REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NEW MEXICO, AN ORGANIZATION OF PROFESSIONALS WHO BELIEVE THAT INVESTING IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR STATE'S ECONOMIC FUTURE, FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM THE >>LORENE: HELLO, I AM LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

OH, I AM SO HAPPY OUR GUEST TODAY IS MICHAEL MCGARRITY, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>>MICHAEL: IT IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU LORENE.

>>LORENE: WELL YOU HAVE GIVEN ME MANY OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE YOU HAVE WRITTEN NOW 17 IN THE KEVIN KERNEY SERIES AND NOW YOU ARE MAKING A BIG CHANGE.

BUT WE ARE HERE TO CELEBRATE YOUR NEW BOOK, HEAD WOUNDS.

THIS IS A PAGE TURNER, THIS IS A THRILLER AND IN THIS BOOK YOU HAVE RETIRED, IN A WAY, YOUR MAIN CHARACTER AND YOU HAVE DONE IT IN THE KINDEST, SWEETEST, MOST APPROPRIATE WAY, THANK YOU FOR NOT KILLING OFF KEVIN KERNEY.

>>MICHAEL: NO WAY I COULD HAVE DONE THAT.

>>LORENE: NO, NO, HE WOULD HAVE ELUDED YOU ANYWAY.

SO, WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF YOUR OTHER BOOKS, BUT YOU BROUGHT TO YOUR WORK, YOU HAVE SUCH AN EXQUISITE BACKGROUND, YOU HAVE DEGREES IN ENGLISH AND PSYCHOLOGY, A MASTER'S IN CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK, GRADUATE OF THE NEW MEXICO LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMY AND INVESTIGATOR WITH THE NEW MEXICO PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, AFTER THE RIOT YOU HELPED SET UP MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE INMATES.

YOU WERE IN 1980 THE NEW MEXICO SOCIAL WORKER OF THE YEAR, POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR IN SANTA FE, THE GOVERNOR'S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE ARTS.

I MEAN HERE YOU ARE, BUT YOU HAVE WOVEN ALL OF THESE THREADS TOGETHER TO HAVE REALLY MEATY SUBSTANTIVE DETECTIVE NOVELS.

>>MICHAEL: I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT MY PAST LIFE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE WAS AN APPRENTICESHIP TO BECOME A WRITER.

THERE WERE CERTAIN WRITERS THAT CAN MAKE UP THINGS WHOLE CLOTH, THEY HAVE GREAT IMAGINATIONS, RAY BRADBURY IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.

I AM THE KIND OF GUY THAT HAS TO WRITE FROM WHAT HE KNOWS, I HAVE TO HAVE THAT FOUNDATION TO BE ABLE TO BUILD MY STORIES.

SO WHAT I DID IN SANTA FE FOR A QUARTER OF A CENTURY REALLY DID TURN OUT TO BE AN APPRENTICESHIP FOR MY WRITING CAREER.

>>LORENE: WHAT MADE YOU TO DECIDE TO WRITE?

>>MICHAEL: WELL, MY SWEETIE SAYS SHE ALWAYS KNEW I WAS GOING TO BE A WRITER, I CAN'T ARGUE WITH HER BECAUSE SHE ALWAYS WINS ALL THE ARGUMENTS ANYWAY.

>>LORENE: A WISE MAN.

>>MICHAEL: SO THERE WAS ALWAYS IN THE BACK OF MIND, BEING A PERSON WHO LOVED TO READ, THAT I CERTAINLY WANTED TO GIVE MYSELF A CHANCE TO TRY TO SEE IF I COULD TELL A STORY.

SO THAT IS REALLY HOW IT STARTED.

>>LORENE: AND YOUR FIRST BOOK, I HAPPENED TO HAVE IT HERE, WAS TULAROSA .

>>MICHAEL: THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: AND IN THIS YOU INTRODUCED KEVIN KERNEY.

>>MICHAEL: THAT'S EXACTLY TRUE AND STARTING OUT WHEN I WROTE TULAROSA , I HAD NO IDEA I WAS GOING TO BE WRITING A CRIME SERIES.

I WROTE TULAROSA AND I WAS WORKING ON MY SECOND BOOK, MEXICAN HAT , AND MY PUBLISHER DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD BUY BOTH BOOKS AND SO STARTING OUT I HAD A TWO-BOOK DEAL AND THAT WAS KIND OF THE IMPETUS TO BEGIN WRITING THIS SERIES.

