REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM >>LORENE: HELLO, I AM LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

OUR GUEST TODAY IS INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED AND BELOVED AUTHOR, MICHAEL MCGARRITY.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

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

>>LORENE: WELL, IT IS ALWAYS SUCH A PLEASURE TO HAVE A NEW BOOK OF YOURS TO READ.

I INVITED YOU HERE TO TALK ABOUT YOUR NEW BOOK CALLED, THE LONG AGO , BUT WE WILL TALK ABOUT SOME OF YOUR OTHER BOOKS, TOO.

BECAUSE YOU ARE ONE OF THE MOST BELOVED NEW MEXICO AUTHORS, YOU HAVE FOURTEEN BOOKS IN THE KEVIN KERNEY CRIME NOVEL SERIES WHICH PEOPLE JUST LOVE AND THEN YOU DID A KIND OF PREQUEL CALLED THE "AMERICAN WEST TRILOGY," WHICH WERE HARD COUNTRY, BACKLANDS AND THIS IS SO POIGNANT, THE LAST RANCH .

SO, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU WRITE ABOUT IS FAMILY.

>>MICHAEL: IT'S TRUE.

>>LORENE: AND IN SO MANY WAYS, IT IS NOT JUST THIS ONE GENERATION, YOU TAKE THE WHOLE, WHEN THE KERNEY FAMILY THAT YOU WRITE ABOUT COMES AND STARTS RANCHING HERE.

IT IS NOT JUST THE HISTORY OF A FAMILY, IT IS THE HISTORY OF RANCHING IN THE WEST AND ALL THE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CHANGES.

>>MICHAEL: THAT'S CORRECT.

>>LORENE: AND THE ECONOMIC CHANGES.

SO... >>MICHAEL: I AM VERY GLAD THAT YOU PICKED UP ON THAT BECAUSE MY WRITING WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, TRANSCENDS GENRES.

>>LORENE: YES.

>>MICHAEL: AND SO THE BOOKS CAN BE CALLED CRIMES NOVELS OR HISTORICAL FICTION OR WITH THE LONG AGO, WHICH WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT A SPIN-OFF.

BUT THE CORE OF THE BOOKS ARE ALWAYS ABOUT, IN THIS PARTICULAR FOR INSTANCE UP TO THIS POINT IN MY CAREER, ABOUT ONE FAMILY.

>>LORENE: YEAH, YEAH AND THEY ARE BEAUTIFULLY PORTRAYED AND THEIR OWN FAMILY LOYALTIES AND THEIR OWN FAMILY HISTORY, I JUST FELT LIKE I KNEW THEM, YOU KNOW?

>>MICHAEL: YEAH, I AM FEELING LIKE ONE OF THE LAST OF THE OLD GUY WRITERS WHO TALKS ABOUT THINGS LIKE LOYALTY AND FAMILY AND ROMANCE, YOU KNOW, AND A LIFE THAT HAS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF HONOR TO IT, MEANING TO IT.

AND YOU KNOW IT SEEMS TO BE FADING AWAY, BUT THAT'S MY CENTER AS A WRITER WHEN I AM TRYING TO TELL A TALE.

>>LORENE: WELL BECAUSE, IN A WAY, YOU HAVE HEROES IN YOUR BOOKS.

>>MICHAEL: I DO.

>>LORENE: AND THERE IS A LOT OF STRAIN OF MODERN LITERATURE THAT IS ABOUT THE ANTI-HERO, AND THE CHARMING SCOUNDREL AND STUFF LIKE THIS.

YOU HAVE FAMILY MEN AND MEN OF HONOR AND MEN WHO ARE WORKING TO MAKE THEIR OWN WORLD AT LEAST A BETTER PLACE.

>>MICHAEL: RIGHT.

>>LORENE: AND WE NEED THAT.

>>MICHAEL: I LIKE TO THINK ALSO WHEN I GIVE CREDIT TO MIMI, MY LOVELY BRIDE, OF BEING ABLE TO CREATE WOMEN THAT HAVE SOME SUBSTANCE TO THEM >>LORENE: ABSOLUTELY, I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT, THEY REALLY DO.

BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT HER FOR A MINUTE BECAUSE TELL ME HOW YOU CAME TO WRITING AND I THINK SHE HAD SOME INFLUENCE ON YOU IN THIS RESPECT.

