Newsletter of the Society of Southwestern Authors                                                     Vol. 33, No. 2 April/May '05


Important Dates

   April 17
Forum @11:30-2PM
Sheraton Four Points
Guy Atchley, Newscaster
"Not Just a Reporter"
(see article)

   May 15
Forum @11:30-2PM
Sheraton Four Points
Bonnie Marson
"Insights and Anecdotes"
(see article)
NOTE: The time for this forum is incorrect in the mailed version of the Write Word. It is correct here.

   June 19
Forum @11:30-2PM
Sheraton Four Points
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Not Just a Reporter

   Guy Atchley is a news reporter. For the last 35 years he has chronicled the lives of ordinary people who have extraordinary determination. Today their stories are seen in his television news series called Guy Atchley's Arizona on KGUN 9 TV in Tucson, Arizona. Guy focuses on people whose stories motivate and inspire. You can also read about these people in his new book called Now for the good news... Since he graduated from the University of Tulsa in 1972 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Radio/ Television Speech, Guy has received more than twenty first-place awards for excellence in reporting. He has been in Tucson for 20 years now, and his KGUN 9 Newscast has been honored as Best Newscast in Southern Arizona 7 times, including the last three years. In 1992 Guy swept the Arizona A-P Awards winning three first place honors for reporting including: Best Serious Feature, Best Light Feature, and Best General Reporting in the State.
   Guy also was honored for his reports on living conditions in China in his documentary China: 1987. And in October of 1993, Guy travelled to the Middle East for a documentary on Israel's quest for peace. That documentary plus Guy's news reports and speeches to expose intolerance and bigotry earned him the 1994 Human Relations Award presented by the Jewish Community Relations Council.
   In addition to his work as a journalist and lecturer, Guy is a certified yoga instructor. He now teaches classes and workshops at such beautiful locations as Holy Trinity Monastery in St. David, Arizona.
   For 20 years, he has spent each Labor Day as Tucson host for the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon.
   You also may have seen Guy in several movies: Jericho Fever which was produced for the USA Cable Network, the remake of Vanishing Point for Fox TV, and the independent film Runnin' at Midnite. And in case you're wondering, Guy played the role of a reporter in each film.
   If you ask Guy, you'll find out that he's thankful to be a real-life journalist. Besides reporting from several foreign countries, Guy also has travelled the United States. He has covered space shuttle launches in Florida, racial tension in the South, immigration policies at the U.S./ Mexico border, on Veterans Day, 1994, Guy reported from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and he also covered the Monica Lewinsky scandal in Washington, as well as the presidential campaign of Arizona Senator John McCain.
   Guy has interviewed many famous people, but it's the not-so-famous people--the unsung heroes of America--whose stories make Guy's presentations so powerful. Some of the stories will make you laugh, others will make you cry, but all of them will make an impression on you. And, above all, they will make you think.


Insights and Anecdotes

   Bonnie Marson's unusual route from artist to author began 11 years ago when she wrote her first short story, which won honorable mention in the Society of Southwestern Authors contest. Encouraged, she started a second short story, but abandoned it for years until a friend encouraged her to finish it. That's all it took to wake up the novelist within, culminating a year later in Sleeping With Schubert. Random House quickly bought Bonnie's manuscript and published her novel last summer. It received terrific reviews and was included on The Washington Post's list of Best Books of 2004. If that weren't enough, Paramount holds the film rights, and Sony Classical made the Sleeping With Schubert CD as a musical companion. Bonnie will share insights and anecdotes from her amazing book journey.




Successes

Dolores Allen, the author of Spellbinding Stories, has just published a new novel, Broken Promises, a saga spanning several years involving a broken promise that separated two young people and changed their lives in a profound way. The story tells in detail how secrets and lies affect many lives for generations. You can see a free preview or purchase both books at www.doloresallen.com

Eileen Birin of Neelie Publishing announces the publication of her newest book, Come Sit a Spell, Recalling and Writing Memoirs. This user-friendly guidebook is a must for every aspiring writer who wishes to capture the uniqueness of his or her past and leave a written legacy for future generations. The step-by-step procedures will show you how to unlock your memories, and walk you through the writing process with ease and encouragement, and explain how to use sensory details, create setting, develop characters, incorporate dialogue, express feelings, capture dramatic events, and inject humor so that you can transform your life stories into meaningful and compelling narratives. Author Eileen Birin is available for workshops and classes on writing memoirs. For more info. contact her at Neeliepubl@aol.com or 623-561-6751

Richard W. Coan's book, Shaul of Tarsos: The Man Who Came to Be Known as Saint Paul, was just published by AuthorHouse. This book creates a "plausible picture of the character of this man, of his inner struggles, and of the sorts of people with whom he interacted as he sought his path and went on to pursue it energetically until the end of his life." Check your local retailer or available at www.authorhouse.com or order at (888) 280-7715.

Jan Cleere announces the release of her first book, More Than Petticoats: Remarkable Nevada Women (The Globe Pequot Press), the stories of twelve pioneering women, plus one remarkable group of nuns, all born before 1900, who displayed extraordinary courage as they broke through social, cultural, and political barriers to advance women's roles. Facing unimaginable challenges, they climbed mountains seeking untold riches, swooped down legislative hallways, wove intricate artistry, and taught the next generation about equality. She is offering signed copies of the book through her web site: www. JanCleere.com. Jan is now working on her second book, Outlaw Tales of Arizona (The Globe Pequot Press), to be released in 2006. Her article describing the life of an 1800s Army wife, "Martha Summerhayes' Culinary Adventures," appears in the winter issue of Persimmon Hill Magazine, a publication of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.

