ODYSSEY STORYTELLING PHOTOS and BIOS
JULY 30, 2009 - "Illegal"
Duane Vild was born in Mantua Ohio in 1943. He attended Arizona State University (B.A.) and Northern Arizona University (M.A.). He taught wood shop, graphic arts and architectural drafting in the late 60's in LA (Downtown LA, Watts), Torrance High and at ASU. He began work in the Arizona state prison system in Florence in 1971 became a warden working in Douglas, Bonita and Tucson, and retired 1997. His next career was 10 years as a Program Administrator at U of A where he coordinated non-credit courses for Computer Education and Professional Development programs. He's married to Pat Lewis and they have one son, Spencer Brummer.
Edna Meza Aguirre: I am a Tucson native, raised in the beautiful desert. I was reared in the restaurant business where my passion for food was born. My other passions include the US Constitution, babies and yes, the Red Sox! My career has been a great adventure that began in law school, moved on in criminal defense, and landed in South Tucson with caregivers. 　 Eventually, I became a fundraiser. What I love about fund raising is knowing I am a conduit between those kind enough to give and those in need. I will be presenting my story in English, which by the way, I did not learn until I was seven years old.
Lorna Soroko is so serious about being around good stories that she chose a line of work guaranteed to provide them on a regular basis: private investigating. And she uses her real life adventures as inspiration for a series of detective novels that she's writing. She's also a Fellow at the U of A Hanson Film Institute, where she guest teaches about developing and pitching TV. and movie ideas, and she consults on film business issues for clients large and small. Before moving to Tucson, Lorna worked in the entertainment biz developing new TV. series and movies for a production company based at Warner Bros., did some of her own writing and producing, and, before making the leap from her left brain to her right, she wheeled and dealed as an entertainment lawyer in L.A. Don't get her mad because her two Cheetoh cats are part leopard. Really.
Jim Marx loves a good story. He grew up on a dairy farm in Minnesota's "Lake Woebegone Country" - the second born of ten scrappy children - and listening to his grandfather tell stories about heroic dogs, smart hogs, majestic horses, talking cows and all the fish that got away. Jim spent most of his adult years in the Midwest (Chicago and Omaha) as a teacher, counselor, high school administrator and family therapist - each job an opportunity to listen stories out of people of all ages. He moved to Tucson with his wife, Maureen, 2 years ago and within 6 months both got involved as volunteers with No More Deaths, a humanitarian aid movement that provides water, food and medical aid to migrants crossing the desert and whose mission is to end the death and suffering there.(www.nomoredeath.org) Now there's a story! "If I ever wondered how my life would unfold in retirement," Jim reflects, "I look to a line my favorite poet, the late William Stafford wrote, 'Somewhere deep where we have no program, our next discovery lies.'
Tom Clark: Leaving a career in finance late last century, I found relaxation by writing; at first, a few exposes telling the real story behind Jack & Jill and what they were really up to, and that social climber, Jack of beanstalk fame. After a couple of one act stage plays, I finally took the plunge into screenplays. Although Hollywood has yet to discover me, I've been edging close to finals in various competitions and I remain hopeful. Not so much hope surrounds my Great American Novel that languishes on the back burner waiting for me to overcome my addiction to Sloth. Distractions by my faithful canine partner, Marco, to hike and play ball is my remedy for writer's block so I can remind myself that writing is simply putting one finger in front of another on the keyboard. And what a fun journey writing is!
Juliana Piccillo is a mom, writer and sometimes filmmaker. Her work is featured in a new book, Hos, Hookers, Callgirls, & Rentboys: Professionals Writing on Life, Love, Work & Money which will be released by Softskull Press on July 1. www.julianapiccillo.wordpress.com .
View from the stage
the audience Adam Hostetter