>>MICHAEL: SHE SAYS THAT YOU KNOW, SHE SAID, "I ALWAYS KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO BE A WRITER."

AND I SAID, "REALLY, YOU PROBABLY KNEW BEFORE I DID."

BUT WHAT I HAD WAS HER TOTAL LOYALTY AND SUPPORT WHEN I STEPPED AWAY FROM MY PROFESSIONAL WORLD AND SAID, "I WANT TO TRY TO WRITE A BOOK."

AND HER RESPONSE TO THAT WAS, WELL YOU KNOW I AM GOING TO HAVE SURGERY, BUT, SURE GO AHEAD AND WRITE THE BOOK, AND I WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU.

AND SO I WROTE MY FIRST MANUSCRIPT AND IT WAS HORRIBLY BAD BUT IT GOT ME STARTED ON THE PATH AND THEN I WENT BACK INTO MY PROFESSIONAL WORLD AND JUST KEPT AT IT.

AND SHE WAS ALWAYS THERE, AND SHE SAYS, RIGHT FROM THE START, "LET'S TRY TO LIVE ON ONE SALARY SO THAT YOU CAN FIND THE TIME ALONG THIS ROAD THAT YOU WANT TO TAKE TO BE ABLE TO PRODUCE SOMETHING THAT YOU WILL BE PROUD OF."

>>LORENE: WHAT WONDERFUL SUPPORT.

>>MICHAEL: I KNOW.

>>LORENE: WHAT WONDERFUL SUPPORT.

>>MICHAEL: SHE IS INCREDIBLE.

>>LORENE: BUT LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIFE.

>>MICHAEL: OKAY.

>>LORENE: YOU HAVE STUDIED ENGLISH AND YOU HAVE A DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY, A MASTERS IN CLINICAL AND SOCIAL WORK.

YOU HAVE A 25-YEAR CAREER IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN NEW MEXICO AND YOU USE WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED IN THE FIELD SO BEAUTIFULLY.

I UNDERSTAND THAT AMONG OTHER THINGS PEOPLE, ALSO SORTS OF PEOPLE, LOVE YOUR BOOKS, BUT PARTICULARLY THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITIES SAYS, YOU GOT IT RIGHT.

>>MICHAEL: YEAH, THAT IS REALLY QUITE A NICE HONOR TO HEAR THAT FROM NOT ONLY PEOPLE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT BUT PROSECUTORS AND DEFENSE ATTORNEYS AND SOME OF MY BIGGEST FANS ARE JUDGES, RETIRED JUDGES, RIGHT UP TO THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW MEXICO.

SO IT'S NICE TO GET THAT KIND OF POSITIVE REACTION FROM PEOPLE WHO READ MY WORK AND SEE THE AUTHENTICITY TO IT.

>>LORENE: ALSO, ONE THING THAT YOU DID, WE HAVE A BOND IN COMMON, THE PENITENTIARY RIOT.

>>MICHAEL: RIGHT.

>>LORENE: WHICH MY LATE HUSBAND, ERNIE MILLS, WAS INVOLVED WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS.

>>MICHAEL: YES, HE WAS.

>>LORENE: BUT YOU HELPED REESTABLISH MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT.

YOU CAN'T JUST DO PUNISHMENT; PUNISHMENT ALONE ISN'T GOING TO GET ANYBODY BACK INTO THE SYSTEM.

>>MICHAEL: NO, WE HAD TO ALMOST CREATE THE ENTIRE STATE-WIDE SYSTEM FROM SCRATCH.

>>LORENE: WOW.

>>MICHAEL: IT WAS IN TOTAL DISARRAY.

OF COURSE, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY, ESPECIALLY AT THE PENITENTIARY THE PEOPLE THAT WERE WORKING THERE WERE TOTALLY TRAUMATIZED BY WHAT HAPPENED.

>>LORENE: WELL, THE GUARDS WERE BRUTALIZED.

>>MICHAEL: OH, YES.

WHEN I WAS TEACHING AS AN ADJUNCT INSTRUCTOR OUT AT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMY AFTER I BECAME A POLICE OFFICER AND THEN LEFT IT, WE WOULD SHOW SOME OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE RIOT, JUST TO HAVE A CERTAIN OF A SHOCK VALUE FOR THE NEW CADETS SO THEY COULD SEE WHAT ACTUALLY CAN HAPPEN WHEN THINGS GET OUT OF CONTROL.