>>LORENE: WELL AND THEN HEAD WOUNDS , THE CURRENT BOOK IS THE END OF THE KEVIN KERNEY SERIES.

>>MICHAEL: THE END OF THE SERIES, THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: SO, HOW, WHY?

>>MICHAEL: WHAT MADE ME DO THAT?

>>LORENE: YES, YES.

>>MICHAEL: WELL, LORENE, I HAVE BEEN A READER ALL MY LIFE AND I HAVE FOLLOWED ALONG A NUMBER OF WRITERS' CAREERS ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT HAVE WRITTEN CRIME FICTION NOVELS AND MYSTERIES AND ONE OF THE THINGS I FOUND WITH SOME OF MY FAVORITE WRITERS IS AS THEY AGED, SOMETIMES THE QUALITY OF THE WORK DIDN'T QUITE HOLD UP, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS TRUE FOR YOU BUT IT CERTAINLY WAS TRUE FOR ME.

AND I DECIDED I DIDN'T WANT THAT TO BE MY JOURNEY AND I WANTED TO, IF I WAS GOING TO CLOSE OUT A SERIES, I WANTED TO DO IT ON MY TERMS.

AND I WANTED TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT WAS CHALLENGING TO ME AND SO THAT WAS REALLY THE IMPETUS TO CLOSE OUT THE KERNEY SERIES.

NOW, I DID THINK I COULD TAKE KERNEY'S HALF APACHE SON, CLAYTON ISTEE AND TURN HIM INTO A CHARACTER WHO COULD CONTINUE THE SERIES.

BUT AS I WROTE HEAD WOUNDS , IT BECAME CLEAR TO ME THAT WASN'T WHAT CLAYTON WANTED TO DO, HE DID NOT WANT TO DO THAT.

CLAYTON WAS FACING IN HIS OWN LIFE SOME PERSONAL AND FAMILY CHOICES THAT HE HAD TO MAKE.

SO, THE SERIES HAD TO END AND THAT WASN'T EASY FOR ME TO DO AND I AM FINDING OUT THAT IT IS HARDER THAN I THOUGHT WHILE I AM WRITING THIS NEW BOOK.

WHY, WELL, IN THE TRILOGY, IN THE CRIME NOVELS, I HAD AN ENORMOUS RESOURCE TO FALL BACK ON.

I HAD READY-MADE CHARACTERS, I HAD A READY-MADE ENVIRONMENT, I HAD BACK-STORIES THAT RESONATED THROUGHOUT ALL THE BOOKS.

I COULD DRAW ON ALL OF THAT, I COULD BRING BACK CHARACTERS THAT HADN'T DIED IN THE PROCESS OF LIVING THROUGH THE TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF MY GREAT BODY OF WORK AND SO IT MADE THAT A LOT MORE, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER I SHOULD SAY MORE CONVENIENT, PROBABLY JUST A LOT MORE EASY FOR ME TO TRANSITION INTO A STORY.

BY STEPPING ASIDE FROM ALL OF THAT, I HAVE HAD TO REBUILD A STORY FROM SCRATCH AND I HAVE NONE OF THOSE CRUTCHES TO RELY ON.

AND WHAT I AM LOVING ABOUT THAT IS IT IS A BRAND NEW CHALLENGE, IT TAKES ME TO A WHOLE DIFFERENT PLACE IN MY WRITING CAREER.

>>LORENE: THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING, HOW EXCITING, HOW EXCITING, BUT YOU GO OUT WITH A BANG WITH HEAD WOUNDS .

>>MICHAEL: I DO, I DO INDEED.

>>LORENE: BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT THE DIRTY, GRUESOME, UNDER BELLY OF THE DRUG CARTELS AND WHAT THEY WILL AND WON'T DO, THERE IS NOTHING THEY WON'T DO FOR MONEY AND FOR CONTROL AND POWER.

AND THE DYNAMIC BETWEEN CLAYTON, THE SON AND THE FATHER, IS REALLY NICE AND AT THE END SO MANY REALLY HARD THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO THE SON AND WORKING ON THESE CARTELS, THAT HE DECIDES HE IS DONE, HE IS JUST NOT GOING TO DO IT ANYMORE, SO IT COMES TO A VERY NATURAL CONCLUSION FOR HIM.

