Wax, Andrew

Before becoming a lawyer, Waxss held many key posts in the field of child protection ^[6] . He was a federal investigator in the Sexually Transmitted Disease Infections Division and also worked for the New York Social Services. He worked in the Republic of Biafra ^[7] , falling into the war zone just before its fall ^[8] . He looked for ways to transfer humanitarian aid — food and medical supplies across the border ^[9] after seaports were blocked and the Red Cross Airlines banned the government of Nigeria ^[10] ; However, all attempts ultimately failed, and a strong famine began in the country ^[11] .

Returning home and regaining health, undermined by malaria and malnutrition ^[12] , in 1970, Waxss, under the leadership of Saul Alinsky, studied the organization of communities ^[8] . He worked as a labor organizer and founded a self-help center for refugees in Chicago ^[13] . He then led a rehabilitation program for former prisoners in Massachusetts and finally managed a juvenile detention center. ^[14]

As a lawyer, Waxss represents only children and adolescents ^[15] . In addition to his private practice, he is a legal guardian in New York. In each case of child abuse or neglect ^[16] , state law requires the appointment of a legal guardian, a lawyer who represents the child in court proceedings ^[17] .

Andrew Wackss is the author of 33 novels and three collections of short stories, as well as poems, plays, lyrics and graphic short stories. ^[18] As a novelist, he is better known for his cycle about Burke, books with a cool plot. “Another Life” ^[19] is the last book of the series ^[20] .

After completing a series of novels about Burke, Waxx began the other two. In 2013, he released the first novel of the Dell and Dolly trilogy called The Last Wave. ^{[21] The} second novel, Shockwave, was released in 2014 ^[22] , and the final book, The Warning Wave, was published in June 2015 ^[23] . Radically different from the usual city streets, this trilogy is about Dell, a former soldier and killer, and Dolly, a former nurse from Doctors Without Borders, and about Della's love of life. Living in the Northwest Pacific Ocean, Dell and Dolly use their honed military skills to build a fence out of the heads of predatory criminals who disguise themselves in society and attack vulnerable groups ^[24] .

In the “Cross” series, Wackss resorts to unusual tricks, illustrating his own idea that “society’s refusal to protect their children is the greatest threat to the human species.” In 2012, Wackss published the novel “Blackjack” ^[25] , which tells of a gang of mercenaries , which already appeared in his earlier stories, as Chicago's most frightening criminal gang. Urban Updates, the second novel in the Cross series, was released in 2014. ^[26] The third novel in the series, Death, will be released in 2016.

In addition to the series “The Last Wave”, “Burke” and “The Cross”, Waxss wrote several separate works. The first novel outside the Burke series is Shell. Launched in 1993, the Shell novel provoked mixed reviews from critics. ^[27] Waxss often referred to Shell as a “beloved orphan” ^[28] before the release of The Fugitive in 2004, ^[29] with a gold medal on the cover in the 1960s style. In 2005, Waxx released the epic “Two Trains Traveled” ^[30] , a novel set in two weeks in 1959 during a critical period in American history. In the form of “Two trains traveled” are transcripts of CCTV cameras ^[31] , like a movie-collage from video materials from one source. His novel Haiku 2009 ^[32] describes the difficult life of a group of homeless people in New York who come together and protect each other. In 2010, Waxx published two books: the novel "Weight" ^[33] in the style of a romantic noir about a professional thief and a young widow on the run. Heart Transplant ^[34] , a graphic novel in experimental design, tells the story of abuse and violence against a boy who discovers his inner strength through an unexpected mentor. “This is how I live” ^[35] , released in 2012, the story of a hired killer sentenced to death, which reveals the secrets of his past, terrifying and gentle at the same time.

Waxss worked with authors such as James Colbert (Cross, 1995) ^[36] and Joe R. Lansdale (Visit of Veila, 1999) ^[37] . He also created several graphic short stories with artists Frank Caruso (Heart Transplant, 2010) ^[38] and Jeff Darrow (Another Chance to Do It Right, 1993 ^[39] , Adventures of the Shaolin Cowboy, 2014) ^[40] . The last graphic novel by Wax, “The Underground”, was released in November 2014 ^[41] .

Wachss is also the author of journalistic articles, including numerous essays on the protection of children, ^[42] and books on juvenile delinquents ^[43] . His books have been translated into 20 languages, and his shorter works have appeared in many publications, including Parade, Antei, Esquire, Playboy, The New York Times ^[44] . The Wackss literary awards include the Detective Literature Grand Prix for the novel Strega (called the Brooklyn Witch), Falcon Prize, Japanese Society Maltese Falcon for the novel Strega, German Detective Prize for the novel Potok (called Kata), and the Raymond Chandler Prize for Contribution to Literature.

Andrew Wackss is a member of PEN and the Writers Guild of America. His autobiographical essay was included in the list of "Modern Authors" in 2003.

