2 March 2005 On this date, Charlotte and I celebrate our 37th wedding anniversary. We were first married in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. We later renewed our vows in Branson, Missouri at the Christ Unity Church, after divorcing for tax purposes. We remarried on the same date we first got married. I failed to file notice of the marriage in California, which forbode problems with Social Secutirty as we neared retirement age. We raised 9 children, hers, mine and ours, with Marc being the child hecho in Mexico and born in Northridge, California in 1972. Charlotte, a widow, had 3 children when we married and I had 5. This is a happy anniversary for both of us. Last week, Charlotte and I visited the Hastings bookstore in Mt. Pleasant to check their stock for any of my new books. They did not have a single title of mine, although the new releases and the western racks were well-stocked with books written by friends of mine. I again spoke to the store manager who said, once again, that the Hastings corporate office in Amarillo, still refused to send them any of my published books. He said, again, that they would give him no reason. I asked him to please check with them again and left him my card. I notified Tor/Forge and Berkley. At least the local Wal-Mart stores in Mt. Pleasant, Gilmer, and Longview, are carrying my paperback titles, including THE PALO DURO TRAIL, THE BARON WAR and BLOOD RIVER. This was not always so and I have no explanation why they are now stocking my books locally. The hardcover of THE BARON HONOR was published and shipped in February. I have seen no reviews, nor do I expect to, in light of the current situation of low sales for western literature. Finally, the DVDs, at least 90 minutes each, of my five week course on the art and craft of writing at the public library in Gladewater, Texas, are finished and will be available on this website as soon as Leslie King, the tireless, efficient and creative manager of this site, has put together the page announcing these videos. I have spoken about the classes before, giving a general idea, of the content of the videos. The title of the 5-part series is: REFLECTIONS ON WRITING, which is what they really are. They are presented in their entirety, just as they happened, uncut and unedited. I am currently writing a novel for Berkley, THE SUNDOWN MAN, told in first person, set in 1870s Kansas and Colorado. Be sure and attend the NETWO writers conference next month, in Winnsboro, Texas. Details of speakers, fees, etc, can be found at www.netwo.org. The organization has a great lineup. In the meantime, as Frank Roderus always says, “write splendid.” All the best, Jory * * * * * LATE BREAKING NEWS Lou Turner, President of Ozarks Writers League, emailed me that a short story I had entered in the first annual Gene E. Andereck short fiction awards, had won first place. The story is entitled POINT OF ORIGIN. Winner receives a certificate and a check for $25.00. Gene was a dear friend, an attorney, who started writing novels and published the early ones, which I helped him on. He took his own life last year during the early stages of Alzheimer’s Disease. He was a great friend and a strong financial contributor to both Ozarks Writers League and Missouri Writer’s Guild.