"Big John" Duhanich was featured in the January/February 2005 issue of Tucson Weekly in the article "Offbeat Clubs," about the Gold Prospectors Association of Tucson.

Jean Gietzen just sold "Sister Said" to Chicken Soup for a Grandma's Soul. It will be out late August or early Sept. Some SSA people may remember when she read it at a Christmas party years ago.

Patricia B. Gould's latest book, The Irish Lord, is now available. The story of Charles P. Stanton, a.k.a. The Irish Lord, has been told many times. Each time he becomes more evil and sadistic. No one really knows if all the things said about him are true. However, Patricia believes that because many of the events depicted in this book are true, and documented, then maybe the rest of them could be true, and not documented, until now. Send $15.00 (plus $2.50 shipping and tax) check or money order for an autographed copy to: Patricia B. Gould, P O Box 231, Congress, AZ 85332 For more info call 928-427-3040 or e-mail pbgould@juno.com Patricia's other book, Abraham's Journal is also available at www.atlasbooks.com and she has several more books in the first stages of being written.

Cindy Hayostek has been invited by The Western Writers of America to be a panelist during its June conference in Spokane. The panel is about Victorian Women in the Wild West. Cindy will present her article about Alice Gatliff, who had businesses on both sides of the U.S.-Mexican border shortly after the turn of the last century. She was a friend and advisor to two presidents of Mexico, amongst other things, but is forgotten today.

Mabel Leo's book, The Saga of Jack Durant, was adapted into the play In My Humble Opinion by Arizona playwright, Terry Earp. The first run proved so popular that the play will re-open in October, 2005. Mabel has even been asked to give a speech at Arizona State University in September. Check out Mabel's website,www.booksbyleo.com, for more info as it becomes available.

Pinkie Paranya's second in the awardwinning Women of the Northland series, Tiana, Gift of the Moon continues the saga of the Raven Woman. The descendants of the Raven Mother are shamen who braved a harsh climate and the primitive nature of the earliest people in North America. Fierce in battle, gentle in temperament, armed with the Spirit of the Raven, Tiana sets out to find her daughter who must continue the ancestral line. Available at the publishers, www.Sandspublishing.com or your favorite bookstore.

Marilyn Pate attended a session with one of the Chicken Soup founders at the Wrangling with Writing conference several years ago and has submitted for three different books. Finally, on the third try, Chicken Soup for the Military Wife's Soul chose "Honorable Gift" to include in their book, due out in April. With over 5,000 entries to compete against she was most gratified that her story was chosen.

David Skramstad's new book, Murder at Seven Falls, is coming off the press. A sequel to The Murder at Gates Pass, it has the same exciting Tucson locale and investigators. You can read a synopsis on his web site at http://home.earthlink. net/~davidavriel/id16. html Like his first book, David is giving the profits to a local charitable cause. To order your autographed copies (there may be a delay as publisher fills David's order) please send your check for $19.95 each to: David Skramstad, P.O. Box 16514, Tucson, AZ 85732 For more info call: (520) 327-3443 or e-mail: davidavriel@earthlink.net

Martie Sterling's new novel, Pearly Everlasting, is selling well on Amazon. com and barnesandnoble.com. Since it is the first book on historic Aspen, the populace is aflutterÐteas, readings, and evening parties are scheduled all over the valley and at the Tattered Cover Bookstore (the largest in the country) in Denver, all in June after the snowmelt. Also in the offing, ditto here in Tucson so keep your eyes out.




The Write Word
published bi-monthly by the Board of Directors
of The Society of Southwestern Authors
P.O. Box 30355, Tucson, AZ 85751

President
Mark Sneller: (520) 326-4771
e-mail: allergy@mindspring.com

Vice-President & Membership Chair
Penny Porter: (520) 296-5299 (FAX: 296-0409)
e-mail: wporter202@aol.com

Recording Secretary
Jean Gietzen: (520) 352-2009
e-mail: octodon31469@cs.com

Treasurer
Carol Costa: (520) 326-4146
e-mail: starlit@theriver.com

Forum Chair
Connie Kazal: (520) 682-8009

Conference Director
Penny Porter: (520) 296-5299 (FAX: 296-0409)
e-mail: wporter202@aol.com

Conference
Chris Stern
e-mail: cstern@usibm.com

Contest Chair
Barbara Stahura
e-mail: barbara@clariticom.com

By-laws
Dale Adams
e-mail: 2dale@dakotacom.net

Conference Interview Coordinator
Sharon Landeen
e-mail: SLLandeen@aol.com

Write Word Editor February through May
Mike Rom: (520) 410-1294 (beep)
e-mail: mike_rom@hotmail.com

Write Word Editor June on
Ken Graun
e-mail: Ken@kenpress.com


SSA Home Page:

http://www.azstarnet.com/nonprofit/ssa

Webmaster
Mike Rom: (520) 410-1294 (beep)
mike_rom@hotmail.com

Deadline for next issue is the 21st day of May