WritersSisters in Crime (Desert Sleuths Chapter in Phoenix)FBI National Academy Associates