ART ANTHONY

Sulphur River, Art Anthony’s first novel, is a historical story about the Civil War. If you are a civil war buff, or just enjoy a good story, this is one worth checking out. It’s the fictional account of two young men who serve in the Confederate Army during the “Red River Campaign”. Anthony’s research, detailed account of battles, and the daily life of a soldier during this period, make the story even more interesting.

The author is a native Texan, having been born in Goose Creek (now known as Baytown). He currently lives in Tuttle, Oklahoma, a suburb of Oklahoma City. Anthony has a diverse background, having worked in agriculture, manufacturing and marketing before spending 23 years as an educator, retiring as superintendent of a school district in Illinois.

Sulphur River is written in narrative journalism style. For those not familiar with this style of writing, sometimes referred to as literary journalism, it is story-telling without or with very little dialogue. Although not utilized to a great extent today, some famous authors have used the characteristics of this style of writing.

Truman Capote claimed to be the inventor of this form of journalism with his novel, In Cold Blood, however, many observers trace its origin to well before Capote’s work.  Some of the characteristics of this style are evident as early as the 18^th century in Daniel Defoe’s writing and during the 19^th century by Mark Twain. More recently, both Ernest Hemingway and John Steinbeck employed it in some of their writing.

I asked Art a few questions about his experience writing.

Why did you decide to write your first novel in narrative style?

Anthony: “I wanted to try narrative, because it’s a style you don’t see anymore. The sequel, Return to Sulphur River, is written in a more traditional, dialogue style. ”

How extensive was the research involved in writing Sulphur River?

Anthony: “A lot! I made a ten day trip down the Red River in Louisiana. I then spent time at the Norman (Oklahoma) Public Library where I found three very old, dusty books that hadn’t been opened in many years. The books even contained some of the officers’ notes and dispatches. I spent three months pouring over this treasure. Finally, I had worked on a ranch in the area, that I then recreated in the novel a hundred years earlier.”

What are you working on now?

Anthony: “The sequel, Return to Sulphur River, which should be out in December. I am also working on a pioneer western set in Anahuac, Texas from 1828 to 1837.”

What was your greatest discovery from writing and publishing your first novel?

Anthony: “You must have a strong conviction and be prepared to work hard selling your work to the public.”

Finally, what advice would you give to a novice writer?

Anthony: “If you want to write, do it! If you don't, you will never forgive yourself.”

 

A. Hardy Roper – Stories from Galveston

If there is any merit to the advice often given to aspiring authors, “Write about what you know,” then A. Hardy Roper would be the person you'd choose to write novels set in Galveston, Texas. His great-grandparents emigrated from Germany in the 1840’s entering the U.S. at the Port of Galveston. He is a fourth generation Galvestonian. 

With two novels, Assassination in Galveston and The Garhole Bar, to his credits, Roper has displayed his skill at telling a story that keeps the reader entertained. My personal favorite is The Garhole Bar, admittedly because I love the title. Every time I am in the Galveston area, I expect to turn onto a street, close to the waters of the Gulf, and see a run-down, but inviting building. The book’s title scrawled above the door, it invites adventurous customers to enter and explore the mysteries.

Parker McLeod is the protagonist for both Roper’s novels. A well-trained, former military man, McLeod runs his bar as he and his friends are pulled into mysterious and puzzling plots of criminals and their misdeeds. The author does a great job of making McLeod a believable and interesting character; revealing his flaws as well as his strengths. For readers who enjoy following a main character through more than a single, well-written novel, these books will be just what you are looking for.

Roper recently dropped by the Galveston Bookshop, where the staff donned his Garhole Bar t-shirts for the photo on the left.

http://galvestonbookshop.com

It’s time for a third in the Parker McLeod series and we hope the author obliges soon. Roper has written a screenplay for his second work, Assassination in Galveston. He publishes his work through WESTBAY Publishing. Purchase his books, review the screenplay and learn more at http://www.assassinationingalveston.com. 

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Troy Mason – an emerging author worth keeping an eye on!

I became acquainted with Troy Mason through a mutual friend, Pam Mitchell, whom he describes as his Chief Marketing Officer. Troy’s writing career began when he wrote articles and was published in the 1990’s on the subject of bow hunting. But before I tell you about his most recent writing, let me introduce him.

