FINALLY!!!  "The Immigrant" is published and available online at iuniverse.com; barnes and noble.com; and amazon.com. It's been an experience like waiting for a baby to be born that is two weeks overdue, but because of some glitches in the publishing process, "The Immigrant" has been far more than two weeks overdue.

"the Immigrant" is my favorite book, if I may be allowed to pick one charlesclarknovels as the best. It is a story of an eleven-year-old boy who is orphaned when his parents are killed in an accident during the crossing process. What happens to a boy this age who is in a strange country, has no family, does not know the language, is totally helpless?

Someone asked me about the book the other day. I tried to explain why I enjoyed writing it and why I would choose it as my favorite. I couldn't exactlly say why. I just said: "It brings tears to your eyes." I'm sure I was expected to say something about the current immigration issues that are a popular media topic. One thing readers might like is the mystery angle that I threw in to pique reader-interest--a subplot that includes a drug cartel activity in northern Mexico.

I hope you enjoy reading "The Immigrant" as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you should look for the book online please enter under title "The Immigrant" by Charles Clark. Another book with the same title was published in 2007 by a different author.

How often have you heard about "Meals on Wheels" for handicapped seniors? Last week I had the honor of being asked to speak at the local annual fund raising event that was planned by the city staff and the volunteer committee. I was astounded to learn all of the benefits the progam provides for seniors: Meals delivered to homes, Senior Centers strategically located over the city that have a wide variety of programs to enhance the well being of our senior citizens.

I talked about the Healthcare crisis in the country and what could be done to reform our deplorable system. It is the most costly in the world, produces the poorest quality of care and poorest outcomes, and still leaves 47,000,000 residents in this country without insurance coverage.

Presidential candidates and lawmakers all have a plan to reform our healthcare system but those candidates and lawmakers wha have accepted large campaign fund contributions from the Health Insurance Industry, the Pharmaceutical Industry, and the various Medical and Hospital Associatons are unlikely to come across with a reform plan that will correct the problem. Healthcare reform is impossible unless reimbursement to providers is limited to only medically necessary services. Most of the above associations and industries want more, not fewer, services covered regardless of medical necessity. Their solution - it doesn't matter how much or how costly, just raise the premium, deductible, and co-pay. 

I was pleasantly surprised to hear the feedback from those attending and to see the interest in reforming and financing healthcare. Next year, it will be interesting to see where healthcare is placed on the parties platforms.  

"Return to Dos Encinos" has been chosen as a finalist for the prestigious Violet Crown Award, in the fiction category. This contest, sponsored by the Writer's League of Texas, is an annual event and the final award is celebrated during the annual Texas Book Festival in Austin, Texas. The finalist authors will participate in a panel forum during the festival. The Violet Crown Award relates to a statement by O. Henry who called Austin the Violet Crown City because of the "crown" of special moonlight-like lights that encircles the downtown area of Austin.

Whether "Return" wins or not, being a finalist is a winner.

It happened! The very first Author and Literacy Festival. What a pleasure to be a participant in this history making event. The talented group of young guys with CorpusBeat Magazine, John Lennan and Jamie Duff - names that I remember - along with the Art Museum and Dorothy Kucera planned and implemented a great occasion last Saturday (June 30, 2007). Writers from Corpus Christi and all over Texas gathered and displayed their work, visited, and got to know each other. Hat's Off to those of you who made the event a success. Those of you who missed it look for it next year.

One of the highlights of my day at the festival was my interview with one of the students who will write an article for the magazine, if he hasn't already done so. He performed professionally during the interview - very serious with his questions. He was a little shocked when he asked me how did I get into the mood to write. "How can you just sit down in front of your computer and start writing.?" A bit of a startled expression blossomed when I told him: "I just listen to an Eric Clapton CD and start writing. Sometimes I will use a word or expression from one of his song." I not sure he believed me, but it is true. Eric Clapton music keeps me on track in my writing and relaxes me. I recommend it.

But back to the meaningfulness of the occasion: Promoting writing and learning opportunities for our student population and engaging them in awareness of local community affairs seems to be the mission of CorpusBeat. Eveyone in the coastal bend benefits from their efforts. 

Watch for this emotionally charged story of an eleven year-old boy, an undocumented immigrant, who was the only survivor of a tragic accident during a family's ill-fated journey to America from the interior of Mexico.

This fictional novel should be finished within the next three to four months. The research into the problems our Immigration Customs and Enforcement agency, the ICE, faces every day in dealing with the overwhelming illegal immigration has been educational for me, to say the least.