IN THE BACKGROUND, HIS FATHER TURNS 70 AND THEY ARE ALL CELEBRATING HIM, HE HAS GOT WORDS OF WISDOM, HE HAS LEARNED A LOT AND HE IS A HAPPY MAN WHO HAS ACCOMPLISHED A LOT.

SO THANK YOU FOR NOT KILLING HIM BY SOME CARTEL MALFEASANCE.

THE OTHER THING THAT YOU DID WAS SO EXTRAORDINARY, SO A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE 14 OR 15 DETECTIVE STORIES THEY THINK THEY HAVE KNOWN ENOUGH ABOUT KERNEY JUST FROM HIS INTERACTIONS WITH HIS ENVIRONMENT AND WITH HIS CRIME SOLVING PERSPECTIVE, BUT YOU MADE A PREQUEL, YOU DID, LET ME SHOW THESE BOOKS, THIS IS A BACKGROUND, IT'S A HISTORY OF THE KERNEY FAMILY.

THIS IS AN OEUVRE ITSELF EXCEPT IT IS THREE PARTS.

THE FIRST STARTS WITH HARD COUNTRY , THE SECOND ONE IS CALLED BACK LANDS AND THE THIRD THAT IS MY FAVORITE AND SO POIGNANT, IS THE LAST RANCH , BECAUSE WHAT YOU DO, YOU GO BACK HOW MANY GENERATIONS IN THE KERNEY FAMILY?

>>MICHAEL: IT STARTS AROUND THE MIDDLE OF THE 1870S AND PROCEEDS ALL THE WAY THROUGH, ABOUT THE END OF THE VIETNAM WAR.

>>LORENE: WHAT WAS SO AMAZING IS THAT IT IS A HISTORY OF THE WHOLE TULAROSA BASIN.

>>MICHAEL: IT IS.

>>LORENE: AND THIS FAMILY THERE, THEY HAVE ALL SERVED IN THE MILITARY, THEY ARE AMAZING AND AN AMAZING FAMILY LINE.

AND YOU TALK ABOUT THE INFLUENCE OF THE GOVERNMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, WHY I LOVE THE LAST RANCH IS THAT THE WHITE SANDS PROVING RANGE BUYS ALL THIS LAND AND CLOSES THE RANCH.

>>MICHAEL: BASICALLY KICKS OFF HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES IN THE BASIN.

>>LORENE: AND THAT'S A FAMILY LAND, THEIR GRANDFATHER IS BURIED THERE AND ALL THIS STUFF.

AND THEN WHEN, IS IT KEVIN'S DAD, WHEN HE PASSES AWAY AND HE WANTS TO BE BURIED AT THE RANCH.

>>MICHAEL: HIS GRANDFATHER.

>>LORENE: HIS GRANDFATHER, I AM SORRY, I GET MY GENERATIONS MIXED UP.

BUT DON'T THEY HAVE TO SNEAK BACK IN FOR HIM TO BE BURIED IN HIS HOMELAND, HIS MOST BELOVED PLACE ON EARTH AND THAT IS WHY THE LAST RANCH IS MY FAVORITE.

>>MICHAEL: I THINK THE LAST RANCH RESONATES FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS MODERN HISTORY.

AND THEY ARE STILL MANY OF US WHO WERE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE EARLY DAYS OF WHITE SANDS PROVING GROUND AND ALL THAT WENT ON SUBSEQUENT TO THE ARMY COMING IN AND TAKING OVER LAND AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE ATOMIC BOMB, TRINITY SITE, THE DOWNWINDERS ARE STILL FIGHTING THAT BATTLE WITH THE GOVERNMENT IN TERMS OF PETITIONS TO PAY FOR THE CANCER THAT WAS CAUSED BY THE RADIO ACTIVITY FROM THAT FALLOUT.

SO THAT IS REAL RECENT HISTORY AND I THINK IT REALLY RESONATES FOR A GREAT MANY PEOPLE.

>>LORENE: BUT PEOPLE DON'T GET TO LOOK AT A SLICE OF HISTORY SO DEEPLY LIKE YOU, BECAUSE YOU TALK ABOUT THE MILITARY COMES IN AND THE CITIES ALL AROUND, LIKE T OR C AND ALAMOGORDO, BECOME MILITARIZED AND THEN COME THE INTERSTATES IN THE EARLY 60S AND ALL THE CHANGES THAT THAT BRINGS AND WORLD WAR II AND THE DEMAND FOR BEEF, THESE ARE RANCHERS.

>>MICHAEL: YES.

