Dr. Bill Bass, one of the world’s leading pioneers in forensic anthropology, has moved from the world of science into the world of writing. Bass, best known for creating the world's first laboratory dedicated to the study of human decomposition, admits it took many years before he was able to secure the permission to use the three acres of land on a hillside near the university where human bodies are left to the elements. That spot has come to be known as the "Body Farm".
   Bass’s main reason for creating the Body Farm was “To fully explore every manner of human decay—for the sake of science and the cause of justice.”
   “There is not one best way to determine time of death,” he explained. “We can most often tell cause of death fairly quickly, but pinpointing the time of death is not an exact science.”
   Bass’ research led him to believe that if he could develop a way to measure how the human body decays in various settings, he could develop some kind of scale or basis of information other scientists could use.  That was the origin of the Body Farm.
  "Our work was well-known," explained Dr. Bass, "but it was not until the 1994 publication of the novel, The Body Farm, by Patricia Cornwell that our reputation went into orbit".
    Cornwell based her lead character, Dr. Thomas Katz, on Bass. In her book he is portrayed as “forensic expert in time of death, which he researched diligently with ways and means that were not commonly known to the “hoi polloi” in his laboratory called The Body Farm.”
   Cornwell has traveled to Knoxville numerous times to "sit and learn at the feet" of Dr. Bass. The two scientists have become great friends. It was Cornwell, among others, who encouraged Bass to being a writing career.
  "Enter John Jefferson," said Bass. “
   The team became known as "Jefferson Bass" in 2002., and immediately produced two non-fiction books, Death’s Acre  in 2003, and Beyond the Body Farm in 2007.
  "John is the writer and I am the talker," said Bass at a recent book signing at Carpe Librum Bookstore in West Knoxville.
   “Although we experienced great success with the non-fiction books, we wanted to be free to write about real life incidents without the legal restraints.” This led the team to sign contracts with Harper Collins Publishers to produce a series of novels based on the real-life cases in Bass' career.
   According to John Jefferson, "The Body Farm novels — Carved in Bone, Flesh and Bone, The Devil's Bones, and Bones of Betrayal — take readers deep into the backwoods of East Tennessee, with fascinating forensic science mixed with extraordinary characters, including the Farm's charismatic founder, Dr. Bill Brockton, (based on Dr. Bass) –the name given to the leading character in the novels.”
   "He's younger, better looking, and he gets to do something I have never done in my job," teased Bass. "He gets to kiss the girl."
   The 80 year old Dr. Bass keeps a schedule of guest speaking and book signing events that would put a younger man to shame. He is as active, energetic and humorous as ever. However, as he has grown older, Bass often finds he yearns for contact with students.
   According to Susan Seals, who books events for the Jefferson Bass team, Dr. Bass gets joy from seeing youngsters who are getting excited about science.
  “He truly wants to reach out to them. He thinks he can have a positive influence in their lives by helping them see the marvels of forensic science,” said Seals.
   The next book by Jefferson Bass, Bone Thief, will be ready by February 2010.

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