Two well-known authors on
the New York Times Best Sellers List
entertained a good crowd of fellow
authors (mostly Nevadans) and
NWHP members and guests at the
second annual Authors’ Luncheon on
November 7th at the
Atlantis Casino in
Reno.
Henderson
author Robyn Carr
described her feeling
of delight and surprise
when, after 30
years of writing, her
Virgin River series
became a Best Seller.
She started out intending
to write only
one book, but after
six successful books
in the series, she has
now pledged to write
16 more, all based on
several imaginary
small towns in
Northern California
populated with fascinating
characters.
Her winning formula
combines “men
[who] are strong,
sexy ex-military types
[with] strong -
minded, intelligent
women.” Although she confessed
that she doesn’t know if writers
should be discouraged or encouraged
that she has finally found the winning
formula after 30 years of trying, she
remains very optimistic
and enthusiastic
about her chosen
career.
Dale Brown,
on the other hand,
found his winning
combination, high
adventure and airplanes,
almost immediately.
Now a resident
of Incline Village,
he used his own
experiences as an Air
Force navigator in
Sacramento as a
foundation for his
stories. He has written
22 militarypolitical
thrillers, and
most of them have
been best sellers.
Visibly impressed by
the life stories and
personal successes of
his fellow Nevada
authors, he encouraged
all to keep writing,
despite the odds
against being a Best
Seller.
Several genres were represented by the assemblage of authors, ranging from fiction writers Mike
Alger, Todd Borg, Shawn Grady, Carol Davis Luce, Arthur Winfield Knight, Brad McClure, Susan Cummins
Miller, and Stephen Sprinkel, to historians and biographers such as Alicia Barber, Bob Stewart, Patty Cafferata
and Barbara Vucanovich, Sally Zanjani, Holly Walton-Buchanan, Michael Makley, James Hulse, Jack Harpster,
Jerry Fenwick, Neal Cobb, Chuck Convis and Tamera Buzick. In addition, writers of children’s and
young people’s literature included Linda Chambers, Frankye Craig, Fox Carlton Hughes, Bob Kahn, Mary
Jean Kelso, Ken Ramirez, Karen Wilson and Susan Zerga. Bill Walker, Tim Mueller and Stanley Paher are
specialty authors, representing the art and geography genres. Reno’s well-known weatherman Dave Finley
did his usual superb job as Master of Ceremonies. Carrie Townley Porter appeared dressed as Helen J.
Stewart, known as “the First Lady of Las Vegas.”
Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our committee members, the event was very successful
and raised over $2,500.00 for NWHP projects.
Kathy Noneman