>>LORENE: AND SUDDENLY THE WHOLE AGRICULTURE AND RANCHING AND BEEF INDUSTRY COMPLETELY CHANGED TOO, AND THEN THE DROUGHT.

I MEAN YOU JUST COMBINE ALL THESE THREADS OF HISTORY THAT WE DON'T THINK OF HOW WILL ALL THAT IMPACT A PLACE.

>>MICHAEL: I HAD TO DROP OUT SO MUCH BECAUSE WE ARE SO RICH IN HISTORY HERE AND WE ARE SO RICH IN CULTURE.

YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF TOWNS LIKE ALAMOGORDO AND TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>MICHAEL: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAD A LOT OF FUN WITH, I THINK IT WAS IN BACK LANDS, WAS DESCRIBING THE FAMILY COMING OVER A HILL AND LOOKING IN AMAZEMENT AT A CITY THAT WASN'T THERE THE LAST TIME THEY PASSED THROUGH.

YOU KNOW THE FOUNDING OF ALAMOGORDO WITH THE RAILROAD, RIGHT, I MEAN THAT WAS FACT, I MEAN ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS THIS TOWN GROWING UP ON THE FRINGE OF THE BASIN AT THE FOOT OF THE SACRAMENTO MOUNTAINS.

IT WAS A LOT OF FUN TO PUT THAT ON THE PAGE.

>>LORENE: ABSOLUTELY.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU DO, LIKE TONY HILLERMAN DOES WITH NAVAJO LAND AND THE WAY MAX EVANS DID WITH THE HI LO COUNTRY , THIS PLACE THE TULAROSA BASIN, PEOPLE BECOME INTIMATELY CONNECTED WITH THE LAND.

I KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE ACTUALLY DRIVEN OVER THERE AFTER READING THIS TO TRY TO HAVE A SENSE OF IT.

AND EVEN IN HEAD WOUNDS , YOUR LATEST NOVEL, THERE IS SOME WONDERFULLY DESCRIPTIVE PASSAGES OF YOUR LOVE OF THIS PARTICULAR LAND, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

>>MICHAEL: OH, MY PLEASURE, I AM STILL ENJOYING MYSELF AND I HOPE TO HAVE ANOTHER REALLY GOOD STORY FINISHED BY A LITTLE LESS THAN A YEAR FROM NOW.

>>LORENE: WELL I AM EXCITED ABOUT THIS NEW DIRECTION YOU ARE GOING IN AND YOU HAVE CHOSEN QUITE A HEROIC WOMAN FIGURE TO EXPLORE HER FAMILY, SO I AM ON BOARD.

>>MICHAEL: YOU ARE ALREADY ON BOARD, GREAT.

>>LORENE: I AM ALREADY ON BOARD.

>>MICHAEL: I CAN TICK YOU OFF FOR ONE BOOK.

>>LORENE: BUT TELL US AT LEAST THE NAME OF IT.

>>MICHAEL: I AM CALLING IT RIGHT NOW, THE LONG AGO .

>>LORENE: AH HA.

>>MICHAEL: THE LONG AGO.

>>LORENE: SO WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS TO TALK ABOUT, I JUST WANT TO MENTION FOR OUR AUDIENCE I AM SPEAKING TODAY WITH MICHAEL MCGARRITY ABOUT HIS NEW BOOK, HEAD WOUNDS , BUT ABOUT ALL THE 17 KEVIN KERNEY BOOKS YOU HAVE WRITTEN.

THERE IS A LOT OF DANCE IN THE RELATIONSHIP OF FATHERS AND SONS IN A LOT OF THESE AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT OTHER INSTANCES WHERE WRITERS HAVE HAD THEIR WORK FINISHED BY A SON OR THE CHARACTERS HAVE BEEN REVIVED LIKE ANNE HILLERMAN REVIVED LEAPHORN AND CHEE FROM HER DAD'S BOOK, WHILE MAKING A FEMALE CHARACTER, BERNADETTE MANUELITO THE DOMINANT FIGURE AND HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?

>>MICHAEL: IT IS VERY INTERESTING TO ME, THERE IS AN OLD SAYING AMONG RANCHING FAMILIES THAT YOU RIDE FOR THE BRAND.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>MICHAEL: AND IF YOU RIDE FOR THE BRAND, THAT MEANS YOU COULD BE A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY, YOU COULD BE WORKING FOR THE FAMILY, BUT YOU ARE LOYAL TO THE FAMILY.

