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
Back with new questions!
After traveling for the last week and having the Festival of Books and Masters Writers Workshop the week before, I'll be resuming my blog posts about my work on the Stacey Burns book on a regular basis again early this week. I have actually spoken with some different...
Be honest!
After two intense days at the Masters Workshop immediately following the Tucson Festival of Books, I am just now coming down from the euphoria of mixing with a group of talented nonfiction writers and a great leader in Rigoberto Gonzales. I came away with many (MANY)...
Festival of Books-Tucson
Posts over the past five days have been missing because of my attendance at the Tucson Festival of Books and the Masters Writers' Workshop. Count an a return to regular postings beginning tomorrow. In the meantime, check out some of the responses to previous posts on...
Mind Changers=Game Changers?
With apologies to those who might say this is repetitious but because the post on Monday was made during a time when I was told my site was being updated and nothing would post (which I promptly forgot), I feel a need to repost the general idea. Since I began work...
I Know Who Killed Stacey Burns!
Well, I guess that may have gotten your attention. For some reason, my last post did not get published. The title of that post was Mind Changers, Game Changers. It had to do with those who told me I could use the information they provided but then changed their minds....
The Second Hope
Much of the work I've done on Murder in a Small Town: The Tragic Death of Stacey Burns has forced me to revisit a time of devastating loss in my own life. As I have spoken with people who knew Stacey, it is relatively easy to sense the grief, the futility, the pain,...
Stacey and Gary-Similarities?
At the risk of offending Stacey's family and friends, I'm going to post this anyway. I believe that my description of Gary's death in the final paragraph of The Week from Heaven and Hell could not compare to having Stacey ripped out of so many lives in such violent...
Final conversations-Gary and Stacey
In my book, The Week from Heaven and Hell, I recount my final interaction with our son on the morning of the day he died. I was preparing to leave for work early that morning when our dog, Ollie, came skittering down the stairs followed by Gary, muttering about being...
Uncorroborated Hearsay
My last post briefly discussed hindsight, which is so often referred to in terms of perfect eyesight, as in 20-20 vision. My humble opinion is that the cliché is a fallacy. The further removed from an event or a conversation in time and space, the less accurate...
Book Reviews-Important?
In yesterday's Arizona Star, A Favor Returned was reviewed. The reviewer effectively captured the essence of the story in only sixty five words! I did wonder whether the phrase "this unusual novel" was a compliment, however. I've always felt that reviews are critical...
Hindsight-20/20? No!
This is a paragraph from Chapter Two: A Prelude to Murder- Saturday, May 9, 2009 of Murder in a Small Town: The Tragic Death of Stacey Burns. "Hindsight is always 20-20." This cliché, like so many others, is a fallacy. While perspective can change because the...
PI’s and truth
Have not heard back from "John" the private investigator who called me last week . . .His message was garbled on my machine so I missed his number to call back. He sounded as though he really wanted to speak with me so if anyone knows a PI in New Hampshire who is...