Cluefest sleuths gather in Plano

By: JOHANNA M. BREWER, Staff writer Plano Star Courier July 12, 2001

So says Paula Boyd, in her first book, "Hot Enough to Kill." Boyd will be one of 61 mystery writers attending "Cluefest 2001," a festival of fans and writers being held at Harvey Hotel in Plano, 1600 N. Central Expressway, this weekend. From Friday morning (at 9 a.m.) until Sunday afternoon, Caryl Thompson's Cluefest 2001 will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a potpourri of murderous authors, suspense, awards, and laughs -- some writers now cooking up a stew of chuckles and killers. Thompson, a pediatric home nurse and mystery fan, created Con & Dagger Productions a decade ago because her mother, Terry Thompson, bemoaned the fact that all the annual mystery conventions were too far away and too expensive. Con & Dagger Productions puts on ClueFest, an annual convention honoring mystery authors, their die-hard fans, and dealers who offer readers their regular fix of mystery, murder, and mayhem. "This year, we will have the largest number of writers we've ever had - 61," Thompson said Tuesday. Cluefest writers represent a wide range of lifestyles, from ex-congressional aide to ex-stripper. William Manchee, author of the Stan Turner Mysteries and a congressional aide while in high school, is now a Dallas attorney. After his discharge from the U.S. Marines, Manchee moved to Plano. He became active in the Republican Party, becoming Collin County Chairman in 1974-1976. His first novel, "Twice Tempted" was written to relieve the stress of a busy law practice. "Undaunted" was about a serial killer, love murder and the Marines. He was off and running. His third mystery novel, "Second Chair," was released last summer. Cluefest is billed as the most intimate and down-home opportunity for fans and writers to mix and mingle; they will break bread together at Friday's breakfast, its Friday night reception and the Sunday brunch awards event. "It's a chance to do more on a one to one basis with the writer of your choice," Thompson said. For five of the 10 years the organization has been in existence, The Book Tree in Richardson, owned by Barry and Terry Phillips, was a co-sponsor of the event. Time constraints forced the amiable book lovers to restrict their activities to the book shop they own and manage. However, they continue to manage Cluefest's dealers' room, which will be part of the conference this weekend. Thompson, who works full time at her nursing profession, and her Cluefest gets bigger and more elaborate annually. This year, Con & Dagger will host three days of approximately 34 panels featuring author speakers, author signings, a Friday evening "Death by Chocolate" reception, the awards Sunday brunch, and an auction of donated books, memorabilia and other prizes with the proceeds benefiting a local library. Boyd, the Texas-born writer whose mother and daughter team sizzles up "Hot Enough to Kill", lovingly lampoons Texas lifestyles. Her team of eccentric, self-centered, mouthy mother and chip-off-the-old-block daughter, is a hoot. Boyd, a Colorado resident who grew up near Wichita Falls, said her mother stopped speaking to her for awhile, saying she was nothing like the book's protagonist. "My mother was not taking kindly to the book half way through," Boyd said. "But when she finished it, she said that she thought it would be nice to be more like Lucille." Bill Crider is the 10th anniversary guest of honor. He was Cluefest's first guest of honor and has attended each year's convention since. Crider, born in Mexia, now lines in Alvin. He's recently published his ninth book in a series about Sheriff Dan Rhodes, the sheriff of a "small Texas county where there aren't any serial killers, where a naked man hiding in a dumpster is big news, and where the sheriff still has time to investigate the theft of a set of false teeth." About himself, Crider said, "I attended the University of Texas in Austin for many, many years - my wife, Judy, says I would never have left if she hadn't forced me to get out of grad school and get a real job." "Dead on the Island," his first book in a series about Private Eye Truman Smith, was nominated for a Shamus award by the Private Eye Writers of America. Crider is chairman of the Division of English and Fine Arts at Alvin Community College. To register, and for information about the event, call the Harvey Hotel at 972-578-8555. To contact staff writer Johanna M. Brewer, please call 972 543-2262 or e-mail brewerj@dfwcn.net.

Plano author pens new novel of mystery and romance

By John Hillman / Special Contributor to the Arlington Morning News
Published 07-23-1999

John Grisham's book, The Firm started the trend.