YOU ARE WORKING ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY, NOW WE CAN SAY WRITE FOR THE BRAND AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT NOT NECESSARILY THAT YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE A FAMILY MEMBER'S WORK, BUT THAT WE HAVE TURNED A CORNER IN COMMERCIAL FICTION WHERE HUGELY SUCCESSFUL WRITERS HAVE BECOME IN AND OF THEMSELVES A BRAND.

AND SO YOU CAN NOW WRITE FOR THE BRAND, NOT NECESSARILY BE AS SUCCESSFUL OR AS POPULAR OR AS GOOD AS THE OTHER FAMILY MEMBER OR THE PREDECESSOR BUT YOU CAN BE COMMERCIALLY SUCCESSFUL.

WHO HAS DONE THIS, ELMORE LEONARD'S SON HAS DONE IT.

>>LORENE: AND HE STARTED OUT BECAUSE ELMORE LEONARD DIED WITH HIS LAST NOVEL UNFINISHED AND SO THEY ASKED HIM.

>>MICHAEL: THEY ASKED HIM, SO ELMORE LEONARD'S SON, JONATHAN AND FAYE KELLERMAN'S SON, NOW HE DOES NOT WRITE A CONTINUATION OF THEIR WORK BECAUSE THEY TEND TO WRITE A LOT OF STANDALONES.

TONY'S DAUGHTER IS CONTINUING THE SERIES.

>>LORENE: TONY HILLERMAN, I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT, ANNE HILLERMAN, I LOVE HER BOOKS.

SHE WAS ALREADY A WRITER, SHE WAS FORTUNATE THAT HER MOM WAS STILL ALIVE WHEN SHE STARTED AND I LOVE THAT SHE MISSED HER DAD'S CHARACTERS LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH OF THEM AND HAS DONE REALLY WELL.

>>MICHAEL: SHE HAS DONE VERY WELL WITH IT.

>>LORENE: AND ALSO THE FACT THAT SHE INCORPORATES A LOT OF THE NAVAJO COSMOLOGY.

>>MICHAEL: SURE.

>>LORENE: SO I LEARN A LOT, I ALWAYS LEARN A LOT FROM HER BOOKS.

>>MICHAEL: AND THEN THE LAST ONE WOULD BE... >>LORENE: JAMES LEE BURKE.

>>MICHAEL: HIS DAUGHTER IS REALLY QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHED WRITER IN HER OWN RIGHT.

SO WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT HERE AS YOU ASKED THIS QUESTION, IT'S KIND OF LIKE PEOPLE GO OUT AND THEY WILL BUY A CHEVROLET BECAUSE THEY ARE LOYAL TO THE BRAND.

I THINK PEOPLE DO THE SAME THING WITH COMMERCIAL FICTION.

I THINK TO A CERTAIN EXTENT THEY HAVE DONE THAT WITH ME IN SO FAR AS I AM GETTING LOTS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE FACT THAT I AM NOT CONTINUING THE SERIES.

SO THERE IS A LOYALTY FACTOR THERE THAT PLAYS INTO THAT, BUT LET'S BE HONEST, COMMERCIAL FICTION IS COMMERCIAL FICTION AND I DON'T TAKE OFF MY HAT AND SALUTE MYSELF FOR BEING A LITERARY GIANT.

I THINK WHAT I AM IS A REALLY GOOD STORYTELLER AND THAT IN AND OF ITSELF I THINK IS AN ACCOLADE.

BUT THAT IS REALLY WHERE PUBLISHING IS TODAY, PUBLISHING TODAY IS BOTTOM DOLLAR, WE WANT TO MAKE MONEY, WE WANT TO SELL COPIES OF BOOKS, AS MANY AS WE CAN.

AND I REALLY KIND OF MISS THE OLD DAYS WHERE THERE WAS A SENSE OF LITERARY GREATNESS AMONG A GENERATION OF NOVELISTS, WHETHER IT WAS HEMINGWAY OR DOS PASSOS OR FITZGERALD OR THE SECOND WORLD WAR GROUP THAT CAME ON AFTER THEM AND PRODUCED SUCH GREAT LITERATURE LIKE NAKED AND THE DEAD AND WHAT MAKES SAMMY RUN AND BOOKS OF THAT CALIBER.

