Writing Across Texas series spotlights
Texas authors and agents on PAC in April
A new series of educational television programs called Writing Across Texas debuts April 4 on Public Access Channel 3. “During lively 30-minute interviews, literary agents and successful Texas authors share their secrets about the art and business of writing,” said Sara Puig Laas, a volunteer with this Writers' League of Texas series. A Laredo native, Laas helped acquire the group of 13 shows for Laredo with the aid of a grant from Neel Title Corporation.
“These casual conversations on TV let high school and college students, as well as the general reading public, see writers as the fascinating individuals that they are. Writing Across Texas aims to entertain a broad audience and inspire individuals of any age to keep improving their writing skills. The authors share many tips and techniques for success,” said Laas.
“The programs are ideal for teachers to assign for extra credit in English, drama, or even history and civics classes,” said Laas. “I am grateful to Laredo Public Access-TV for its help in bringing this valuable learning tool to Laredoans.”
Laas is producer and host of Border Voices in the Arts, a Public Access program highlighting the contributions of border artists to American culture.
Beginning April 4, the series of 13 Writing Across Texas programs will air on Ch. 3 every Monday at 9:30 p.m. and at two other random times during the week. Guests include Liz Carpenter, White House press secretary to Lady Bird Johnson, and Gates of the Alamo author Stephen Harrigan, plus writers of children's books, romance novels, and memoirs. The list includes historians, true crime writers, poets, and more. The complete schedule is as follows:
April 4 - Children's Fiction: Award-winning authors Lila Guzman from Round Rock and Diane Gonzales Bertrand of San Antonio tell why and how they reach across cultures with their picture books and fiction for young adults. Guzman's research led her to write the Lorenzo series about Spain 's contribution to the American Revolution. Bertrand writes dual language picture books as well as books for teens such as Trino's Choice. Interviewer: Sara Puig Laas.
April 11 - Journalism & Speech Writing: Liz Carpenter sheds light on the challenges of writing speeches for famous people and talks about her writing career. Carpenter wrote the first speech Lyndon Johnson gave as president after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Interviewer: Martha Iglehart.
April 18 - Thriller/mystery: Two-time RITA Award winner Jodi Thomas of Amarillo reveals how she works out her intricate plots, including that of her new book, a thriller set in Austin. Interviewer: Sara Puig Laas.
April 25 - Children's Non-Fiction: Author and illustrator Mark Mitchell recounts the stories behind Raising La Belle, winner of the 2003 U.S. Maritime Literature Award. Interviewer: Stephen Yanoff.
May 2 - Agents: Seven successful literary agents from New York , Hollywood , and Texas share tips and advice at the annual Writers' League of Texas Agents Conference, 2004. Interviewer: Larry Brill.
May 9 - Memoir: Susie Flatau, memoir instructor, talks about teaching and about producing memoir anthologies such as Red Boots and Attitude, and From Our Mother's Hands, which contains a story about State Senator Judith Zaffirini and what she learned from her mother, Nieves Pappas. Interviewer: Joan R. Neubauer.
May 16 - History: Austin 's Jim Hornfischer shows how he juggles two careers -- literary agent and author of an award-winning WWII battle history, Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors. Interviewer: Stephen Yanoff.
May 23 - True Crime: Diane Fanning of New Braunfels talks about the high-profile cases in her books, including the Del Rio girl who helped convict serial killer Tommy Lynn Sells. Interviewer: Sara Puig Laas.
May 30 - Autobiography: Frances Nail, popular reader of her memoir pieces on KUT-FM, talks about the importance of writing one's life story. Interviewer: Martha Iglehart.
June 6 - Women's Non-Fiction: P. J. Pierce reveals how she collected the stories of 25 of Texas' most powerful women in politics, business, and the arts. Interviewer: Martha Iglehart.
June 13 -Romance: Evelyn Palfrey shares her secrets of success, from self-publishing and marketing three books to signing with a major New York publishing house. Interviewer: Joan R. Neubauer.
June 20 - Poetry: Scott Wiggerman, poet and teacher, sheds light on the directions poetry is taking today, from Japanese haiku to slam poets, and the steps to becoming a poet. Interviewer: Sara Puig Laas.
June 27 - Mainstream Historical: Stephen Harrigan recalls his writing journey, from his days in magazine writing through screenwriting to his popular book, The Gates of the Alamo . Interviewer: Stephen Yanoff.
This series of 13 programs is being brought to Laredo by a grant from Neel Title Corporation. Writing Across Texas is a project of The Writers' League of Texas, which is funded in part by the Texas Commission on the Arts and the City of Austin.
