Some new folks have joined this blog and I feel a need to bring everyone up to date on what it is all about.
A little more than a year after Stacey Burns was murdered, I initiated my work on Murder in a Small Town: The Tragic Death of Stacey Burns with an unofficial and unrecorded conversation with Jim Vittum on his logging barge in Lake Winnipesaukee. Subsequently, after much discussion with my family about the wisdom of undertaking the project, I contacted a good friend of Stacey’s who encouraged me to pursue the idea. I decided to try it despite my lack of experience in the true crime genre.
My personal caveat was that no one should profit from such a horrible crime so I made it known that any net proceeds from the sale of a book, should it ever be published, would benefit the established foundation fund for the Burns children.
In late October, 2010, I returned to New Hampshire and conducted extensive interviews with friends, colleagues, and acquaintances of Stacey Burns and began to work in earnest on the book. At that time, I sent letters to Ed Burns, the Keane family, and the police (both state and local) requesting interviews. These letters, some of which were sent certified, produced negative results. The police said they could not comment on the case, the family did not want to be involved in the project at all, and the letters (including one certified) to Ed Burns were ignored or returned to me.
While I have worked on other projects during the last three and half years, Murder in a Small Town: The Tragic Death of Stacey Burns has consumed a substantial amount of my writing time. Subsequent trips back to New Hampshire have only led to additional frustration as the people who could supply new information will not do so and I have no standing to force them to talk to me.
So, that is the situation right now. Some of my family and friends have said I should just publish what I have. What do you think?
Duke
Publish it, anything is better than nothing and some may need to be enlightened once again on how important it is to have this mystery solved. RIP Stacy Burns, and may your children find the peace in their souls they so richly deserve~
It is time to bring the truth to light. Please publish the story, I will buy a copy for sure.
Thank You…..John
Yes, I say publish it. Just maybe it will get the ball rolling again. If you do publish I hope you let us all you di. I get want to get a copy. RIP Stacey Burns.
Dear Duke: Yes publish. Let all know including the State. Ask public for ideas how to expedite and publish in book. Solicit $$ for ads to promote book when published.Fred
Publish as the truth as you see it.And your journey to gather this into a book- research, soul searching, emotional personal ethical perspectives.
I also recommend you publish what you have to date and move on. I would suggest you end the book with much of what you have just said in this post. If it were me, I would be certain to point out the lack of help or interest in the case from those very people who should have such an interest nor have the courtesy to answer your letters. Perhaps some rock you have turned over will reveal the larva of something to produce an action, if the right person should see it. Who can tell?
When I “finished” my recently published novel about the fascinating disappearance of Maura Murray in 2004, I held off publication for 6 months — rethinking the whole thing and trying once again to solve the mystery. A good friend advised to put it out there and move on. I did, and I did.
I’d say it’s about time.
P.S.
I developed a passion for writing when I worked for an interesting guy you might have known — Rink DeWitt. I was his marketing director and got to write lots of material for his annual reports, speeches, etc.