More than 100 authors descended on Austin this past weekend for the Texas Book Festival, but only one was there to receive the 2023 Texas Writer Award. That author was Elizabeth Crook, and her session at the Festival was, in many respects, the highlight of the weekend.
Hannah Gabel, the Literary Director for the TBF, introduced her…
… and on hand to lead the discussion was her friend, Stephen Harrigan–the Texas Writer Award winner in 2011. They discussed the literary life, their writing processes and their work on “The Which Way Tree,” a screen adaptation (optioned by Robert Duvall) of Crook’s 2018 novel of the same name.
Crook’s latest novel, “The Madstone,” features the lead character in “The Which Way Tree,” Benjamin Shreve. And in both novels, Shreve offers what Harrigan calls “one of the most distinctive and appealing characters in all of fiction.”
That distinctive voice comes from a lot of hard work, as well as an ear for speech. Crook is a relentless researcher. While writing her first book, The Raven’s Bride (published by Jackie Kennedy at Doubleday), she travelled to different cities in Tennessee; to Huntsville, TX; to the cemeteries where Houston and Eliza Allen are buried; and talked to dozens of historians and family members of the subjects. For Madstone, she followed a similar approach, and she and Harrigan laughed about her efforts to ascertain accurate stagecoach schedules to and from Texas towns. Put simply, she wants historical fiction to be accurate history.
And that history is almost always set in Texas. “I love Texas,” she says. “Texas is home for me.” But she also relies heavily on imagination to create characters and scenarios, and it is this creative world–rooted in reality–that draws comparisons to Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Cormac McCarthy, Larry McMurtry, and Stephen Harrigan.
And once you read The Which Way Tree and Madstone, you’ll understand the comparisons–and her deserving win of the Texas Writer Award.
Note: Ever wonder what tangible “trophy” the Texas Writer Award winner receives? Well, according to Stephen Harrigan, it “used to be a bookend, one resembling a gravestone.” No longer. It is a pair of boots, individually fitted!
We were eager to begin our second day of the Texas Book Festival. Having attended the first day, we were no longer rookies, and we had a better idea of how to navigate the lines, accommodate the back-to-back schedule, and, in short, what to expect.
Poking Around the TX Book Festival
Much of what we learned at the festival came from just breathing in the book culture. We peaked in on some panels just to see if the author could capture our attention. We were exposed to books, ideas, and authors we would not have sought out, but then found they had something interesting to say and something to teach us. We had a chance to see some of the most respected authors in the nation, and in two cases, we had a chance to see hear them discuss their work for the floor of the House of Representatives!
One of these was H.W. Brand, the UT Historian and best-selling author of numerous books.
Sam Houston Assessing H.W. Brands
He discussed his latest book, Founding Partisans, and he revealed the founding father he thought most interesting (James Madison).
Tim O’Brien, the celebrated author of The Things They Carried and the National Book Award winning Going After Cacciato, also spoke from the House floor–standing at the Speaker’s dais!
Although O’Brien was born in Austin, it was Austin, MN, not Austin, TX. Nonetheless, he lives in central Texas and is considered a “Texas author.”
In fact, for many years, he taught at Texas State University, and he donated his papers to the Harry Ransom Center.
Beyond these unique experiences, we each wrote about a panel that stood out to us, which you can find below.
Fighting to Survive: Rebellions in Epic Fantasy
Madison Cawthon
Our first panel was an interesting exploration of fantasy books, featuring Tracy Wolff and Ehigbor Okosun. Their discussion unveiled the intricate process of world-building, emphasizing how their characters acted as architects of the realms within their books.
Both authors revealed that their characters organically guided the storytelling process. Okosun notably delved into the incorporation of Nigerian culture, shedding light on how its appreciation often relies on readers’ familiarity with its nuances. It was interesting to hear about all the planning and behind-the-scenes work that went into writing their novels. Ultimately, this panel was one of my favorite panels of the festival.