IT WAS AN EXPERIENCE THAT FEW PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED WITH IT THAT CAN NEVER FORGET.

>>LORENE: NOBODY CAN GET OVER IT, ERNIE, HE CARRIED IT WITH HIM FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

IT WAS THE SECOND WORST RIOT IN AMERICAN HISTORY.

>>MICHAEL: YES, IT WAS.

>>LORENE: ATTICA WAS THE FIRST, BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFTEN SHOT THE WRONG PERSON, SO, IT WASN'T JUST INMATE ON INMATE VIOLENCE.

>>MICHAEL: RIGHT.

>>LORENE: BUT IN OUR CASE, IT WAS WHAT 33 INMATES KILLED?

>>MICHAEL: YES.

>>LORENE: AND ENOUGH GRIEF TO LAST US FOREVER.

CORRECTIONS IS A VERY HARD FIELD TO BE IN.

>>MICHAEL: TERRIBLY HARD, TERRIBLY HARD.

>>LORENE: YEAH, SO, IN YOUR "HATS" IN 1980, YOU WERE NAMED THE NEW MEXICO SOCIAL WORKER OF THE YEAR AND YET SEVEN YEARS LATER, YOU WERE SANTA FE'S POLICE OFFICE OF THE YEAR.

SO THERE ARE YOUR TWO THREADS CONSTANTLY INTERMINGLING AND COMING TOGETHER SO BEAUTIFULLY IN YOUR BOOKS.

ALSO IN 2004, YOU RECEIVED THE NEW MEXICO GOVERNOR'S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE ARTS FOR LITERATURE.

CONGRATULATIONS.

>>MICHAEL: THANK YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IT WAS AN HONOR TO GET IT FROM BILL AND BARBARA RICHARDSON.

>>LORENE: YES.

>>MICHAEL: IT WAS AS HONOR TO GET IT FROM THEM.

>>LORENE: YES, INDEED AND ACTUALLY THEY WERE READERS.

>>MICHAEL: OH YEAH, BARBARA WAS A BIG FAN.

>>LORENE: YEAH, YEAH.

LET'S START WITH TULAROSA , IF WE CAN BECAUSE THIS WAS THE PRIME MOVER.

>>MICHAEL: IT IS A DEBUT NOVEL, CAME OUT IN 1996, IT REALLY LAUNCHED MY CAREER.

I WAS JUST HAPPY TO KNOW THAT I HAD FINALLY PUBLISHED A BOOK AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WHATEVER CAME NEXT WHICH I WASN'T SURE WOULD BE.

BUT IT TOOK OFF AND HAD A LIFE OF ITS OWN, IT GOT GREAT REVIEWS.

ACTUALLY, IN HARD COVER, IT WAS PICKED AS ONE OF THE MOST COLLECTIBLE BOOKS OF THE YEAR.

SO EVEN BACK WHEN IT WAS GETTING STARTED, THIS THING I CALL A CAREER, I WAS RECEIVING SOME REALLY GREAT RESPONSE TO WHAT I FINALLY HAD BEEN ABLE TO BRING TO LIFE ON THE PAGE.

>>LORENE: WELL, YOU CREATED YOUR MAIN CHARACTER, KEVIN KERNEY, AND YOU HAVE FOURTEEN BOOKS WHERE HE GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO, IT'S TOO FAR DOWN, ON THE BOTTOM.

>>MICHAEL: HEAD WOUNDS WAS THE LAST BOOK IN THE SERIES.

>>LORENE: YEAH, I KNOW.

RESIDUE IS WHERE HE EXITS, RIGHT?

>>MICHAEL: WELL, HE IS STILL AROUND IN HEAD WOUNDS, HE PLAYS A SMALLER ROLE IN THAT BOOK.

THAT BOOK REALLY TENDS TO FEATURE HIS NATIVE AMERICAN SON.

>>LORENE: YES.

>>MICHAEL: AND WHEN I FINISHED THAT BOOK, WHEN I FINISHED HEAD WOUNDS , THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT, WELL IT IS JUST GOING TO CONTINUE ON WITH THE SERIES BY USING CLAYTON.

>>LORENE: RIGHT, HIS SON.

>>MICHAEL: AND I DECIDED I WANTED TO END THE SERIES.