Troy is a U.S. Marine. He retired as a Master Sergeant after 21 years, primarily spent as an air traffic controller. He says he was 33 years old before ever setting foot in a college classroom. Troy now has an undergraduate degree from Southern Illinois University and a Masters in Management of Information Technologies from the University of Virginia. I don’t often tout the educational achievements of the authors I write about; but I like the idea of a retired marine going back to school, writing books and reinventing himself.

I asked Troy to tell me what prompted him to take on the challenge of writing a novel. Here’s what he said, "I decided to write a book when the story came to me like a gift from God in a flash in a hotel room in Rochester, NY in March 2012. I had just finished the first outlaw biker fiction book I had ever seen; The Libertines, by Max Billington. I credit him with inspiring me to write, and we stay in touch even now..."

Outlaw is Troy’s first novel and it’s a good one! He does an excellent job of developing the featured character, Jason Broaduc. He takes us through Jason’s high school sports experience, relationship with parents, the Marine Corp, returning to civilian life as a state trooper, and finally Jason’s life in the saddle of a Harley and his experiences with the IRON KINGZ motorcycle club.

It’s an entertaining read and meets my simple standard! I didn’t want to put it down once I began reading. I always pay attention to a new author’s editing when first reading his or her work. I was particularly impressed with the absence of simple editing mistakes in Outlaw. Often, independent authors miss this important step before publishing.  

Troy is writing the sequel to his first novel and hopes to have it published and available to readers by December. The working title is IRON KINGZ, but he says that’s not set in stone. I encourage any reader who likes fast action and realistic fiction to check out Troy Mason’s work. You will see another nice touch when visiting his website to buy Outlaw at http://outlawauthor.com/; 10% of al proceeds are donated to 'Wounded Warriors'.      

Ron Delord – Writing from a different law enforcement perspective

Most of the authors I feature on this blog write fiction. I highlight the writing of those whose work might be of interest to my readers. Today’s author is one of those, whose efforts fit nicely with my blog posts on Crimes, Criminals and the Cops who chase them. His work, however, doesn’t include fiction.

Ron DeLord has written a number of books, including two, both very controversial, about how police unions should engage in political action to get the pay and benefits their members want. The second edition, Police Union Power, Politics, and Confrontation in the 21^st Century credits three other contributing authors.  For those interested in a behind the scenes look at methods of exerting political influence  as it relates to law enforcement, or how interest groups generally influence elected leaders decision-making,  these books will be well received.

Ron has a passion for making sure that the lives of all officers killed in the line of duty are properly memorialized . To that end, he has dedicated countless volunteer hours of research to document the deaths of officers across the nation. He is the leader in finding information on officers who were killed in the line of duty, but forgotten with time. He documents the record and makes sure they are recognized by having their names placed on both the National and State Law Enforcement Memorials. Ron's two books, Texas Lawmen, The Good and the Bad, detailing the deaths of Texas lawmen from 1835 through 1940, were published in collaboration with another writer. Ron was the Editor-in-Chief of a book titled The Ultimate Sacrifice, the Trials and Triumphs of Texas Police, an addtional book dedicated to those officers who gave their lives. His commitment to this mission defines DeLord as a person and as a writer.

For interesting historical facts about Texas officers who made the ultimate sacrifice, or for a behind the curtain look at how police unions work to influence government, check out his writing.  Simply visit his website, http://www.rondelord.com/html/books.html, where you’ll also find interesting information about the world of politics as it relates to the law enforcement community.

Gloria Hander Lyons - A Texas Author

This week I want to introduce my readers to an author whose work includes a variety of genres. She is a very talented writer who will soon release her first novel that I predict it will be a great success.

Gloria Hander Lyons has written motivational and humorous short-stories, a book on self-publishing for authors, cook books, party books, wedding planning books, and home decoration books for starters. A half-dozen of her stories have been accepted and published in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series of short-stories. Gloria taught self-publishing classes at a local community college in the adult learning program. Check out her books on her website at http://www.gloriahanderlyons.com/.  She also owns Blue Sage Press, the publishing company that she publishes books through.

Murder with a Touch of Spice is the title of her new novel, due to be released very soon. It's a mystery story with a touch of humor. I had the privilege of reading the manuscript recently and it met my standard for a really good book. From the moment I read the first paragraph, I didn't want to put it down. Keep an eye out for this one!

I intend to post another story about Gloria once her novel is released, but in the meantime, I must tell you one other thing about my friend. She is one of the two most inspiring persons I have ever met. (The other is my daughter, Kathy.) Gloria is very ill...well, I think I’ll let her tell you, with an excerpt from her blog.

