It is now mid June. I have just finished teaching a class in Poisons at Southwestern University for Sr. University. We are doing the initial planning for a second writer's college at the Georgetown Library starting in September. Also this September I have started with the Library Foundation to institute adult education classes. This should be fun and something the community needs and inexpensive but also help the library. Both these functions take effort and we have a good team set to do them.

San Gabriel Secret got the Dallas Writer's Guild Summer 2009 Mystery Book of the summer award. (Publisher please take note). 

Going to Montana shortly to visit friends and sight see. Driving so the trip will be interesting as well. 

Just finished another Virginia Davies novel but it needs a title and I haven't got one yet. Working on it. 

Update from Dr. Poison

It has been a while. I have three new books out:

Effective Transition from Design to Production  (management book)

Poison Handbook for Writers

San Gabriel's Secret -- start of a new mystery series with a Sr. Citizen for a hero! 

I also taught a class at the Sr. University here in Georgetown, TX and will be teaching another on in June on poisons.

Will be an instructor at the University of Texas this fall on writing.

I have a couple of interesting lectures I give one is called Vintage Aprons and I have some real examples and my own portable clothesline! The second is The History of Mysteries.  also do a talk on Sherlock Holmes -the man and one on forensics for writers and one called Murder 101-what really happens when you kill someone. 

I am now a member of the Georgetown Library Advisory Board, on the Board of Directors of the Writer's League of Texas, VP of Sisters in Crime (Austin, TX) and President of the San Gabriel Writer's League.

My newspaper column called Ask Uncle Dave is still running and a lot of fun to do. 

 A number of us authors put on workshops on writing in conjunction with the Georgetown Library called the Library Writer's College. It was a gig success!!!  We are now starting the planning for another college this fall. To go along with it-we are planning an adult education series called Georgetown Learns. This will be a lot of work but it should do well. 

I have also started anew mystery with Virginia Davies again. It is in work as we speak (or write). 

More pots soon-I promise

August update

Boy have we been busy! I have been to California twice for talks on poisons and selling books. The first trip was to LA and the Mystery Writer's of America chapter. Got to see some old friends as well. The second trip was to Orange County to Sisters in Crime (my old chapter). It was great and again go to see some old friends and made some new ones. I'll be teaching some classes for the Georgetown, TX public library Writer's College this fall and winter and doing some speaking around the area including at the University of Texas. Going to Port Aransis this October for some R&R (needed) and to Virginia to see my folks. I have also been in Fort Worth at the Sisters in Crime and at Frisco, Texas at a very successful book signing. The new book in a new series San Gabriel Secret will be hopefully out December 2008. I have a new Virginia Davies mystery adventure in work. The newspaper column, Uncle Dave, is going strong. So we have been busy but having fun!

Award-new book to publisher and new book in work

The job of a writer never stops. When you are not writting, you're selling or talking or ??? This is crazy but we keep doing it. This is because we love to write and when you have a great editor and publisher, you are really motivated. Well, so much for the intro. It's been that kind of week -this past week I mean. I did a class in writing a mystery over three evenings at Barnes and Noble. It was a success but I was glad it was done. Sunday I got the Barbara Burnett Smith Mentoring Author"s SAGE Award. It is beautiful and the event last Sunday was fun and boy did I get roasted. The President of our chapter of Sisters in Crime works at a bakery and had sugar cookies made that had the picture of my latest book on them. That was really nice and she's a great lady. It was a fun event. My book with Adam Thomas as the new lead character is at the publisher and I've started a new book with Virginia davies as the lead again. Have some talks coming up ranging from Poisons to forensics to Aprons. Don't ask. I'm setting up more signings and talks this summer.

Mystery in Three Parts

I am going to be teaching mystery writing the end of September on the writing cruise (see earlier blog) but now, as part of winning the Sage award, I will be teaching mystery writing at the WastLake Barnes and Noble bookstore in Austin, TX the 14th thru the 16th of May. This should be fun and a dry run for the cruise course. This is fortunate but now I have to get ready on top of a number of speaking engagements the Library Board, fixing a broken pipe and taling care of some grandkids while their parents are away for a while on top of normal tasks like cutting over an acre of grass and yard work. For this I retired??? I'm busier now than when I worked in California but without the murderous commute.
So, if anyone is interested in free class, come to the Westlake Barnes and Noble and take the course. If nothing else, we can have fun and the Customer Relations Manager is wonderful!