>>LORENE: AND WHY, BECAUSE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE BOUGHT THEM AND READ THEM FOURTEEN BOOKS WAS ONLY A START.

>>MICHAEL: IT WAS REALLY A CONSCIOUS DECISION.

I HAD BEEN A FAN OF A LOT OF STARTING OUT VERY GOOD WRITERS, WHO HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS AND AS THEY PROGRESSED, THEIR WRITING HAD FALLEN OFF AND IT BECAME DISAPPOINTING FOR ME.

AND I SAID TO MYSELF A LONG TIME AGO, I DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT ON A HIGH NOTE WITH THE SERIES AND THEN SEE WHAT I CAN DO TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES.

YOU KNOW, TO ME, I WOULD HAVE STAGNATED IF I HAD STAYED WITH THAT CHARACTER AND HIS SUPPORTING CAST, BECAUSE IT WAS VERY COMFORTABLE.

I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TO CREATE ALL THAT MUCH.

I HAD KERNEY AS THE PROTAGONIST, I HAD HIS FAMILY, I HAD WHATEVER LAW ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE I WANTED TO BRING IN AS A SUPPORTING CAST AND SO THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY.

AND I NEEDED A CHALLENGE, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE THE LONG AGO , BECAUSE IT IS A TOTAL, COMPLETE BREAK.

EVEN THOUGH IT IS TIED TO THE KERNEY FAMILY, IT IS A TOTALLY COMPLETE BREAK.

VIRTUALLY NOTHING ABOUT NEW MEXICO IN THAT BOOK, IN FACT, I HAD SOMEBODY READ IT AND I RAN INTO THIS PERSON AT AN EVENT AND HE KIND OF COMPLAINED BECAUSE IT WASN'T ABOUT NEW MEXICO.

>>LORENE: OH WELL, MONTANA ON THE OTHER HAND.

>>MICHAEL: HE SAID HE LIKED IT BUT, YOU KNOW.

I WANTED A COMPLETE BREAKAWAY FROM THE SERIES AS A CHALLENGE AND I ALSO WANTED TO TELL A STORY THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEMPORARY BUT ALSO PART OF MY GENERATIONAL EXPERIENCE.

>>LORENE: WELL, I TELL YOU, IT TAKES GREAT SELF-AWARENESS AND AWARENESS, TO, AS THEY SAY, "TO KNOW WHEN TO HOLD THEM, AND KNOW WHEN TO FOLD THEM."

>>MICHAEL: THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: AND IT ALSO TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE BECAUSE YOU HAD A SURE THING, KEVIN KERNEY, PEOPLE WOULD HAVE FOLLOWED HIM TO THE GRAVE.

>>MICHAEL: I HAD A WONDERFUL PUBLISHER AND A WONDERFUL EDITOR WHO I THINK REALLY LIKED ME ENOUGH AND BELIEVED IN ME ENOUGH THAT I CAN DO PRETTY MUCH WHAT I WANT TO.

>>LORENE: YES.

>>MICHAEL: AS A WRITER, WHICH IS A REMARKABLE POINT TO BE AT IN YOUR CAREER.

>>LORENE: YES AND TO MAKE THIS, THIS WAS A PRETTY BOLD STEP CONSIDERING.

>>MICHAEL: IT WAS.

>>LORENE: WITH EVERYTHING YOU HAD DONE.

>>MICHAEL: YES.

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHERE THE TITLE CAME FROM?

>>LORENE: YES, I DO, BECAUSE YOU USED IT BEAUTIFULLY ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

FIRST OF ALL, TELL THEM WHERE IT CAME FROM AND WHAT YOU MEAN BY IT.

>>MICHAEL: OKAY.

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP ONE OF MY FAVORITE ALL-TIME MOVIE ACTORS WAS A GUY BY THE NAME OF GENE KELLY.

>>LORENE: OH, YEAH.

>>MICHAEL: I MEAN THIS MAN COULD DANCE AND HE COULD ACT, DIDN'T HAVE A GREAT VOICE BUT BOY HE HAD A COMMANDING PRESENCE.

HE MADE A MOVIE WITH RITA HAYWOOD CALLED, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE MOVIE NOW, BUT A GERSHWIN SONG, "LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY" IS IN THE MOVIE.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>MICHAEL: AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONGS, IT'S A GREAT SONG.

