Newsletter of the Society of Southwestern Authors|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Newsletter of the Society of Southwestern Authors |
Vol. 2, No. 14 June-July '98 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Karl Arthur on Scams
Karl has been conducting professional investigations for law enforcement and the private sector since 1978. Born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, he grew up in Tucson, Arizona.
Subsequently, he "ran away" from home to attend college in Hayward, California, studying Natural Resource Management at N.A.S.C./University of California. Upon his return to Tucson, he took courses in business law, and marketing at the University of Arizona.He has graduated from many highly specialized investigation-related schools such as: Crisis Intervention, Behavioral Sociology & Criminal Psychology Methods, Child Abuse & Children's Testimony, Scientific Content Analysis, Homicide Investigations, Fire & Arson, Crime Scene Forensics, Crime Scene Photography, Forensic Accounting, Consumer Fraud, Insurance Law, and many others. Karl is well-respected for his development of break-through hiring strategies for businesses, and his entertainment industry investigations. As a former government Consumer Fraud Specialist, he is currently a recognized "expert" of the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrator, Washington, D.C. In 1996 he was one of eight international nominees for the prestigious "Consumer Advocate of the Year Award."
He is in demand as a speaker for professional organizations; consults and writes technical articles, and training manuals in his areas of specialization. He has three non-fiction book projects in development, has completed two suspense-fiction novels, and has started a third. Karl is a licensed pilot, and in his spare time, trains tracking dogs.
Flash Fiction With Lila
"Flash Fiction: or How to Write a Short Story in 99 Words or Less" is part of the on-line course that Lila Guzmán teaches for the Word Museum. Flash fiction is the latest trend in short stories. Some publications want stories no longer than 400-500 words (believe me, that's not much of a word count). Others want 99 words or less. There is no room for more than the absolute essentials of setting, conflict, and resolution in flash fiction. It has a beginning, middle and end, setting, characters, a conflict, and a resolution--everything that makes it a story, but it is done with less words.Lila has published many stories in everything from the Roswell Literary Review to the Arizona Literary Magazine. She took first place in the Johnson County Creative Writers 1997 contest in the Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror Novel category with Time on Her Hands. She also participated in the New York Attorney General's investigation of Edit Ink. In May 1998, the Austin Writer published her non-fiction piece, "Edit Ink and Me," about her experiences sending bogus manuscripts to suspect agents. (see Flash Fiction example on last page) Lila will be our July 19th speaker. |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
RECENT SUCCESSES
Sinclair Browning's Lyons on Horses, co-authored with John Lyons, has recently been sold to a German publisher. The book, published in 1991, has sold over 100,000 copies and is in its 16th hardcover printing.Susan Chamberlain published Beyond the Psychic Line in May '98. Mary Tate Engels finally has a contract for Corazon Contents, a cultural coodbook to be published by Texas Tech University Press in Spring, 1999. Sharon Gearhart-Hans has contributed to the book, An Artist's Portrayal of Madonna & Child, a blend of art and true life stories, love and life, co-authored by Esther Monte and Louise Tenbrook Whiting, and published by Pacific Ocean Press, Cypress, California. Keith Jensen published Icy Genes on March 25, 1998. Sharon Landeen, children's books author and co-chair of our 1998 Writer's Contest, claims the biggest success of all. Her grandson, Cody Iverson, age 7, has followed in Grandma's footsteps by publishing his first story, "My Pet," in ByLine (June, '98). When you read page 30 you will find, not only Cody's story and a picture of he and "Moe," you will be stunned to discover what his pet is. E.J. (Mac) McGill has sold a three part illustrated series titled "La Aventura Grande," to ClubMex. The first two installments appeared in the Nov-Dec and Jan-Feb issues along with his photos of the Mayan ruins at Uxmal and Palenque. The series is based on his and his wife's 6,000 mile 34 day drive through Mexico, from Tucson to Belize and back.
The Write Word
President
|
|