A Night of Screams: Latino Horror Stories
by Jessica Cuevas
Growing up, I heard different versions of Latin American lore, such as La Llorona (the weeping woman), El Cucuy (the Boogeyman), and La Chupacabra (a goat sucker). All of these stories, perhaps not coincidentally, reminded us to behave and listen to our parents. When I was a child, these stories instilled a fear in me, and if my parents or siblings just mentioned these names, I knew I was in trouble. With a large Hispanic membership in LEAP, this background influenced our decision to attend the session, “A Night of Screams: Latino Horror Stories.” Richard Santos, himself a novelist, moderated the event, in conversation with Leticia Ortiz, Ruben Degollado, and Monica Teresa Ortiz.
When asked to gather Latino artists to create the First Anthology of Latin Horror Stories, Richard Santos jumped at the opportunity. Although unsure of who he would ask at first, he knew it was something he could get done, and he was right! Together, they put together an anthology of some of the most common and traditional horror stories, but they took some liberty in writing their own version and creating other stories. Mónica shared an anecdote about her grandfather and father in a near encounter with La Chupacabra, while Rubén took this opportunity to create a story about zombies down at the US-Mexico Border, and Leticia wrote about body horror and generational trauma in her book, “Las Criaturas”. Together they filled the room with laughter as many Hispanics in the room related to the authors’ experiences that influenced their stories.
Fortunately for the panelists, their book sold out at the event. Unfortunately for the LEAP Ambassadors, the books sold out before they could get copies!
The Security of a Free State & The Distortion of the Second Amendment
by Michelle Cardenas
One of the timeliest panels of the day was The Security of a Free State & The Distortion of the Second Amendment. This panel featured Cameron McWhirter, author of American Gun: The True Story of the AR15, and Jeff Sharlet, author of The Undertow: Scenes from a Slow Civil War. Both authors shared a bit about their books and tackled the topic of the origin of guns and how much change they have brought to society over time.
Cameron McWhirter focused on explaining the creation of the AR15 and how its original purpose has been distorted over time. McWhirter explained that the AR15 was designed to provide military troops with a more accessible and easy weapon in combat. Despite its original intent, the AR15 is the most common gun used in mass shootings and other high-profile criminal cases. One of the most shocking details he gave during the talk was his very own experience purchasing an AR15. According to Cameron McWhirter, it only took him 38 minutes to buy such a deadly weapon; it was that quick!
Jeff Sharlet took a different approach to the conversation and asked the crowd to reflect on how we accept guns in our everyday lives. He explained how over the years guns have become a huge part of our social norm. Owning a gun is no longer uncommon or odd, instead, it is deemed a necessity to protect oneself. He shared with us a staggering statistic; the United States is the country with the most civilian-owned guns with a ratio of 120 guns to every 100 civilians.
Both authors acknowledged the issues the United States is currently having with firearms ending up in the hands of the wrong people. They did a phenomenal job educating the public on the real purpose of firearms and the reality of the world we live in today. They embraced the topic and encouraged us to enjoy and protect the freedom that we have been blessed with.
Wrapping Up the Book Festival
These were far from the only sessions we experienced. We also learned about the State Parks, which just this week received a windfall from voters, who voted to create a Conservation Fund for State Parks. This 1 billion is sorely needed, a fact elaborated on by George Bristol and Andrew Sansom, both of whom have written books on the State Parks.
Intriguingly, Andrew Sansom’s book, on the Art in Texas State Parks, features the work of one of our favorites: Lee Jamison.
We also had a chance to see a cooking demonstration by Judd Servidio, whose book, Salt & Vanilla, offers both recipes and some stories about cooking for the rich and famous.
And where besides the TX Book Festival can you go from a cooking demonstration to a panel on “family thrillers…”
…and then go to a panel about women in law enforcement?
In the latter case, we had a chance to see author–and former CIA agent–Jana Monroe, whom we saw last month at Murder By the Book.
In short, it was a weekend full of learning and enrichment, and we look forward to next year’s Book Festival, which we hope is the beginning of a LEAP Tradition.
Following our morning of art with Daniel Arredondo, LEAP students made their way to day one of the Texas Book Festival!
We were thrilled to enter a space in which we could gain firsthand accounts from authors from a wide range of genres.