AND I LOVE THE TITLE THE LONG AGO BECAUSE IT COMES FROM THAT PART OF MY LIFE THAT NOW IS LONG AGO, BUT ALSO HAS SIGNIFICANCE TO THE STORY THAT I WANTED TO TELL.

>>LORENE: WELL, WE ARE SPEAKING TODAY WITH MICHAEL MCGARRITY ABOUT NOT ONLY HIS NEW BOOK, THE LONG AGO, BUT THERE ARE OTHER WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL BOOKS.

SO YOU HAVE DONE SO MUCH RESEARCH IN THESE BOOKS, IT IS AN EDUCATION TO READ THEM.

OF COURSE, IT IS A MOVING FAMILY ODYSSEY CHRONICLE, BUT YOU TEACH US SO MUCH.

SO I WANT TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR RESEARCH BECAUSE YOU WEAVE HISTORICAL EVENTS, AND YOU WEAVE IN ONE OF MY FAVORITE WESTERN WRITERS, EUGENE MANLOVE RHODES, WHO WROTE PASO POR AQUI .

>>MICHAEL: YEAH.

>>LORENE: TEDDY ROOSEVELT AND THE ROUGH RIDERS, THE WHITE SANDS PROVING RANGE.

>>MICHAEL: YES.

>>LORENE: AND SO WHAT... >>MICHAEL: BUT THAT'S NOT ALL IN THE LONG AGO .

>>LORENE: NO, NO, THAT'S IN ALL OF THEM.

>>MICHAEL: JUST THE THREAD, THE CIRCLE THREAD.

>>LORENE: WHAT THEY REPRESENT IS A BODY OF KNOWLEDGE.

>>MICHAEL: RIGHT.

>>LORENE: A WONDERFUL PLOT, A WONDERFUL STORY LINE, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, YOU WRITE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE TIME ABOUT OTHER EVENTS THAT WERE GOING.

SO HOW DID YOU RESEARCH ALL THAT?

>>MICHAEL: WELL, YOU KNOW, I JUST STARTED BUILDING A LIBRARY YEARS AND YEARS AGO, OF SOUTHWESTERN LITERATURE, NON-FICTION HISTORICAL PEOPLE FROM THE WEST.

AND SO PART OF THE PROCESS FOR ME WAS EDUCATING MYSELF TO THE TIMES AND TO THE ERA AND PICKING AND CHOOSING, IF YOU WILL, WHAT I WANTED TO PUT IN AND WHAT I DIDN'T WANT TO PUT IN.

THE LONG AGO , THE TITLE COMES FROM MY TWO MAIN CHARACTERS HAVING THIS TOTALLY DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY LIFE THAT FORCES THEM TO BASICALLY BUILD A FANTASY WORLD FOR THEMSELVES.

A LITTLE PLACE WHERE THEY COULD GO AND FEEL SAFE BY TALKING ABOUT HAVING THE LONG AGO ESCAPE INTO SOME SORT OF LIFE THAT HAD MEANING AND PURPOSE AND SECURITY, THEY WEREN'T GETTING... >>LORENE: IN A LIFE WHERE FAMILY STRUCTURE SUPPORTED THE YOUNGER MEMBERS, INSTEAD OF TORMENTING THEM, DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES WE CALL IT NOW.

>>MICHAEL: YEAH.

>>LORENE: AND HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF LITERATURE ABOUT THAT, AND YOU ARE EVOKING A TIME IN THE LONG AGO WHEN THINGS WORKED... >>MICHAEL: AND IT IS ALSO A BOOK ABOUT THE ESCAPE AND FINDING YOURSELF AND BECOMING WHO YOU ARE.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>MICHAEL: AND IT'S WRAPPED AROUND THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ONE OF THE SIBLINGS.

SO WE HAVE RAY WHO IS THE OLDER BROTHER WHO COMES BACK FROM VIETNAM TO SEARCH FOR HIS SISTER WHO HAS LEFT AND NO ONE KNOWS WHERE SHE IS.

AND SO IT'S KIND OF A MYSTERY, BUT IT IS A MORE A TALE OF BECOMING.

>>LORENE: YES, YES.

>>MICHAEL: AND LEARNING.

AND IT'S GOT A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT THE EARLY 1960S IN IT THAT ARE PARTICULARLY INTERESTING TO ME BECAUSE IT IS THE PERIOD THAT I GREW UP IN, THAT I WAS A YOUNG ADULT IN, SO I HAD TO RECREATE THAT WORLD.

