Welcome! I’m Duke Southard, an author, retired educator, and lecturer.
I have published seven novels, a commissioned history, and an anthology of
award-winning short stories and essays.
Please check out my blog where I write about true crime and a wide ranging variety of literary and everyday subjects.
My Programs
My programs are offered free of charge to any schools, public libraries, and educational/community groups.
Free Book
Grab a free copy of my book, The Week from Heaven and Hell
My Books
View a list of my published books, including Tainted Justice.
Recent Posts
” . . .only one who seems to give a damn . . .?”
This post will be brief and to the point. "I’m sending you this information because you are the only one that seemingly gives a damn anymore." This is a quote from an email I received from a regular correspondent (not always public) regarding the Stacey Burns murder...
Degrees of Truth
"Degrees of Truth" is a small part of one chapter of Murder in a Small Town: The Tragic Death of Stacey Burns. After much deliberation, the essay "Degrees of Truth" has been removed from the Fallacy of Closure anthology, a book to be published soon. This piece dealt...
New Book
I'm excited! This anthology of award winning short stories, personal essays, and memoir is now in the publishing pipeline. More information will be forthcoming as publication date gets closer so please be watching for it. You will be treated to a wide variety of...
Stacey Burns: Old news?
Please don't take this title as disrespectful to the memory of a very special person. In fact, it is just the opposite. We, her advocates, her friends, her family, her community, cannot allow her to become "old news." Any number of my posts over the years regarding...
Missing the boat on Stacey Burns?
I received the following comment on my blog "Another Year" and it really made me think about what I've been writing in this blog over the years. Read on then I'll explain. "I am sorry you have not had many responses to your two questions (really any since Jim and...
A Revised Literary Plan-2018
As of last Wednesday, the Duke Southard literary plan for 2018 changed yet again. A collection of thirteen short pieces, a combination of [personal essays, memoirs, and short stories, has been submitted to the publisher to begin the editing process. This likely will...
Another Year!
Sometimes I wish I were in a crowded auditorium giving a talk about the Stacey Burns case. I have done it before but never to a large group. After informing this crowd about what I know, I would ask two simple questions and here they are:. We are approaching yet...
A New Literary Plan
We (Barbara and I) have decided on a new literary plan for this year. After meeting with my publisher today, we've decided to release two relatively short anthologies, one fiction nd the other personal essay/memoir before the new novel. These anthologies will include...
From “Murder in a Small Town . . .”
Here are a couple of short segments from Murder in a Small Town: The Tragic Death of Stacey Burns, a book residing in limbo until something else happens. Remember, these segments were written very early on in my work on the book. (between six and seven years ago!)...
On horseback- then and now . . .
Sixty four years since my last horseback ride, I finally climbed back on last Saturday. Here, from my short personal essay, "The Dude Ranch" are a few snippets of my experience as a thirteen year old spending three days at a dude ranch in northern New Jersey. (yes, I...
Stacey Burns Update
As promised in the last post, I will use this blog to keep readers updated on what I know is happening in the Stacey Burns murder investigation. On Sunday, a gentleman at our church came up to me after the service. He was present when I spoke to the men's breakfast...
On Ice Dams and Frozen Pipes
The bitter cold currently holding so much of the country in a seeming death grip brought back memories of our dramatic move from the mild climes of New Jersey to the harsh winters of New Hampshire in December of 1970. For three months, we rented an older, very large...