The McDermott Library at The University of Texas at Dallas has organized its first Fall Writer Series of Lectures in cooperation with the campus newspaper, the UTD Mercury.

The series of three lectures will be free and open to the public and will feature award-winning writers. All will be held in the McDermott Library Auditorium (MC 2.410) on the UTD campus.

The first lecture, to be held from 9 to 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 12, hails the start of football season in Texas. Journalist-author Frank Luksa, who began covering the Dallas Cowboys in 1962, will provide insights into the life and times of one of the most famous sports franchises in the world. In 1980, Luksa wrote Time Enough to Win with Roger Staubach, and in 1993, he authored How Bout Them Cowboys, which was published by the Dallas Morning News. Luksa is semi-retired and still writes an occasional column for the Sports Day section of the Morning News.

The second and third lectures will feature true crime authors who have covered high-profile cases in Texas and across the country. Carlton Stowers, a sportswriter turned crime writer, will discuss his writing style and what interested him into pursing a career in writing about true crime. He also has significant social insight into one murder that was committed by his son. That tragic story became a book, Sins of the Son. Stowers will speak on Oct. 10 from 9 to 10 a.m.

The final lecture of the Fall Series will feature well-known private investigator and author William C. Dear, who will discuss his new book, O.J. is Guilty but Not of Murder. In his lecture from 9 to 10 a.m. on Nov. 14, Dear will present new photos that have surfaced even since his book was published. He also will display replicas of weapons he believes are related to the Nicole Brown-Simpson and Ron Goldman murders.

Vanity Fair critic Dominick Dunne says Dear’s theories are “ludicrous,” but others say evidence found by Dear in a six-year investigation is stunning. Dunne is a staunch supporter of renowned former Los Angeles prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi, who maintains O.J. Simpson murdered his ex-wife and Goldman. Dear says he has evidence to prove they are wrong.

“As the McDermott Library and the university continue to grow, we intend to add more programs such as this to our list of library activities,” said Dr. Larry Sall, director of UTD Libraries. “The Fall Writer Series is a nice complement to our Library Lecture Series, which features staff and faculty experts in various fields.”

“The UTD Mercury is proud to join with the McDermott Library to bring these accomplished journalists and authors to the UTD campus,” said Jay Miller, student publications adviser at UTD. “We hope that the UTD community will enjoy hearing and learning about the unique perspective that each writer brings to his audience.”

About UTD

The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor, enrolls approximately 7,000 undergraduate and 5,000 graduate students. The school’s freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UTD, please visit the university’s web site at www.utdallas.edu.