I'm Mary Kay McBrayer, host of the podcast The Greatest True Crime Stories Ever Told.

This season explores women from the 19th century to now, women who were murderers and scammers,

but also women who were photojournalists, lawyers, writers, and more.

This podcast tells more than just the brutal, gory details of horrific acts.

I delve into the good, the bad, the difficult, and all the nuance I can find,

because these are the stories that we need to know to understand the intersection of society,

justice, and the fascinating workings of the human psyche.

Join me every week as I tell some of the most enthralling true crime stories

about women who are not just victims, but heroes or villains,

or often somewhere in between.

Listen to the greatest true crime stories ever told

on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of IHeart Radio.

Good morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's tip is to keep a one-line

ideal list. When you hear something that sparks your thinking, write it down. It's possible that it just might come in handy someday. Today's tip comes from

prolific novelist Serena Bowen from her interview for this podcast last year. Serena explained that

she's always on the lookout for ideas she finds interesting,

such as things she reads in news stories that capture her attention for some reason.

Perhaps it's a police case that's solved in an unexpected way,

or a couple that meets under truly bizarre circumstances.

Serena says it is wise to recognize ideas that intrigue you,

and to find a place to record these ideas, or to keep them close, as she puts it.

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