Now there is. My manuscript (1st rough draft) of Murder in a Small Town: The Tragic Death of Stacey Burns is sixteen chapters in length. It represents untold hours in travel, research, interviews, and writing. As mentioned in a previous blog, a time must come when one weighs the plusses and minuses of a project such as this. At this moment, the plusses still tilt the scale in their favor.
Today, in an interview with the editor of the Green Valley News, I was asked why I continue to pursue this effort. Why try to write this book- a book which Stacey’s family does not favor and apparently many of Stacey’s friends do not favor either? Here is the answer, as well as I can put it. First, I write, for that is what writers do. (Thanks, Denise!) Second, I know people who are hurting so deeply because of this horrific crime that I naively thought I might make a difference. Third, and again, naively, I thought that if the book ever sold, the proceeds could help the Burns children. That is why I continue to do this.
Well, as they say, a hard lesson learned is one never forgotten. It has been twenty one years since our son died. Not a day nor an hour nor probably a minute goes by without a vision of his face drifting through my consciousness. I just thought that maybe my efforts on this book would help keep a vision of Stacey Burns drifting through the minds of the many who were touched by her during her life.
The deadline I mentioned in the title? I’ll be in New Hampshire for four days in September. I’ve offered free programs about the process of writing this book. I’ve contacted previous interviewees for follow-up interviews. I will have contacted police authorities directly in the next few days. These efforts are simply to verify events that already exist in the rough draft. How hard can it be to say, “No, that isn’t how it happened” or “Yes, that’s the way it was?” No response from any of these efforts will tell me much about where the project should go.
In early October, as I return to Arizona from New Jersey and New Hampshire, a decision on the direction of this project will have to be made. There are people out there who could make this decision much easier. Please let me hear your opinion! Thanks!
Duke
Test
I try not to read much when it comes to Stacey’s case anymore but received a call from a man from a paper in AZ so took a peek. My opinion as to why certain people who spoke to you previously and are no longer speaking have since discovered that the truth as they knew it is not the truth at all and they look like idiots after speaking their truth with such conviction. To speak to you about this case a person who loved Stacey and thought they knew her would have to admit that she was not who she portrayed and her life was filled with secrets and lies. Secrets and lies that live on to this day, grow with time and have forever changed my family. I have long since accepted the fact that Stacey was not always who she appeared to be and I still love and miss her anyway. Others should do the same.
As long as this horrible murder remains unsolved there can be no deadline. As an author with an inquisitive mind as you seem to have there can be no deadline.As long as people profess to love and miss Stacy there can be no deadline.As long as there are questions without answers there will never be a deadline. So i guess the answer is NO DEADLINE.
As weird as this will sound i will try to rewrite the answer that i just posted it came up and i started to read it and all of a sudden it dissapeared i will try again.
As long as there is an unsolved murder there will be no deadline. As long as there. are unanswered questions there will be no deadline. As long as there are people that love and miss Stacy there will be no deadline. As long as there is an auther that has as inquisitive mind as you seem to have THERE WILL BE NO DEDLINE.
thanks Jamie for SUCH A CANDID STATEMENT so truly stated. Those who love Stacey may have to open their minds AND THEIR HEARTS to any possable motives for her death for it to be resolved. A closed mind is like a closed book. I pray for the soul of Stacey and for her childrens healing.