Our first session was titled “What We Lost: Stories of Family & Womanhood” hosted by the authors Alma Garcia and Esmeralda Santiago. In this session, the authors talk about the emotional complexity of the Puerto Rican diaspora, tragedy and healing, and the sacrifices made by women.
Continuing the theme of hard-hitting conversations, we visited Contemporary Art Museum’s Rooftop to listen to Ava Chin and Rodrigo Dorfman at their panel titled; “Lived Experience: a Legacy of Exclusion and Exile”. This was Olivia and Michelle’s favorite session of the day. Chin, in her book “Mott Street” covers the longstanding impact the Chinese Exclusion Act had on her family and the Chinese community, as a whole, for generations. On the other hand, Dorfman read an excerpt from his memoir “Generation Exile: the Lives I Leave Behind” which had a few people in tears by the time he finished reading. Dorfman talked about a “generational curse” in his family where his grandfather, father and himself were all exiled from their country by the age of seven years old.
During the Q&A space, Olivia asked Chin and Dorfman about the reaction their families had about their writing and how they approach the various complexities of their perspective.
After this highly emotive session, we went on to attend the “Pictures & Words: Bret Anthony Johnson & Keith Carter on Ghostlight”, a photography book with filled with Carter’s “Bayou-Gothic” aesthetic.
He made use of a vision problem in one eye, influencing his style of photography with a short depth of vision. Carter’s oblique positioning and his sense of light and “aberrations” makes for a style that truly tells a story for the viewer to contemplate.
While some of our photographs possess aberrations, they are not nearly as intentional or as visually appealing as Carter’s mastery.
Following the informational session, we went straight to listen to another group favorite panel, Rachel Louise and Meg Kissinger at “We Need to Talk: Urgent Stories about Domestic Abuse & Mental Health”. She emphasizes the stigma mental illness had in her early years and the impact it had in her family as a whole.
This panel allowed us to see where generational perspectives of mental health and violence intersect, which provided a poignant reminder of open dialogues such as these.
Our excitement, though boundless, was met with the sobering realization that our enthusiasm outmatched our wallets. BookPeople, the largest independent bookstore in Texas, was the seller of all books discussed throughout the weekend. We picked out some titles that piqued our interest, along with books from the panels we had visited throughout the day.
Blanton Museum of Art
by Madison Cawthon
After we wrapped up at the Texas Book Festival, we had the chance to check out the Blanton Museum of Art.
This was a first for many of us, including myself, but the live music upon entry indicated that we were in for a fantastic experience.
After checking in at the museum, we ventured to Ellsworth Kelly’s Chapel, otherwise known as Austin.
The Austin Chapel is a cruciform architectural structure that was originally designed by artist Ellsworth Kelly. Known for his use of color and shape, this chapel can be considered one of his grandest designs.
Geometric black and white canvases adorned the walls, while vibrant rainbow-stained glass designs graced each corner of the structure.
After experiencing the Austin Chapel…
…we then made our way inside the art gallery. There were several different exhibits to ponder, so the group made haste to absorb as much as possible.
The Art of the United States exhibit was split into various time periods. As we walked through the exhibit, we were able to notice the changes that occurred in the art world as time went on. “Woman in Brown” by Manierre Dawson, which was among various abstract and cubist paintings, was one of my personal favorites!’
Another exhibit we explored was the Latin American art exhibit. One piece of art Michelle particularly liked was the “Cruzado El Rio Bravo” by Luis Jiminez, as she felt it captures the sacrifices many immigrants have to make in order to better their lives. This sacrifice was perfectly encapsulated in the faces of those who have experienced this firsthand, forging a powerful connection with those who have shared a similar journey.
For some of us, this was a near first in an art museum, while others were veterans, but we all found news and interesting things.
The day was filled with several emotional and intellectual evocations, and we left the day with a newfound appreciation for the human condition.
LEAP students experienced plethoric frightful festivities this ‘Halloweekend’, with some students left more spooked than others. To continue the fun, we enjoyed Theatre Under The Stars’ (TUTS) rendition of Sweeney Todd!