I'll be in Houston, TX at the Sisters-in Crime chapter this Saturday and at the Sisters-in Crime chapter in Austin, TX on Sunday. On the 19th of April I'll be at Hill Country Books in Georgetown, TX (north of Austin at 3pm to speak to a mystery readers group and in Ft. Worth on the 27th. So much for April. May looks worse but who's complaining? The people I get to meet are really nice and they usually purchase books and the travel is fun.

2008 Sage Award

I have a little self congradualtions to boast about for a change. It is about the Barbara Burnett Smith Mentoring Authors Foundation Sage Award. See following:

The Barbara Burnett Smith Mentoring Authors Foundation is pleased to announce the Second Annual Sage Award. The Sage will be awarded to the Mentoring Author that demonstrates an outstanding spirit of service in mentoring, sharing and leading others in the mystery writing community.
The Sage recipient will be honored at the Fourth Annual Barbara Burnett Smith Aspiring Writers Event on Sunday, May 18, 2008, at Barnes & Noble Westlake in Austin, Texas.

Well guess what? I was nominated by persons unknown but I was selected as the 2008 Sage Award winner. I think that is great. I've always believed in sharing knowledge and helping and encouraging others but didn't think anyone really noticed. Biy was I surprised! I can't thank the selection committee enough. This is great. I hope the people I have tried to help got what they needed and are successful.

Newest book released

I'm happy to announce that my latest book THE POISONS HANDBOOK FOR WRITERS was released Monday March 10, 2008. You can get an idea of the subject matter by reading the following.


Writers love poisons.
They really do. In fact they love them a great deal. Guns are noisy and messy. Knives are hard to use and bring the killer to close to the victim. Most don’t have the fortitude for strangling and bludgeoning. But, a poison? Simply slip a bit into food or drink and walk away. No fuss, no muss. Poisons are simple and clean. Almost civilized.
But, what exactly is a poison? The short answer is anything and everything. There is an adage in medicine that says: What can cure; can kill. This is a very true statement. Too much water and you’ll die. Breathing 100% oxygen will destroy your lungs...and you’ll die. Take too much aspirin and you’ll die. The basic difference between a medicine and a poison is the dose.
A couple of aspirin will cure a headache. A handful will knock your system sideways. You’ll develop severe acidosis and die. A proper dose of digitalis can strengthen the heart and keep its rhythm regular. A lot will cause the heart to jump into a chaotic and deadly rhythm. So medications can be poisonous.
The opposite is also true. A poison in small doses does little harm. We all have low levels of lead and arsenic and even cyanide in our systems. In larger amounts, each of these is extremely deadly.
So, where do writers find the poisons they use in their tales? The medicine cabinet would be a good place to look. Or under the sink. A pharmacy or chemical supply house would work, too. But, the best place just might be your back yard or your local nursery.
The world is filled with toxic plants. The medicines digitalis, quinidine, and belladonna come from the Foxglove, the Cinchona Tree, and the Deadly Nightshade, respectively. Opium and its cousins morphine and codeine and heroin come from the Opium Poppy. So, the plant world is filled with writerly possibilities.
Where can writers learn about all these household and backyard poisons?
Enter Dr. David Ciambrone and his Book of Poisons. In this remarkable book he shares his extensive knowledge on all things toxic in a clear and concise format. The writer can easily choose the poison that fits his plot needs and learn all he needs to know about how the poison works and how it affects the unfortunate victim.
If you write crime fiction, you need this book. It will not only supply you with a vast range of knowledge, it will also tickle that little part of your creative mind that asks: What if? And that’s where the story starts.

D. P. Lyle, MD
Award-winning author of Forensics For Dummies
and Forensics and Fiction
http://www.dplylemd.com/


It was really great of Dr. Lyle to write that great article that is the Forward to the book. If you are a mystery writer or just curious, this is the book for you.