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Thursday, May 9, 2013

KILLER GIRLFRIEND; THE JODI ARIAS STORY – An Instant Book, An Instant Success


KILLER GIRLFRIEND is an in depth day by day portrayal of the Jodi Arias trial. Written by Brian Skoloff, edited by Josh Hoffner, and published by Waterfront Digital Press the book includes lots of information about Travis Alexander and Arias before the fateful day of Travis’s brutal murder. The book is well done, concise, and definitely interesting.
I have to admit to more than a degree of seat squirming that this book was released even before the jury’s verdict was read, and modified once the verdict was handed down. Judging by a couple of reviewers comments, I wasn’t alone in that discomfort.
Brian Skoloff was in the courtroom for every minute of the trial. He wrote the book, and Josh edited, as the trial progressed. It was only a matter of writing the last few pages and using today’s technology in order to make the book immediately accessible to readers once the trial ended. And I think that’s my real discomfort factor – technology.
Skoloff and Hoffner did an outstanding job putting this story together. Folks interested in Travis Alexander’s murder should definitely buy the book. But, back to my shoulder shudders.
Technology allows us to view the world in all its instant magnificence and horror. Livestream and videos uploaded within seconds of an event can be found almost anywhere on the Internet. The world is literally just a keyboard away now. KILLER GIRLFRIEND just happens to be the first time this same technology has been used to produce a book about a crime that captured the public’s interest. It won’t be the last.
KILLER GIRLFRIEND is a well written, quality book. That may or may not continue to be the primary concern as writers and publishers line up for future opportunities to be the first book published on a subject that enthralls the public. Our appetites have now been whetted. We will be expecting instant gratification from now on instead of having to wait weeks or months for the books to hit the shelves.
Good or bad, the tide has changed, the page has turned. We can only hope quality doesn’t become a casualty in the race for readers’ dollars.