Since the bestseller's debut in 1991, the legal thriller has remained a staple of American fiction. Metroplex readers seeking a local legal favor in their summertime escapism can follow fictional Dallas lawyer Richard Coleman's exploits in Plano author William Marchee's newest novel, Death Pact.

Mr. Marchee, a 1969 graduate of UCLA, has scheduled two Arlington promotional appearances on Saturday, July 24, to promote his latest creation. At 1 p.m., the ex-Marine signs at the Barnes and Noble at 3909 S. Cooper St., and he pulls a second tour of duty at 6 p.m. at Waldenbooks in Six Flags Mall.

"Mr. Manchee is a very engaging person," says Dennis Nowlin, Barnes and Noble community relations manager. "If he is as capable a lawyer as he is an author and book salesman, his clients should be very satisfied."

Death Pact's plot centers on Coleman's relationship with Franklin Fox, a divorced Dallas playboy who has squandered a $4 million family inheritance, and Fox's 17-year-old daughter, Erica. In the opening chapter, the high roller surprisingly selects the recently widowed attorney to serve as trustee for his daughter's financial affairs in the event of his death. From this innocent beginning, strange and mysterious circumstances soon befall the young estate tax lawyer and his "minor" responsibility.

Mr. Manchee's latest novel marks a shift from the his previous two works, Undaunted and Brash Endeavor, that featured Dallas lawyer Stan Turner as the central character. "The plot for Death Pact didn' t fit well into the Stan Turner mold" the 51-year-old writer says. "I plan to continue the series and have two unpublished Stan Turner works in hand, a young adult book featuring a teenage Turner and one entitled, Second Chair."

The Ventura, Calif., native published his first book, Twice Tempted, in 1997. The story relates the adventures of UCLA college student and part-time bank messenger Fred Fuller. Mr. Fuller considers himself an honest and moral individual, but his Eagle Scout upbringing can' t resist the seduction of a luscious bank teller named Candy and an open vault with $6.7 million for the taking. A screenplay adaptation of Twice Tempted awaits production into a feature film.

"We have everything in place but the funding," the Plano attorney says. "Walid Khaldi, formerly the SMU film archivist, will produce it. The Texas Film Commission has expressed some interest in helping us because much of the action occurs in Texas, and of course, the writer is a Texan."

Mr. Manchee, a 1976 SMU Law School graduate, opened his North Dallas law practice in 1977 and still performs legal services despite branching out into the book world nearly five years ago.

"Like most people, I considered writing for a long time but never tried it," the four-time novelist says. "One day, I skipped work and sneaked in a matinee of Stephen King's The Shawshank Redemption, and that was the beginning. I started putting ideas on paper and quickly became hooked."

Fueled by the writing bug, Mr. Manchee joined Mystery Writers of America and serves on the Board of Directors and Publicity Chairman for the Southwest Chapter.

"Bill has a great ear for story and characters," says Chris Rogers, president of the Southwest Chapter and author of Bitch Factor and Rage Factor. "In his duties, he's hardworking and meticulous. As an individual, he's honorable, thoughtful, and a darn good man to know."

Erratic experiences with publishers encouraged the creator of Fred Fuller, Sam Turner, and Richard Coleman to find investors and establish his own publishing house, Top Publications. In addition to Mr. Manchee, the company contracts L. C. Hayden, an El Paso school teacher, and Lynnette Baughman, a New Mexico free-lance newspaper writer. Ms. Hayden authored the mysteries, Who's Susan and When Collette Died, and Ms. Baughman penned a yet-to-be-released spy novel set in the atomic energy industry titled, A Spy Within.

Mr. Manchee foresees a strong future for books despite the struggles of independent bookstores and major publishing houses and competition from video and the Internet.

"Book sales are actually higher than ever," he says. "Although the trend has been for large houses to consolidate and sign big names to big contracts, I believe in the long-term, publishing will see a lot of new small presses specializing in niche marketing."

The Dallas Observer newspaper labeled Mr. Manchee as "Dallas' answer to John Grisham," but attorney-turned-novelist chuckles at the comparison. "I think of myself as a cross between Sidney Sheldon and John Grisham." he says.

© 1999 The Dallas Morning News All Rights Reserved

John Hillman / Special Contributor to the Arlington Morning News, Plano author pens new novel of mystery and romance., 07-23-1999, pp 3C.