BUT I MAY JUST BE AN OLD FUDDY DUDDY WHO CAN'T ACCEPT THE FACT THAT WE ARE AT A POINT NOW WHERE BOOKSELLING HASN'T GOT ANYTHING TO DO WITH REALLY GREAT LITERATURE AND HAS A HELL OF A LOT TO DO WITH THE BOTTOM LINE.

>>LORENE: BUT ALSO, KEVIN KERNEY WOULD ADMIT THIS OLD TRUISM, "YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO HOLD THEM, KNOW WHEN TO FOLD THEM."

>>MICHAEL: THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: AND EVEN THOUGH IT WAS HARD, THIS IS THE CHOICE YOU MADE, AND I THINK YOU HANDLED IT WITH EXQUISITE GRACE.

>>MICHAEL: THANK YOU.

>>LORENE: AND I WAS REALLY AFRAID WHEN I HAD HEARD AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME THAT THIS WAS THE CLOSING OUT THE SERIES, I THOUGHT "OH NO, PLEASE.

YOU KNOW LET IT BE DIGNIFIED, LET HIM REST ON HIS LAURELS."

AND SO MEANWHILE HIS SON IS GOING THROUGH THIS GRUESOME CARTEL, REALLY AN INTRICATELY AND VERY SURPRISING, THIS IS A REAL PAGE-TURNER.

>>MICHAEL: I THINK IT IS SURPRISING AND I LIKE TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER REALLY WANTED TO REPEAT MYSELF.

I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN TERMS OF BEING CHALLENGED WITH THE STORY I WANTED TO TELL AND HOW I WANTED TO TELL IT.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

>>LORENE: YES.

SO ONE OF THE REASONS THESE CHILDREN ARE ABLE TO WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THEIR FAMOUS MYSTERY WRITING PARENTS IS THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THE SEAT IN THE CHAIR, THE BLANK COMPUTER SCREEN, THE HOURS CLACKITY CLACKING, AND SO TO WRITE 18 BOOKS AND THESE TOOK WAY LONGER BECAUSE YOU HAD TO PUT THE WHOLE HISTORY IN THEM.

WHAT DOES IS YOUR DISCIPLINE, WHAT IS YOUR ROUTINE, HOW DID YOU WRITE 18 HUGE BOOKS?

>>MICHAEL: I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT, I MEAN YOU ANCHOR YOURSELF TO A SEAT AND YOU HAVE A KERNEL OF AN IDEA AND YOU BELIEVE YOU KNOW WHERE YOU WANT IT TO START AND YOU GO.

NOW WHEN I STARTED THE PREQUEL IT WAS GOING A BE A ONE BOOK, ONE OFF STORY AND I THOUGHT, "OH THAT WILL BE EASY ENOUGH TO DO, I CAN KNOCK THAT OUT AND JUST GIVE ME AN EXTRA SIX MONTHS AND I WILL GET IT TO YOU."

WELL, I COULDN'T DO IT.

SO IT SEGUED INTO ME GOING BACK TO MY AGENT AND HE THEN GOING TO MY EDITOR AND US SAYING, "WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT TWO BOOKS?"

AND MY EDITOR HAD ALREADY LOOKED AT HALF OF A MANUSCRIPT AND HE SAID, "I LIKE THIS SO MUCH, WHY DON'T WE DO A TRILOGY?"

>>LORENE: OH MY GOODNESS.

>>MICHAEL: AND SO THAT BECAME A DECADE OUT OF MY LIFE, JUST TO WRITE IT.

>>LORENE: PRETTY MUCH THE NOVELS ARE A YEAR A BOOK, ROUGHLY?

>>MICHAEL: YEAH, UP UNTIL THE TRILOGY.

>>LORENE: YEAH AND THEN.

>>MICHAEL: AND THEN IT WAS A DECADE, BUT MORE THAN A DECADE BECAUSE I WAS DOING SOME DEEP THINKING ABOUT THE STORY I WANTED TO TELL LONG BEFORE I GOT TO THE PLACE OF BEGINNING IT AND I HAD BEEN BUILDING A WONDERFUL LITTLE REFERENCE LIBRARY FOR MYSELF SO THAT I HAD THINGS AT HAND THAT I COULD USE TO FLESH OUT THE TALE.

TEN YEARS TO DO IT AND PULL IT OFF AND SEE ALL BOOKS IN PRINT, BUT A HECK OF A LOT LONGER IN TERMS OF THE IDEA GERMINATING AND BEGINNING THE PROCESS OF DOING THE RESEARCH FOR IT.

