LIKE HISTORY? MYSTERY?
You're in the right place.
Welcome, my name is John J. Desjarlais.
I write historical novels and mysteries that explore "higher mysteries."
Visit my blog "Johnny Dangerous" for reflections on all that is seen and unseen.
BRIEF BIO
A former producer with Wisconsin Public Radio, John teaches journalism and English at Kishwaukee College in northern Illinois. His work has appeared in periodicals such as Student Leadership Journal, U Magazine, The Critic, On Being, Student Soul, Apocalypse, The Upper Room, The New Pantagruel, The Karitos Review and The Rockford Review. His first novel, The Throne of Tara (Crossway 1990), was a Christianity Today Readers Choice Award nominee, and his second historical, Relics (Thomas Nelson 1993), was a Doubleday Book Club Selection. He took Honorable Mention in the 1997 Writers Digest Competition (essay), 2nd Place in Fiction in the 2004 Phidian Art Society of Illinois Contest and 1st Place in 2006. He holds an MA in Media from Columbia University and an MA in Writing from Illinois State University, and is currently serving as Vice President of the Illinois Community College Journalism Association. A member of The Catholic Writers Guild, The Academy of American Poets and Mystery Writers of America, he is listed in Contemporary Authors, Who's Who in Entertainment, Who's Who Among America's Teachers, and Who's Who in America.
An interview with John can be found in Novel Journey.
Contact John at jdesjar (at) kishwaukeecollege (dot) edu
APPEARANCES, BOOKSIGNINGS, NEWS:
February 1-3, 2008, Love is Murder conference, Chicago (sponsored by Mystery Writers of America)
April 10-11, 2008, Illinois Community College Journalism Association conference, Chicago
April 25, 2008, Kishwaukee College 40th Anniversary Observance
May 5-9, 2008, Catholic Writers Guild online conference
July 5, 2008, Let Freedom Ring Festival book signing
Highlights of 2007: The poem "Zipper" appeared in the Spring 2007 issue of The Rockford Review, and the poem "Detective Fiction" appeared in the summer edition. An essay on Saint Augustine appeared in the September issue of Student Soul.
Highlights of 2006: An essay, "Deconstructing the Cathedral," was accepted for the May issue of "The New Pantagruel," an online journal of literature and cultural commentary. A short story, "Assisted Living," took First Prize for Fiction in the 2006 Phidian Art Society of Illinois Literary Contest. Another short story, "Saint Patrick in Training," was published in the Summer 2006 issue of The Rockford Review. The poem "The Reindeer on State Street" took Honorable Mention in the Illinois Ides of March contest in March 2006.
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