Child Protection

Many of Waxse’s novels about a mysterious private detective without Burke’s license. Burke is a former prisoner and professional criminal with a very complex character. About his hero, Vaxx says:

“If you look at him carefully, you will see that his prototype is a child who has been abused: hyper-suspicious, incredulous. Therefore, he is devoted to his family of his choice, and not to his biological family, which tormented him, and not to the state that raised him, but to the family that he chose. And his crimes are natural consequences of offenses of any of his family. He is not a killer. But we have one religion with him - revenge. ”

Andrew Wackss, Horror Online, May, 1999 ^[45]

Wackss coined the term “children of mystery,” which refers to children who have been abused, who at any age, if they were victims without subsequent restoration of justice, cannot feel love and protection ^[46] . In the Burke novels, some of these Children of Mystery merged into what Waxss calls the family of choice. ^[47] Their connection is not biological, and they are very much attached to each other. Most of them are professional criminals, since there is no law higher than duty to the family.

Another term is Wachss, which has long been included in the circulation "Circle of Confidence" ^[48] . Wackss coined the term to combat the erroneous and excessive emphasis on the principle of “a stranger is dangerous” ^[49] , which prevents society from focusing on the fact that in most cases, children become victims of those who have unhindered access to them.

“The greatest threat to children always comes from their home. A ski masked predator who grabs and takes a child in a truck is a tiny percentage of those who prey on children. Most cases, when a predator is in their Circle of Confidence - not necessarily one of the parents, but someone who is a member of this circle may be a consultant, trainer or someone from a kindergarten. The greatest danger to children is that they are perceived as property, not as people. ”

Interview with Andrew Wackss, AV Club, November 1996. ^[50]

Dogs

Another important theme of Waxss's writings is his love of dogs, especially breeds that are considered “dangerous,” such as Dobermans, Rottweilers, and especially pit bulls ^[51] . In his works ^[52], Waxss states that with dogs, as with people, “you will get what you grow up.” ^[53]

“The formula for creating a monster is very clear,” says Wackss. “It all starts with chronic, ruthless cruelty.” This is followed by public disregard for this cruelty. In the end, the child begins to think that what happens to him is done with the approval and permission of society. And after a while, empathy - which we must learn, since we are not born with it - gives a crack and dies. He only feels his pain. Here is your predatory sociopath. ” Therefore, Waxx participated for a recent advertising photo shoot with his pit bull puppy. “You know what pit bulls are capable of, right?” He asks, bearing in mind the notorious reputation of an animal killer. “But they are also capable of being the most wonderful, gentle pets in the world, depending on how to grow them. That's the way all our children are. ”

“Understanding Criminal Thinking,” San Francisco Survey, July 12, 1990 ^[54] .

He is an ardent fighter against animal cruelty, such as dog fighting ^[55] , and against legislative prohibitions against specific breeds ^[56] . Like Detective Writer James Colbert, Waxss has trained dogs that act as therapy assistants for abused children. Dogs have a calming effect on injured children. Waxss notes that the use of special breeds further enhances the sense of safety among victims; their “dangerous” appearance, combined with excellent preparation for therapy, makes them excellent defenders ^[57] . When Alice Wackss worked as the chief prosecutor, she often took with her a trained dog, Sheba, to work with injured children when she interviewed the Special Department of Victimology ^[58] .

When Wackss was 7 years old, an older boy attacked him and hit him with a chain in his right eye. The injury damaged the eye muscles and he had to wear a blindfold. [56] Waxss says that without a blindfold he sees as if a strobe was blinking in his face. Waxss has a tattoo, a small blue heart, on his right arm ^[59] .

Waxss's wife, Alice, was a sex crimes attorney and later became Head of the Special Victimology Department in Queens, New York. She is the author of the journalistic book Sexual Offenses: Ten Years of Struggle, Blaming rapists and working on their collaborators. The New York Times marked it as the book of the year ^[60] . She is a close friend of the writer Joe R. Lansdale ^{[61] [62]} .

Professional Awards

• Highest Level by Martindale-Hubble ^[63]
• 2004, Doctor of Law, Case Western Reserve University ^[64]
• 2003, First Prize of Harvey R. Hauk (Justice for Children)
• 2003, First Prize in Education (Child Abuse Prevention Program of the National Center of Saint Vincent)
• 1994, Congressional Aid for Children Award ^[65]
• 1976, John Hay Whitney Foundation Specialist
• 1970, Program Specialist, Industrial Space Institute

Literary Awards

• 2000, Raymond Chandler Prize, Festival Noir Jury Prize, Courmayeur, Italy, for contributing to literature ^[66] .
• 1989, Prize of the German Detective , Prize of the Jury Detective Heritage of Bochum, Germany, for the novel "Stream" (published under the name "Kata")
• 1989, Maltese Falcon Award, Japan, for the novel "Strega"
• 1988, Grand Prix in the field of detective literature , France, for the novel "Strega" (published under the name "Brooklyn Witch")

• Child pornography
• Child abuse

• Official site , The Zero
• Two trains drove - Reader's Guide
• Joe Lansdale Official Website
• Institute for Legislation in the Field of Child Protection
• KBOO Portland radio interview
• Radio interview to Dave Marsh
• Cult Interview with Rob W. Hart
• Independence (Ireland) interview with Ian O'Doyherty
• Andrew Waxss Interview with Amazon on his latest Burke novel
• Family of choice, podcast