We ventured to our favorite food hall, POST Market, to taste an array of different dishes and cuisines. Similar to our fear factor, some students are more adventurous diners than others. The dishes ranged anywhere from coconut curry, tacos, shrimp alfredo, to a cubed biscoff croissant! This experience-for both newcomers and returning customers- was as refreshing as it was satiating.
Of course, while at Post Houston, we took advantage of some roof-top views for photos.
Our viewing of Sweeney Todd was highly anticipated, as Michelle and I had the chance to watch the Sam Houston’s rendition of the musical back in April. TUTS had a lot to live up to, considering the high standard set by SHSU’s performance.
The story, set in 19th-century London, revolves around the vengeful Sweeney Todd, a barber seeking retribution against those who have wronged him. The eerie plot, coupled with a hauntingly beautiful live orchestra, instilled a palpable sense of unease right from the moment the blade emitted its initial, spine-tingling screech.
There were touches of levity throughout the musical, creating a juxtaposition of humor and horror. The group particularly enjoyed “A Little Priest” and ‘By the Sea” for their wordplay and irony woven into the storytelling. A select few of us in the group found the wordplay extremely humorous, making it known to the rest of the theatre through our persistent giggling.
As we headed back to Huntsville, the group recounted their thoughts, including our favorite moments, plot twists that shocked us, and the characters that resonated with us the most. Personally, the conversation following a visit to a performance or art exhibition is my favorite aspect of the endeavor. While it is intellectually stimulating, it also allows for closer connections and camaraderie!
We had the opportunity to use the holiday as a learning opportunity; looking at Halloween under the scope of both civic engagement and the arts. Activities such as these, while already incredibly enjoyable, become triply important, serving to educate, offering a cultural experience, and providing a team-building exercise.
Friday the 13th is known for being an unlucky day; however, LEAP students felt the exact opposite when they had the opportunity to meet the former FBI agent Jana Monroe! Jessica Cuevas, Olivia Discon, and I went to my newfound favorite bookstore, Murder by the Book, to listen to the one-of-a-kind author talk about her new memoir Hearts of Darkness where she talks about her journey through the FBI as one of the first analysts in the FBI Behavioral Science Unit, where she oversaw over 850 homicide cases.
In order to approach the book mindfully and explore Jana Monroe’s background and inspirations, former FBI agent John Iannarelli flew from Arizona to converse with Monroe about her life experiences before and throughout her influential career. Iannarelli read from the foreword, written by Joe Navarro, describing Monroe as “the single most influential woman to ever serve in the FBI.” Iannarelli did a great job asking the questions we all wanted the answers to.
Monroe spoke about an instance in which she attended a job fair in high school, where she inquired with a recruiter about a future career with the FBI. She asked about the coursework recommended to prepare herself for the academy and after a back and forth discussion, the agent told Monroe she would never have the necessary criteria to be an agent, since women were only employed at the FBI as secretaries or file clerks.
As the years passed and minds opened, Monroe served as a special agent and became the first assistant director of the FBI Cyber Division. Monroe is passionate about women staying true to themselves no matter their line of work. In fact, she mentions how she got in trouble with her supervisor once because of the polka dot heels she would wear to work. “There was no language that says that I cannot wear high heels because you have never had a woman agent before”, she countered.
During the Q&A space, Olivia asked Monroe about the impact her career as an agent and analyst had on her writing.
A question from the audience prompted Monroe to choose her favorite serial killer, and without a second thought, she chose Edmund Kemper. She described Kemper as a “true sociopath” who would copy people’s emotions and expressions. He killed his parents when he was 15 years old “to know what it would feel like”. The six foot nine inches serial killer killed seven people, and once walked around downtown with the head of one of his victims inside a clear plastic bag. He anticipated someone would call the police and have him arrested, but no one did. According to Monroe, he knew he was not going to stop killing people, so he turned himself in, not before calling the police inept.
Students had the opportunity to get their books signed by Monroe, and through small talk, Monroe spoke about her current and future projects, including two TV shows.
The LEAP Ambassadors and I thank Jana Monroe for her enthusiastic talk. She has truly carved the path for young women like ourselves. I was able to chat with Monroe and describe what an inspiration she is for us, she might not have had a role model, but she definitely is ours!