>>LORENE: AND YOU RECREATE IT VERY VIVIDLY.

>>MICHAEL: AND THERE IS NO BIG CELL PHONE THING, THERE IS NO FAX MACHINES, THERE ARE NO DNA TESTS, THERE ISN'T ANY OF THE TECHNOLOGY AND SOPHISTICATION IN LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT WE HAVE TODAY.

SO I HAD TO BRING THAT BACK TO LIFE AND IT WAS A LOT OF FUN TO DO.

AND I HAD SOME REALLY FAVORITE CHARACTERS IN THAT BOOK, THE POLICE SERGEANT IN LOS ANGELES IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS, THE GUY WHOSE FATHER WAS AN ANIMATOR FOR WALT DISNEY.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>MICHAEL: YOU KNOW AND GREW UP IN THAT WHOLE HOLLYWOOD EXPERIENCE AS A KID AND THEN TURNS OUT NOT ONLY TO BE A WORLD WAR II MARINE CORPS VETERAN, COMBAT VETERAN, BUT THEN A POLICE OFFICER AND I THINK HIS STORY IS GREAT.

>>LORENE: YES.

>>MICHAEL: SO I HAD SOME REALLY WONDERFUL CHARACTERS.

THE GUY WHO OWNED THE GARAGE IN LIVINGSTON, MONTANA, WHO COMES BACK FROM WORLD WAR II ON A TROOP SHIP AND PLAYS CRAPS AND WINS A FORTUNE AND IS ABLE TO PAY OFF HIS HOUSE AND BUY A GARAGE AFTER HIS WIFE HAS ABANDONED HIM AND TAKEN EVERYTHING WITH HER.

SO THERE ARE THESE WONDERFUL SUPPORTING CHARACTERS THAT ARE BRAND NEW TO ME AND IT WAS JUST AMAZING TO BE ABLE TO BRING THEM TO LIFE.

>>LORENE: ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS YOU DO IS YOU POSIT ANOTHER POINT-OF-VIEW THAT "MISSING" COULD BE ONE POINT OF VIEW AND YEAH, AND A PERSON MIGHT HAVE JUST STEPPED OUT FROM THEIR LIFE BECAUSE THEY WERE READY TO START ANOTHER ONE.

>>MICHAEL: THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: AND THE "MISSING" AND THE HORROR, WAS SHE BURIED IN A SHALLOW GRAVE OR IS SHE LIVING A WONDERFUL FULFILLING LIFE SOMEWHERE ELSE.

YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR HER DON'T OFTEN ENTERTAIN THE POSITIVE.

>>MICHAEL: YEAH.

>>LORENE: THE POSITIVE PERSPECTIVE OF HER REBIRTH INTO A NEW MORE SELF-EXPRESSING LIFE.

>>MICHAEL: AND SHE IS A WONDERFUL CHARACTER, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BARBARA.

>>LORENE: I AM, I LOVED HER.

>>MICHAEL: AND THERE ARE TWO OF THE, WELL THE AUNT, BARBARA AND RAY'S AUNT AND BARBARA, HERSELF, AND THEN RAY'S RELATIONSHIP WITH BETH.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>MICHAEL: AND THESE THREE WOMEN REALLY ARE IN SOME WAYS AHEAD OF THEIR TIME.

I MEAN THIS WAS A TIME WHEN WOMEN DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO BIRTH CONTROL, WHEN THEY WOULD STILL PUT ON DRESSES AND HIGH HEELS TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND THEY STILL LIVED IN MANY WAYS THE SECONDARY ROLE TO THE MEN IN SOCIETY AND THESE THREE WOMEN SORT OF GO AGAINST THAT GRAIN, YOU KNOW, AND I REALLY ADMIRE ALL THREE OF THEM.

>>LORENE: BUT THAT'S WHY I WANT TO ASK YOU, SINCE FAMILY IS A THEME OF THE BOOK ABOUT YOUR OWN FAMILY AND YOUR OWN MOM.

NOW YOU DO A KIND OF ROMAN � CLEF IN THAT ONE OF THE CHARACTERS IS A COWGIRL FROM MONTANA.

WAS YOUR MOM A COWGIRL FROM MONTANA?