>>LORENE: SO THE NEW SERIES AND IT IS CALLED, LONG AGO .

>>MICHAEL: YEAH IT IS REALLY NOT A SERIES, IT IS A SPINOFF >>LORENE: OKAY.

>>MICHAEL: OKAY, I HAVE DONE THE CRIME NOVELS.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>MICHAEL: I HAVE DONE THE THREE-BOOK TRILOGY, THE PREQUEL TRILOGY AND NOW I AM DOING THE SPINOFF.

AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS DONE A SPINOFF, A STANDALONE SPINOFF WHERE YOU TAKE A CHARACTER FROM A WHOLE BODY OF WORK AND THEN TURN IT INTO A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STORY.

SO THAT IS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES OF A SPINOFF.

>>LORENE: BUT THIS IS NOT A WALLFLOWER IN THESE BOOKS.

>>MICHAEL: NO, NOT AT ALL.

>>LORENE: SARAH IS MARRIED TO THE PROTAGONIST, KEVIN KERNEY AND SHE IS A BRIGADIER GENERAL.

>>MICHAEL: THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: I MEAN THIS IS NOT, OH MY, HAVE SOME TEA, DARLING.

>>MICHAEL: YES, YES.

>>LORENE: IT'S LIKE WHOA, THIS IS A WARRIOR WOMAN.

>>MICHAEL: SHE IS IN AND OF HERSELF.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>MICHAEL: EXACTLY.

>>LORENE: AND SO HER FAMILY, HOW SHE CHOSE THAT BACK IN THE DAY, BECAUSE THAT WAS NOT... >>MICHAEL: YEAH, I HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN TO THAT PART YET.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>MICHAEL: I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO SARAH TO MAKE HER DECIDE SHE WANTED TO GO TO WEST POINT.

I AM AT A POINT NOW WHERE I AM DEALING WITH HER MOTHER'S EARLY LIFE, YOU KNOW WHICH IN AND OF ITSELF IS VERY EXCITING.

SO, SARAH HASN'T EVEN COME ON THE SCENE.

>>LORENE: NOW I HAVE TO ASK YOU THIS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS ASKING ME, IS SOMEBODY GOING TO MAKE A FILM OR A SERIES ADAPTION OF THE KEVIN KERNEY'S AND WHO WOULD PLAY KEVIN KERNEY?

>>MICHAEL: OH THAT GOES ON AND ON.

>>LORENE: PEOPLE ALWAYS ASKED ME.

>>MICHAEL: I KNOW.

>>LORENE: THEY WOULD BE MAD IF I DIDN'T ASK YOU.

>>MICHAEL: NO, NO, IT IS FINE.

I HAVE ONE YOUNG FILMMAKER WHO HAS AN OPTION ON THE TRILOGY AND HE IS WORKING ON A TREATMENT THAT HE HOPES TO BE ABLE TO SHOW TO SOME PRODUCTION COMPANIES WITH THE IDEA THAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND A LEADING MAN WHO THEY CAN ATTACH AS MAJOR TALENT.

I HAVE ANOTHER SCREENWRITER WHO ALSO TEACHES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT NORTHRUP WHO HAS SOME ACTUAL MOVIE CREDITS, WHO IS DOING A TREATMENT OF ONE OF MY NOVELS WITH THE NOTION OF TURNING IT INTO A LIMITED TELEVISION SERIES, SO HE IS WORKING ON THAT.

THAT'S THE STATUS OF IT NOW, SO YOU KNOW I HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH THIS SINCE TULAROSA CAME OUT, I DON'T EVEN THINK I CAN COUNT HOW MANY OPTIONS HAVE COME AND GONE OVER THE YEARS.

IF IT HAPPENS, IT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE IT BUT.

>>LORENE: YOU KNEW MAX AND I DID SO MUCH WORK WITH HIM, BUT HE ACTUALLY LOVED HIS THINGS BEING OPTIONED BECAUSE THEY KEPT PAYING HIM EVEN IF THE FILM DIDN'T COME OUT, SO HE WAS FINE WITH THAT.

>>MICHAEL: HE WAS HAPPY WITH THAT, YEAH.

>>LORENE: HE WAS, HE WAS, BUT THE ONES THAT DID COME OUT, HI LO COUNTRY .

>>MICHAEL: SWEET MOVIE.

>>LORENE: AND ROUNDERS , BRILLIANT, JUST WONDERFUL.