After the formal event, we headed to Taste of Mulan for some delicious Chinese cuisine. We were all impressed by the variety of the menu which included meats like chicken, beef, shrimp and even duck. Olivia got the General Tsao’s Chicken and a side of egg fried rice while Jessica and I went with basil fried rice with chicken. The night luckily ended without any trickery, making this meal was an excellent close to our night in Houston!
After a full day of events, the ever-generous Jeff Guinn was up for a another full day of events–this time, with larger crowds. Bringing together Public Health, Criminal Justice, and Political Science students, the LEAP Ambassadors were also ready (or mostly ready) for a busy day.
Yvette Mendoza led with the introductions, performing well in front of a crowd of more than 100 of her peers.
This session covered the Waco tragedy, of course, but with a bit more focus on the sexual offenses that occurred at the Mt. Carmel compound. In the audience were Dr. Holly Miller and students in her Understanding Sexual Offending class, alongside Dr. Tamara Waggener’s “Texas Government” class and other interested audience members.
In all, when counting radio, podcasts, book signings, and television appearances, Guinn made more than 200 appearances discussing his Waco book. It was perhaps no surprise then, that, Guinn was his usual entertaining self, and his experiences and observations went over well among the audience. Indeed, there were more than 25 questions from the engaged audience, many of which showed insight, and understanding of the subject matter, and genuine curiosity.
Following a quick transition and discussion of what tweaks could be made for the second session, the LEAP Ambassadors were at it again. Yvette again did the introduction, this time in front of more than 300 people.
The audience also included Dr. Ivys Fernandez Pastrana and Dr. Christine Cardinal from Public Health; Dr. Jason Enia, Chair of Political Science; Jennifer Alexander, Tabitha Shanley, and Kaley Hunter, from the Office of the President. Dr. Gene Roberts, Director of the Student Legal and Mediation Services, was also there. Indeed, his office helped sponsor the event!
This session was even more engaging than the previous sessions. In addition to discussing the Waco tragedy, the author also discussed his work on Jim Jones, Bonnie and Clyde, Santa Claus, and Charles Manson. In fact, he recruited an audience member–ironically named Charles–to demonstrate the techniques of stabbing that Manson’s family used in the execution of crimes. Charles (the student) was a good sport, and he was rewarded with a book.
Guinn discussed the larger implications of his subjects and the aftermath of the tragedies associated with them. Subjects such as Jim Jones and David Koresh, whatever their original motivations, became enamored of power and control, which often manifested itself in sexual control over the female subjects. And, in the case of Waco, tragedy also resulted from blinders on the part of law enforcement officials. There was no conspiracy or ill will; the ATF and FBI simply didn’t stop to consider the perspective of religious zealots and how their perspective might prompt them to reach to encroachment.
Guinn took pains to point out that no such outcome has occurred in the last 30 years, suggesting that lessons have been learned on the part of law enforcement. Other legacies, however, such as increasing ideological polarization in the American public are less promising.
Following the event, Guinn gamely endured another hour or so of signings.
….before saying goodbye to the LEAP Ambassadors…
…and heading back to Fort Worth, where he had research to do for an upcoming HBO special.
The LEAP Ambassadors would like to thank Tabitha Shanley for her tips on event planning and Student Legal and Mediation Services for co-sponsoring the event.
The LEAP Center specializes in unique learning opportunities, and it’s pretty special to spend a day with a New York Times Bestselling author. And it’s particularly special when that author is Jeff Guinn, one of the genuinely nice guys in the book world.
Our day, of course, began at school, with a morning full of classes. For lunch, however, we to the Walker Education Center, where we had the opportunity to bring Guinn to speak to the Huntsville Rotary Club. Our visits to Rotary have always been friendly, and it was good to see friendly faces such as Derrick Birdsall, Mac and Leanne Woodward, Dr. Darren Williams, Rob Hipp, Ray Hernandez, Ken Holland, and others.