>>MICHAEL: YEAH, SHE WAS.

>>LORENE: AND WAS SHE AHEAD OF HER TIME, TOO?

>>MICHAEL: OH, YEAH, WAY AHEAD OF HER TIME.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>MICHAEL: HER STORY IS ONE THAT COULD BE TOLD.

SHE LEFT DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION AND WENT TO NEW YORK CITY AND BECAME A FASHION MODEL, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.

SHE WAS THIS STUNNING STRAWBERRY BLONDE, BLUE-EYED, FIVE FEET EIGHT, ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL WOMAN AND SHE WAS TOUGH AS NAILS.

NO ONE LIKE HER.

>>LORENE: YES, YOU DID HAVE RESONANCES OF HER THROUGH THIS BOOK.

>>MICHAEL: YEAH.

>>LORENE: IT MADE ME REALLY WONDER.

TWO OTHER THREADS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU ABOUT.

HOW MUCH, YOU HAVE A SOCIAL WORK BACKGROUND AND LAW ENFORCEMENT BACKGROUND, WE HAVE TOUCHED ON THIS BEFORE, BUT HOW DID IT JUST COME FORTH FROM YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, DID YOU SIT DOWN AND CHART "WHAT I LEARNED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT" AND THEN PUT IT IN OR ARE THESE JUST STORIES FROM THE CHARACTERS IN YOUR OWN LIFE THAT YOU KNEW.

>>MICHAEL: YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WHEN YOU BUILD A BOOK, IF YOU DO IT THE RIGHT WAY, YOU HAVE A COMBINATION OF THE NEW AND THE OLD.

AND THE NEW IS WHAT YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO BE ABLE TO TELL THE STORY, AT LEAST IT IS FOR ME.

AND THAT LEARNING ABOUT WHO THESE CHARACTERS ARE GOING TO BE AND HOW YOU ARE GOING TO POSITION THEM WITHIN THE STORY.

BUT SOMETHING ABOUT BUILDING A SKELETON IF YOU WILL OR A FRAMEWORK AND SOMETIMES, I WILL DRAW FROM AN EXPERIENCE THAT I HAVE HAD WITH SOME OTHER PEOPLE.

OCCASIONALLY, I WILL EVEN BORROW SOMEBODY THAT I KNEW AS A CHARACTER, YOU KNOW.

NOW IT WOULD BE UP TO THEM TO FIGURE OUT WHO I AM TALKING ABOUT AND I'D NEVER ADMIT THAT "HEY, THAT THIS PARTICULAR CHARACTER WAS BASED ON THAT PARTICULAR REAL PERSON."

BUT YOU BORROW BITS AND PIECES AT LEAST I DO AND YOU PUT IT ALL ALTOGETHER AND YOU COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT HAS A UNITY TO IT AND SOME SUBSTANCE TO IT.

SO THAT IS THE CHARACTER PART OF THE LOCATION AND THE PROCESS PART OF IT IS MAKING SURE THAT I GET EVERYTHING RIGHT.

I AM STILL TRYING TO WRITE A PERFECT BOOK AND I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO IT YET AND I DOUBT THAT I EVER WILL.

BUT I LIKE TO STAY IT IS AKIN TO THE NAVAJO WEAVER WHO ALWAYS PUTS IN A LITTLE IMPERFECTION BECAUSE ONLY THE GODS CAN BE PERFECT.

>>LORENE: YES.

>>MICHAEL: AND I AM NEVER GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE.

SO BUT I TRY TO GET IT RIGHT AND I HAVEN'T DONE IT YET, BUT I AM STILL LEARNING, AND I AM STILL TRYING.

>>LORENE: BUT YOUR READERS ARE ALSO IMPERFECT BEINGS AND THAT IS IN A WAY WHY THEY ADORE AND ATTACH AND RELATE TO SOME OF THE CHARACTERS BECAUSE THEY ARE IMPERFECT BEINGS.

>>MICHAEL: YES.

>>LORENE: SO I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE ODYSSEY AS A WRITER BECAUSE YOU HAVE, ARE PARTICIPATING IN SEVERAL WRITING SCHOLARSHIPS WITH SOME OTHER AUTHORS.

I THINK THAT WITH THE TONY HILLERMAN, ANNE HILLERMAN PEOPLE.

>>MICHAEL: YEAH.