"After being diagnosed in January, 2013, with breast cancer that had metastasized to my bones, and given a prognosis of two years, I made a bucket list of fun activities, and travel destinations so I could squeeze the most joy I could out of every single day. I created this blog to share the laughter, love and wonder of those adventures with my beloved friends and family." - Gloria Hander Lyons

I encourage everyone who has ever experienced a single episode of questioning if you can make it through the day, to visit Gloria’s blog, A Joyful Life: My Cancer Journey, and sign up for her blog postings at http://gloriasjoyfullife.blogspot.com/2013/03/my-cancer-journey.html. She’s a very positive, giving person, and you’ll see it in her blog stories.  

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A Little Change of Tempo

When I started this blog, my intention was to post stories about crimes, criminals, and the cops who chase them. I’ve decided to change the format just a little.  I’ll still be posting my stories (usually on Mondays) about those interesting or unusual crimes, criminals, and cops. In fact, be sure to take a look on Monday, when my Criminal of the Week will be Candy Barr, an exotic dancer whose name is linked to the likes of Jack Ruby, Mickey Cohen, and Lady Bird Johnson. She's one of the more fascinating characters to come out of Texas. Beginning today, however, I will also introduce you to some of my favorite independent authors.

Today that author is Tom Rizzo. Tom is a former news reporter, having plied his trade in both radio and television, before moving to the Associated Press (AP) where he worked as a correspondent. He lived in Great Britain for several years, after growing up in central Ohio. He now calls Texas home. He's acquired the cowboy boots and a Stetson, but more importantly, he's practicing saying "ya'll" when speaking to a group about his writing. I think he's a keeper!

Tom’s first novel, Last Stand at Bitter Creek is a historical novel set in the time period just as the American Civil War is ending. My simple standard for judging a novel’s value is, "do I have trouble putting it down once I begin reading?" I read Last Stand at Bitter Creek in two sittings!  He keeps the reader’s interest. All of his Amazon reviews have been five stars and some of the words used to describe his writing have been “authentic dialogue”, “solid, historical novel”, “fascinating plot”, and “great characters”.

I have it on good authority that Tom is currently working on a crime novel.  If it is as good as his first effort, we’ll have plenty of good reads from him in the future.

Check him out at http://www.tomrizzo.com/about-the-books/ where you can purchase Last Stand at Bitter Creek.  Oh yeah, be sure to watch his video trailer about the book too.

 

Joseph Wambaugh

He’s a cop who became a writer. But that’s not what he planned. After serving a hitch in the U.S. Marine Corp, he returned home, married to his high school sweetheart. Finishing his education was the priority. Majoring in English, he obtained a B.A. by the time he was twenty-three. Wambaugh intended to become an English teacher. Instead, he became an ‘accidental cop’.

That’s my description for the many big city cops whose professional lives deter into police work by circumstances rather than by design. Most of these officers didn’t “grow up wanting to be a cop”. They stumbled into the career out of necessity, the need for security or because the job paid more than the job they thought they wanted. That’s what Joseph Wambaugh did. Police work in Los Angeles paid more than teaching, had better benefits, and, as he soon learned, seemed to be more exciting work. 

He began writing about life on the streets shortly after becoming a cop, but the only person who knew he was a “closet scribbler” was his wife Dee. Now the author of twenty one books, both fiction and non-fiction, according to his website, he’s also billed as the Grand Master of police stories. Wambaugh has also created television series, movies and mini-series based on his work. Two of his books, The New Centurions and The Choirboys, were adapted into feature films by Columbia and Universal Studios, respectively. Wambaugh’s book, The Glitter Dome, was presented as an HBO movie in 1984. 

In interviews about his writing, Wambaugh says that he “goes out and gets the story” by interviewing people much like a reporter might. He notes that he interviewed 54 cops before even beginning to write one of his most recent novels, Hollywood Station. He expresses frustration with authors “who sit in their studies and try to nurse an idea into a four hundred page book that should have ended two hundred pages earlier”. Amazon, in writing about Wambaugh’s work, published the following. “Joseph Wambaugh is one of those Los Angeles authors whose popular success always has overshadowed his importance as a writer.” 

He is said to be funny and warm in interviews. Wambaugh is also no longer a cop. He gave that up after his success and popularity grew. He says he had been interviewed on virtually every television talk show, people he arrested wanted his autograph or a part in his next movie, and his police partner started opening the car door for him. Wambaugh knew then it was time to leave the police department, but he never stopped scribbling.