WAYNE E. PURCELL

In 1984, I ran across an article in American West Magazine that totally captured my attention. "Paiute Revenge" it was called, written by the late Sally Zanjani. I cut it out and put it in my Eastern Sierra file. Every time we went fishing, camping, or backpacking on US Route 395, I pulled it out and read it. And every time, my reaction was the same: "I can't believe this story, so amazing, such intense drama that really happened. I can't believe no one has doine antying with it. It would make such a great movie. Someone needs to do something with this story!" As it turned out, twenty some years later I broke down and decided to give it a try myself. It took me a very long time, but Justice for All: The Search for Big Poker Tom, is the result. It's a historical novel about the events that took place in the spring of 1891 in Bridgeport, California. I spent countless hours researching in libraries, reading microfilm screens of old newspaper articles doing research. Then I began to write, filling in the blanks, creating the rest of the story. 

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Thinking I was going to become a National Park Ranger or biology teacher, I started on a biology degree at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, a very long time ago. After a short time at Asbury College, I transferred to UC Berkeley where I completed a bachelor's degree in biology. My life's direction changed, however, during my three-month (which became three-year) honeymoon in Vermont. I decided to go into the ministry and attended Talbot Seminary in La Mirada, California.  I served in two large southern California churches, working with jr. highers, then children, then adults, for thirty-six years, before my retirement. I am married to Patty, my much better half, whom I met at Westmont. We have three daughters, who have brought into our lives three terrific sons-in-law and twelve absolutely amazing grandchildren.

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Besides history, I enjoy Southwest landscape and wildlife photography, soccer, my faith, spending time with my famly, all things in the wild, and traveling (Italy in particular, as we have a daughter and family there). And I am now also a proud, bonafide, award-winning member of the Western Writers of America! My book was selected as a 2023 Spur Award Finalist in the historical fiction category! It's hard to believe! We traveled to the WWA Convention to accept the award. I have to pinch myself now and then to comprehend that it actually happened!  to me!