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
Live by accident?
Either we live by plan and die by plan, or we live by accident and die by accident. This according to the master playwright and novelist, Thornton Wilder. I was reminded of this quote from The Bridge of San Luis Rey when I heard a play based on this novel will be...
The Fallacy of Closure
With the SEVENTH! anniversary of Stacey Burns' death just weeks away, I thought I'd share a part of a piece I'm revising for entry into a Writer's Digest Literary contest. The essay deals with our own personal tragedy but I believe some human experiences contain...
Jacket-Cracks in the Wall
Date of publication is yet to be determined but here is the likely front jacket of my new book. I am hoping for a good editing report so the road to publication will be smooth. Duke
Not your business!
Almost seven years ago, Stacey Burns was murdered in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. Some of my respondents to this blog have indicated that they were told, upon inquiry, that this case was none of their business. When she was slaughtered on Mothers' Day, 2009, Stacey was a...
Desperate Circumstances?
Did a set of desperate circumstances kill Stacey Burns? Desperate situations often create the environment for desperate actions. When a character in my new book makes the statement that desperate times call for desperate measures, his comrade's response brings him up...
What Wall?
Some have asked about the title of my new book. What does "Cracks in the Wall" mean? In Live Free or Die, Josie says, "Sometimes we can still see over or through the cracks in the wall we've built to shield us from the past." Have any of you known someone who was...
Off to the Publisher
Late Saturday afternoon, Cracks in the Wall, my new novel, went to the publisher to begin the editing process. Depending on how much editing is required (I'm hoping not much!) it could be out sometime in June. It is another in the Parker Havenot series, with the...
People, Packrats, and Politicians
Packrats are a problem in our area in Arizona. For years, we've been battling them but yesterday, as we caught one in one of those horrible sticky traps, I revisited some thoughts I had back in New Hampshire when we thought an onslaught of tunneling chipmunks was...
Tucson Festival of Books
My fiction entry, Cracks in the Wall, was a finalist in the Tucson Ffestival of Books Literary Awards-2016. That designationresulted in an invitation for me to participate in the Masters Writers Workshop, a two day, intensive seminar writing immediately following the...
Murder or Kill?
Is there a difference between murdering and killing? Biblical scholars say there is quite a difference. Does the "Thou shalt not _____" commandment say murder or kill? Most scholars will say that murder is the best translation because it refers to what one human...
The Commendation
This is a new kind of post for me. I have included a PDF file of my entry in the Society of Southwestern Authors personal essay contest. This short entry received a commendation. I welcome your comments. If this is seems like a good idea, I will periodically include...
Kids say great things!
For a change, this post has nothing to do with the Stacey Burns murder. It has to do with my grandson, Ben. With apologies to Art Linkletter, I do agree with his famous cliché that kids do say the darndest things. With Ben, I will change that to kids say great things....