David Marion Wilkinson, a fifth-generation Arkansan, has lived in Texas since 1972. He graduated from the University of Texas in 1980 with a B.A. in English. The author has worked as a carpenter, mortgage loan officer, a legal investigator for a civil trial firm, and in the domestic and foreign oil fields. His second novel, The Empty Quarter, draws upon his experiences in the North Sea and Saudi Arabia. His first, Not Between Brothers, won the 1997 Violet Crown Award for fiction, was a Spur Award "Best Novel of the West" finalist, and was selected "Editors Choice" by The Review of Texas Books. 

    His short story, "Opening Day," published by ReadWest Online Magazine, won the Western Writers of America 2000 Spur Award for Best Western Short Fiction. Wilkinson is a member of Western Writers of America, and sits on the board of Ozark Creative Writers. His third novel, OBLIVION'S ALTAR, the true life story of the Cherokee Chief Major Ridge, was released by NAL/Penguin Putnam in November, 2002. Major Ridge championed the "civilization" movement within the Cherokee Nation and was the driving force behind the organization of a centralized, constituted government only to be blamed for the Trail of Tears. OBLIVION'S ALTAR won the 2003 Spur Award for "Best Original Paperback" and was selected as a finalist for the 2003 Oklahoma Book Awards.

     Wilkinson co-wrote a memoir with retired Texas Ranger Joaquin Jackson. At the twilight of Jackson's 27-year career with the Rangers, TEXAS MONTHLY magazine featured his image on their bestselling edition ever (February, 1994). Jackson went on to act in feature films THE GOOD OLD BOYS, DANCER,TEXAS, ROUGH RIDERS, and BLUE SKY.  Now in its Sixth Printing in only three months in release, ONE RANGER: A MEMOIR has become the fastest-selling book in the history of the University of Texas Press.
        Wilkinson is currently at work on a contemporary novel set in the Big Bend Country of West Texas entitled WHERE THE MOUNTAINS ARE THIEVES.

        The author lives with his wife and children in Alpine, Texas."

MY FAVORITE LETTER FROM A READER

 

Dear David,

I purchased your book, on a whim, after you spoke at a luncheon in Dallas about six years ago.  At that time, I was not a reader and only bought the book because I had never owned a book signed by the author.   I grew up with undiagnosed ADD and had always regarded reading as torture rather than a pleasurable past time and had no  illusion that I would read this one.

One day, after I grew tried of going through the paper during my commute to work each day, I finally picked  up NOT BETWEEN BROTHERS  and thought I would attempt to read it.  Within a few pages,  and for the first time ever for me,  my mind's eye was seeing, hearing, and feeling the essence of each character and event.  Each day I couldn't wait to get on the bus to begin reading. There were many times that I would be so engulfed in my reading that I would only be brought back to reality when people started filing off the bus.

After I read  NOT BETWEEN BROTHERS, I read Kathryn Graham's autobiography and  THE PRIVATE LIFE OF CHAIRMAN MAO  and many more. 

I just finished  NOT BETWEEN BROTHERS  for the second time.  Of all the books that I have read between the first and second reading of your book, it still remains my favorite book.  In fact, I liked it more the second time.

I promised myself that I would write you someday and thank you for the joy that your book started in my life,  the joy of reading.

This is the first time that I have looked you up on the "web" and was happy to see that you have another book on the market.  It will be my next read.

Thank you for your amazing gift to the literary world in this book. Thank you for your unwitting gift to me.   I remain one of your most avid fans.

Sincerely,
Mark Grimes

Click here for an interview with David Marion Wilkinson:

http://www.elizabethlyon.com/interviews.htm

and

OBLIVION'S ALTAR

on Nashville Public Radio

http://www.wpln.org/fineprint/fineprint2003/fineprint051003.html

CLICK HERE FOR AN AMPERSAND INTERVIEW WITH DAVID, his editor and agents:

http://www.inkdance.biz/ampersand_one.htm