AND THEN WE DID A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT HIM CALLED OL' MAX EVANS THE FIRST THOUSAND YEARS .

>>MICHAEL: YES, GREAT DOCUMENTARY.

>>LORENE: THERE ARE SO MANY CHARACTERS.

>>MICHAEL: YOU NEED TO SHOW IT AGAIN.

>>LORENE: YES INDEED, INDEED.

ACTUALLY, I WILL SEND YOU THE LINK SO YOU CAN SEE IT AGAIN.

>>MICHAEL: I WOULD LOVE THAT.

>>LORENE: BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS TURNING POINT AND THE EXCITEMENT THAT YOU HAVE PUT THIS TO BED, A GOOD JOB WELL DONE AND HE DIDN'T DIE, THANK YOU.

AND NOW A WHOLE NEW FIELD OPENS UP AND WHO KNOWS WHERE IT WILL TAKE YOU, IT IS EXCITING.

>>MICHAEL: AND I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE NO MATTER WHERE I HAVE BEEN AT IN MY CAREER, I ONLY CAN DO ONE BOOK AT A TIME, THAT'S WHERE MY FOCUS HAS TO BE.

AND SO WHILE I AM INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS, I AM COMMITTED TO IT ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AND I DON'T HAVE ANY DISTRACTIONS, I DON'T HAVE ANY SIDE GIGS GOING WHERE I AM WRITING AN ARTICLE FOR A NEWSPAPER OR AN ARTICLE FOR A MAGAZINE OR I AM WORKING ON SOMETHING THAT I MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN WORKING ON.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER I FINISH THE LONG AGO .

>>LORENE: SO YOU HAVE BEEN WRITING ALL THESE YEARS AND I AM SURE WHEN YOU GO TO THE WESTERN WRITERS CONFERENCE AND ALL THESE CONFERENCES, YOUNG WRITERS COME UP AND SAY, "GIVE US FRILLS, GIVE US ADVICE."

>>MICHAEL: I DON'T GO TO THOSE CONFERENCES.

>>LORENE: OH.

>>MICHAEL: I DON'T GO TO ANY OF THAT STUFF, I REALLY DON'T, IT IS JUST NOT MY SHTICK.

AND OCCASIONALLY I WILL HAVE SOMEBODY GET IN TOUCH WITH ME AND ASK FOR A LITTLE BIT OF ADVICE AND I AM GLAD TO TRY TO TELL WHAT I THINK THEY OUGHT TO CONSIDER DOING.

BUT REALLY MY JOURNEY HAS BEEN ALMOST A FORTY-YEAR JOURNEY, BECAUSE I STARTED WRITING IN MY EARLY 40S AND I AM NOW IN MY EARLY 80S AND I HAVE BEEN A PUBLISHED WRITER NOW FOR OVER 25 YEARS.

SO WHEN I LOOK BACK ON MY LIFE, MAYBE I THINK IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY THAT THIS LAST HALF OF IT UP TO NOW HAS BEEN DEVOTED TO THE NOTION OF BEING A WRITER AND THEN FINDING MY WAY TO DO THAT.

AND BEING FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO MAKE A COMFORTABLE LIVING AS A WRITER WHICH MOST WRITERS NEVER DO, NEVER GET TO THAT.

SO I AM A LUCKY GUY AND I AM STILL HAVING FUN AND I THINK I AM STILL ABLE TO WRITE A GOOD STORY AND THAT'S WHAT COUNTS.

>>LORENE: WELL I THINK THE APEX OF THESE YEARS AND YEARS OF WRITING, I REALLY RECOMMEND YOUR NEW BOOK, HEAD WOUNDS , TO THE AUDIENCE AND ALSO I JUST HAVE TO PUT IN A PLUG FOR THE TRILOGY, I WILL JUST HOLD UP MY FAVORITE OF THE TRILOGY, THE LAST RANCH , BUT YOU CAN'T GO WRONG READING MICHAEL MCGARRITY AND I THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>>MICHAEL: THANK YOU, IT IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

>>LORENE: SO OUR GUEST TODAY IS FAMOUS AUTHOR, MICHAEL MCGARRITY.

AND I AM LORENE MILLS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU OUR AUDIENCE BEING WITH US TODAY ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NEW MEXICO, AN ORGANIZATION OF PROFESSIONALS WHO BELIEVE THAT INVESTING IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR STATE'S ECONOMIC FUTURE, FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM THE