With Michelle Lyons as President taking care of business efficiently…
and Professor Yawn quickly introducing the author…
Worth noting, Guinn closed by praising Rotary and similar groups, which help foster trust in the community, preventing the type of discord that is now so prevalent in the years since the Waco standoff.
The audience was also lively, asking questions, offering comments, and giving Guinn a standing ovation at the end, ending with time for much interaction, catching up, and photographs.
On Campus with Jeff Guinn
SHSU is, of course, part of the community, and so it was to the campus we headed for the second event of the day with Jeff Guinn (he was a great trooper). Although we did not heavily market this afternoon event, we had 65 students (and Gene Roberts, whose Student Legal and Mediation Services was a co-sponsor of the event) attend, eager to hear about Guinn’s research and writing.
It was a run-through of sorts, with us getting the hang of event planning, public speaking, and using other division’s technology (not all laptops or projectors are the same!) Yvette Mendoza, a fourth-year LEAP Ambassador, did the introductions, and then Professor Yawn and Mr. Guinn took the “stage.”
What followed was more than an hour of interesting discussions, some great questions from the audience, and a lot of knowledge about cults, power, and tragedy.
Capping a Busy Day at 1836
While it was a busy day for us, it was a busier day for Guinn, who had driven in from Fort Worth early this morning. Nonetheless, he agreed to a dinner at 1836, where we joined Drs. Amy and Tim Salazar, Dr. Gene Roberts, and Professor Yawn and Ms. Stephanie.
It was two hours of fascinating discussions. Guinn shared stories of his subjects (Charles Manson, Santa Claus, Bonnie and Clyde, Jim Jones, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford), his research process, and the business of publishing. He also asked questions about LEAP, and he offered some nice words to us, comparing our program to programs on other campuses he visits. It was a nice to hear such nice things from an author of the stature of Guinn.
We also had the opportunity to visit with the Salazars, who moved to Texas less than a year ago. It was great to learn more about them, hear their ideas about education, and help us to think about careers and community in a new way. Moreover, Dr. Roberts and the Salazars found some things in common, particularly their interest in innovative ways to approach conflict resolution.
It was a productive and enjoyable evening, one that was a fitting cap for a productive and enjoyable day.
It was a sunny and bright day, but murder was in the air. We were at the Alley Theatre, and its cast was performing Agatha Christie’s “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.”
It was a nice mix of people, LEAP Ambassadors, LEAP alumni, and “friends of LEAP” together for an enjoyable afternoon. With lunch at Post Houston, a new favorite recommended by LEAP alum Will Phillips, we caught up, talked about classes, and explored food from multiple continents.
But we had come to Houston for the play, and it was something of a process to actually see the play. Many of us had read the book, with at least half of us stopping before the end so as to not spoil the “whodunit” aspect of the performance. In July, we attended a Murder by the Book presentation by Mark Shanahan, the play’s director, a presentation that left us even more excited.
Unfortunately, when we drove to our scheduled performance, the Alley had to cancel the showing because a cast member wasn’t available!
So, with more than a month of anticipation and at least one false start, we were more than usually ready for the play to begin.
And it did not disappoint. It was expertly adapted to the stage by Shanahan, with clever techniques of compressing time and space.
It was humorous, with a wonderful cast that included two SHSU alums (Dylan Godwin and Melissa Pritchett)!
During intermission, we speculated as to who the culprit might be. Victoria couldn’t identify a key suspect; Nick, with all the creativity he could muster, thought “the butler did it;” and Katherine thought that the house staff conspired together to kill their employer, Roger Ackroyd. (If I were Katherine’s employer, I’d lock the doors at night.) Morgan, whose literary tastes lean toward bodice-ripping romance, had trouble keeping up with the characters and the narrative. She nodded a lot as we discussed things.
The second act was delightful, with more humor and variation in pacing. The plot, as they say, thickened, ending with all the cast gathered together to identify the murderer. We will, of course, stop there, and engage in no spoilers. But it surprised all of us–with the exception of Olivia, who, when it was over said, “I knew it all along” to an incredulous group and an ever-nodding Morgan.
Kudos to the cast of the Alley, the timeless appeal of Hercule Poirot, and the camaraderie of LEAP students, present and past.
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 