Patricia Lieb: [email protected]
My career as a journalist includes working 10 years as a reporter and feature writer for The Suncoast News in New Port Richey, Florida. While covering the city of Dunedin, I was presented awards from the City Commission on two occasions: one "In Recognition and Appreciation of Her Outstanding Dedication to Reliable and Impartial News Coverage" -1996; the other for "Reliable Reporting of Local Government News" 1991-1999. Notable honors include the Dunedin North Rotary Club's 1998 annual "Outstanding Achievements In Your Vocation" award; also honorary membership to the Countryside-Clearwater Kiwanis Club, 1998; and in June 2000 from the Florida Press Association, an award for "In-depth Reporting" for a three-part gambling series
Murders In The Swampland contains accounts of the murder cases I covered as the crime reporter for nearly four years at the Daily Sun-Journal in Brooksville, Florida. The book also contains some of the true crime stories I wrote for a dozen or so detective magazines over a 10-year span.
As well as writing features for the Daily Journal in Kankakee, Illinois, for three years prior to moving to Florida in 1987, I was an original writer at the Bourbonnais Herald in Bourbonnais, Illinois, in 1976.
In the early 1980s, I was the co-editor/co-publisher of the literary magazine Pteranodon and the Pteranodon Chapbook Series. Later, and for one year, I did freelance video filming while studying television production at Governors State University in University Park, Illinois. Web site designer Evelyn Manak and I published the online Write On Magazine: archives are at http://www.geocities/evmanak.
I love to talk at literary gatterings and verious clubs about my writing endouvers. Contact me at [email protected] or [email protected].
I have served as a speaker at various writers' conferences including the annual Florida Suncoast Writers' Conference at the University of South Florida in St. Petersburg; the National Federation of State Poetry Societies annual conventions (for some 10 years held across the U.S.); Illinois State University; Nichollas State University in Thibodaux, La.; the Chicago Chapter of the American Pen Women; the College of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois; Columbia College in Chicago; Central Illinois' Writer's Conference at Millikin University; and for some state poetry societies special events in Illinois and Ohio.
To talk about Murders In The Swampland, I have served as guest speaker for several groups, including Dr. Glenn Swetman's literature class at William Carey College in Gulf Port, MS., the GFWC Spring Hill Service League and The United Way Author's Luncheon at the Brooksville Golf and Country Club in Brooksville, Fla., the Suncoast Information Specialist (SIS) in St. Petersburg, Fla., and at other events in Florida to share information about my profession as a former crime reporter, free-lance writer & my books.
My fiction, articles and poetry have appeared in numerous literary and national magazines as well as publications for teenagers including Scholastic Scope and Star magazines.
I hold a membership in several literary societies including the Lifelong Writers, University of South Florida: the Florida State Poetry Society; and the National Federation of State Poetry Societies.
