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
Review- Stacey Burns Quotes
Here are just a few comments I've received from followers of this blog. They indicate just a small degree of the level of frustration with the lack of a resolution in the Stacey Burns murder case. We now approach the sixth holiday season without this mother, sister,...
Live Free or Die Is Off! What next?
This morning, I sent the manuscript of Live Free or Die to the publisher. Now the fun begins. It is still in the "Work in Progress" category because it has not yet gone through editing/copyediting (officially but it surely has been gone over carefully here in the...
Sorry Is Not Enough
When is sorry enough? It is when an tragic event happens and that event was beyond human control. There are untold examples of this. One can't control the forces of nature. A person struck by lightning, a family killed in a devastating tornado, a sudden storm on a...
Are “sorrys” enough?
It is truly wonderful to see the remembrances on the Stacey Burns memorial website! In my book about our son's death at age 29, there are sections about "sorrys" and how reassuring and uplifting they are to those who are devastated by the event. Here is the question...
Live Free or Die
At 12:15 today, I wrote the final word of Live Free or Die (A New Parker Havenot Novel). It now enters the next stages but I am surely excited to have it reach this stage! Duke
Integrity-We’re Waiting!
Being of sound moral principle; uprightness, honesty, and sincerity- thus goes one definition of integrity in the Webster's New World Dictionary. My last post mentioned the importance of this quality in the case of the murder of Stacey Burns but that was in passing....
Writing into the dark
On Saturday, I experienced a writing seminar with Harvey Stanbrough on "Writing Into The Dark." It dramatically changed how I view my writing process and I know it will change how I write in the future. (for the better!) I used the word "experienced" intentionally...
Suspicions Confirmed-Truth Denied
Here is the truth as I see it from my distant home in Arizona. (Some may say my "out-of-touch" home in AZ although I don't feel that way at all) So called "Justice" will not be served for Stacey Burns. Twenty years from now, her family will be visiting her grave on...
Doing Justice
Bringing someone to justice, I mentioned in my last post, is a phrase that has earned the designation of a tired cliché. If I used the phrase in one of my novels, (not in dialogue) I'm sure the editor would circle it in red. However, just because the phrase is a...
Does Anyone Care?
Of course, everyone cares about bringing the murderer of Stacey Burns to justice. By the way, bringing someone to justice is such a tired and worn-out cliché that I can't believe I just used it! You know what is coming next in this logical sequence of events. If...
Looking Back, Moving Forward-Update
The memoir panel of Ethel Lee Miller, Denise Roselle and me, shown here warming up, was a great success with the best attendance of any October event for the Santa Cruz Valley Chapter of SSA.Hopefully, everyone went home and immediately started writing a memoir!
Many levels of fear in Stacey Burns case
Yesterday, as part of a panel on writing an effective memoir, I used a brief example from my experience with writing the story of the Stacey Burns murder. It had to do with reluctant interviewees and why people are sometimes hesitant to share pertinent information....