>>LORENE: AND WHO ELSE SO THAT TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE OFFERING AN HELP BEGINNING WRITERS.

>>MICHAEL: WELL WITH THE HILLERMAN, MCGARRITY SCHOLARSHIP REALLY GREW OUT OF...I APPROACHED TONY AND I SAID, WE REALLY NEED TO SET UP A SCHOLARSHIP IN YOUR NAME BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE DONE FOR NEW MEXICO WRITERS, BOTH PROFESSIONALLY IN THE CLASSROOM AND PERSONALLY AS A PUBLISHED NOVELIST.

HE SAID, I WON'T DO IT UNLESS YOUR NAME IS ON THE SCHOLARSHIP.

WHICH I TOOK AS JUST PROBABLY ONE OF THE GREATEST COMPLIMENTS I HAVE EVER BEEN GIVEN.

SO I HELPED FORM A COMMITTEE TO RAISE ENOUGH MONEY TO ESTABLISH AN ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP WHICH STARTED OUT AT THE COLLEGE OF SANTA FE BUT THEN MOVED OVER TO UNM ONCE THE COLLEGE FOLDED.

AND THEN, WE CAME UP WITH ANOTHER IDEA "WE" MEANING ME AND REBECCA WURZBURGER AND CHARMAY ALLRED TO HAVE A SCHOLARSHIP AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR RICHARD BRADFORD WHO BASICALLY WAS A WONDERFUL, FUNNY, DELIGHTFUL HUMAN BEING AND GAVE ME SUCH A GREAT ENDORSEMENT FOR TULAROSA .

SO ONE THING LEAD TO ANOTHER TO ANOTHER AND FINALLY IAIA WITH THE SCOTT MOMADAY SCHOLARSHIP >>LORENE: WE HAVE TO, ONE THING IS LEADING TO ANOTHER TOO QUICKLY, I MUST BE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

I WANT TO ASK YOU WHAT YOUR WORKING ON NOW.

>>MICHAEL: OKAY.

I WILL BE GLAD TO TELL YOU, IT IS A TOTAL BREAKAWAY FROM EVERYTHING.

>>LORENE: GREAT, WHAT IS IT?

>>MICHAEL: IT IS A CRIME NOIR NOVEL SET IN NEW YORK CITY IN THE 1950S.

>>LORENE: PERFECT, PERFECT.

AND SO EVEN THOUGH THESE BOOKS HAVE HAD RESONANCES OF MONTANA, WILL THERE BE RESONANCES WITH OF NEW MEXICO OR MONTANA IN THIS NEW NEW YORK BOOK?

>>MICHAEL: SO FAR, NO.

>>LORENE: DO YOU HAVE A TITLE?

>>MICHAEL: YEAH, I DO.

>>LORENE: LET'S HEAR IT.

>>MICHAEL: NIGHT IN THE CITY.

>>LORENE: PERFECT.

NOIR, NOIR, MORE AND MORE NOIR.

WELL I LOOK FORWARD, YOU'LL COME HERE WHEN IT'S... >>MICHAEL: YEAH, IT'S A MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR ME BECAUSE SO FAR, IT'S ALL BEING WRITTEN ONE NARRATIVE PERSPECTIVE, WHICH I HAVE NEVER DONE BEFORE.

SO THIS STORY IS BEING TOLD BY ONE CHARACTER THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE BOOK, WE'LL SEE IF I CAN PULL IT OFF.

>>LORENE: WELL, ALSO, TO WATCH A BUNCH OF 1950S NOIR BLACK AND WHITE MOVIES.

IT IS A GOOD WAY TO DO THIS.

>>MICHAEL: THAT'S RIGHT.

>>LORENE: THEY ARE SO MUCH FUN.

WELL I AM JUST SO PLEASED THAT YOU HAVE COME.

OUR GUEST TODAY IS MICHAEL MCGARRITY, I WANT TO JUST MENTION HIS VERY FIRST BOOK 1996, TULAROSA , ALL THE WAY UP TO THE LATEST BOOK, THE LONG AGO , A WONDERFUL BOOK AND I AM REALLY GRATEFUL TO YOU AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NOIR, THE DAWN OF THE NOIR.

>>MICHAEL: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>LORENE: IT'S BEEN A REAL PLEASURE.

>>MICHAEL: ALWAYS, MY PLEASURE.

>>LORENE: YOU BET.

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

REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM