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| Author Donald Bain talks with department administrative assistant Diana Cable during a fall "meet and greet." |
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In a small conference room on the second floor of Beering Hall, several Purdue faculty and students discuss the university, the publishing business and the television show "Murder She Wrote" with a distinguished department alumnus.
The guest of honor is Donald Bain, B.A., 1957, author of the "Murder She Wrote" mystery series. This "meet and greet" is a way for the department to keep in touch with such a prestigious graduate.
Bain has had quite a bit of experience with editors and publishers over the course of his career, which includes almost 30 "Murder She Wrote" novels as well as his "Coffee, Tea, or Me?" series, not to mention dozens of other books ranging from historical romances to westerns.
While he "collaborated" with the entirely fictional character of Jessica Fletcher, the main character on the television series that was inspired by his novels, Bain's wife Renee is actually his co-writer.
The Bains see writing as their job, but it is a job they enjoy. It allows them to travel the world for inspiration and information, and they get to have a great deal of interaction with their fans. "We get e-mails every day from people who love it or who found a mistake on page 67," Bain said.
Such personal stories are the kind of things that meet and greets are a wonderful opportunity for, said Howard Sypher, department head. The department usually has anywhere from 5 to 10 a semester.
"It's a great opportunity for alums like Bain to come back and spend a little time with faculty and students," Sypher said. He said it is good for alumni to be able to relate their experiences and life lessons directly to people who can use them.
Bain's autobiography, "Murder HE Wrote: A Successful Writer's Life," is published by Purdue University Press.
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