Award-winning journalist and ABC 20/20 co-anchor Deborah Roberts and Jen Hatmaker, New York Times best-selling author, podcaster speaker and advocate, were the featured speakers for "Leading the Lone Star State: Texas Women in Public Service Summit" on Sept. 19 at the Denton Convention Center. Hosted by the Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership at Texas Woman’s University (JNIWL), the summit was a one-day conference uniting women in the fields of public administration, elected office, and government—as well as women who aspire to public roles—through informative sessions, inspirational speakers and networking opportunities.

The opening welcome included remarks by Jane Nelson, former Texas Secretary of State; Denton Mayor Gerard Hudspeth; and Texas Woman’s University Chancellor and President Carine M. Feyten, Ph.D. Led by leaders in their fields, the breakout sessions featured panels on advocacy, strategic partnerships, politics, executive presence and leadership.

Maureen Zappala, speaker, author and High Altitude Strategies founder, was the opening session speaker discussing imposter syndrome.

Deborah Roberts:

The keynote conversation with Roberts was moderated by Sara Madsen Miller, a JNIWL advisory board member and COO and co-owner of 1820 Productions, an award-winning Dallas-based video production company.

Roberts, one of seven daughters, shared the following advice with the audience:

• “Believe in your purpose.”
• “Nothing will work unless you do.” (Maya Angelou)
• Barbara Walters gave Roberts this advice: “Sometimes you have to outlast your detractors.”
• When Roberts failed at her first live shot, her boss sent her back out to do another live shot that evening. She remarked, “Failure can be a powerful teacher if you’re willing to stay in the game.”
• “Be self-assured. Know your story. Don’t doubt who you are.”

Jen Hatmaker:

Hatmaker, whose new Awake: A Memoir, just published, shared her advice and perspective:

• “I’m grateful for the way you serve the state and the community. Give me a room full of women in leadership all the live long day.”
• “No matter how bad it is, you have to invite people into your story—the ones who love you. It’s far more courageous to ask people for help.”

Another highlight of the day included Shannon Mantaro, Texas Woman’s University’s executive director and chief officer of the JNIWL, presenting the JNIWL Distinguished Public Service Award to The Honorable Myra Crownover, a retired Texas House of Representatives member (2000-2016) who formerly represented District 64, which includes Denton County.

ABOUT THE JANE NELSON INSTITUTE FOR WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP

The Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership at Texas Woman’s University is dedicated to preparing women for successful careers in business and public service. Its three specialized centers—Center for Leadership Research and Workforce Development, Center for Women Entrepreneurs and Center for Women in Government—ensure women have the education to establish careers as successful executives, the skills for building entrepreneurial businesses and the framework needed to excel in public service. Find out more at twu.edu/lead, or connect with JNIWL on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

ABOUT TWU

Texas Woman’s University is the nation’s largest woman-focused university system with campuses in Denton, Dallas, and Houston. Founded in 1901, TWU has built a reputation on contributions in nursing, healthcare, education, the arts and sciences, and business. TWU’s inclusive culture prioritizes experiential learning, leadership, service, discovery, and health and well-being, and national media have recognized the university as a top college for student-parents, veterans, and social mobility. In 2023, TWU publicly launched Dream Big, a fundraising effort that has raised more than $160 million to date to support programming, equipment, scholarships, and faculty. In 2026, the university will celebrate the 125th anniversary of its founding. To learn more about the campaign or the university, visit dreambig.twu.eduor twu.edu, or connect with TWU on Facebook @TexasWomansUniversity, Instagram @txwomans, Twitter @txwomans, and LinkedIn @texaswomansuniversity.

Dead West

Endings, #3

by

Linda L. Richards

A great addition to the ENDINGS series!

Dead West is the third novel in veteran author Linda L. Richards’s female killer-for-hire series, Endings, and the stories just keep getting better. In this latest addition, our nameless assassin accepts a difficult assignment to take out a rancher whose Arizona property and wild horse sanctuary abut a national forest. You’d think a less populated environment would make her planning and execution easier, but in reality, a stranger showing up in the middle of nowhere USA attracts a whole lot of unwanted attention, and that’s never good for business. 

The main character in this series never reveals her true name, but for the purpose of moving about society, she currently goes by the purchased identity of Katherine Eveline Ragsdill. Except for her dog, she leads a solitary life, both by necessity and choice, out of the sight of the curious, still grieving the loss of her son and husband. However, she’s starting to re-examine her choices and question her life and actions. While scouting out the location and situation of her current mark, for some inexplicable reason that even she can’t put in words, she allows herself to get to know her intended target, and she likes what she sees – a lot. 

The author tells the tale from our woman’s point of view, and her voice is honest and appealing, with bits of humor lightening what is a sober narrative. Richards’s writing style is smooth and compelling, making for effortless reading, and the pages flew by quickly. The story is that well-paced. The book takes the assassin from a tropical island to the desert to cosmopolitan cities, but no matter where the story leads, the author quickly makes the reader feel like they are on location with the characters. The plot is based on a twist in the assassin’s actions, which is not the last one to happen. I was guessing up until the very end. 

Although this is the third book in the series, it can genuinely be read and enjoyed as a standalone. However, do yourself a favor and read the first two. I recommend DEAD WEST to readers of crime fiction and mysteries. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

Sweet Comfort

Comfort and Joy, #1

by

Kimberly Fish

The story teased me in with the promise of chocolate, but I stayed for the relationships.

Sweet Comfort is the first book in author Kimberly Fish’s spin-off series, Comfort and Joy, and I can’t think of a more descriptive or appropriate moniker for the series. While I was initially attracted to the book because of the promise of gourmet chocolate, it was the characters’ relationships that pulled me deep into the story. This is one of the best buildups of the community of characters for a series that I think I’ve ever encountered.

After retiring from a career in banking, Gloria Bachman sets her sights (and her future) on opening a gourmet chocolate shop on her hometown’s busy main drag, and despite naysayers, it looks like her dream is coming together. Disgraced CEO Mason Lassiter comes to Comfort to lick his wounds and recharge. But when his plans take a turn, he discovers his new neighbor, Gloria, may have answers he needs – if they can come to trust each other enough to collaborate. 

The main character Gloria Bachman is a woman of a certain age and well-regarded in her adopted hometown of Comfort, Texas. She’s suffered some hard knocks in her life and career, but she’s a survivor. To her chagrin, perhaps, her younger women friends have seemed to have placed her on a pedestal, and she certainly doesn’t view herself in that light. They hold her in high esteem and aspire to emulate her take-charge and take-no-prisoners demeanor that got her to where she ended up: a bank president. I liked seeing her opening this new chapter in her life and trying something entirely different with her friend and business partner, Kali. Then it was also good to see an older woman exhibiting realistic attitudes toward a possible romantic partner and relationship. 

Besides the second chance storyline, there is the chocolate business to drool over. And while I enjoyed every virtual morsel, I also liked all the details about renovating the old building slated to house the new shop. I appreciate all the research the author must have done before putting pen to paper. There is even a mention of the traffic snafu caused by the crane that was needed for some of the work! True to life. And there was still so much more that had me turning pages: the mysterious death of the estranged wife of the successful Dallas businessman, the murder of a local contractor, and of course, learning everyone in Comfort’s business. As always, it was fun to have a fictional story set in the very real town of Comfort, Texas. 

The author’s writing style is easy to read yet compelling. I was immediately drawn into Gloria Bachman’s life and soon felt like I knew her and her many friends and acquaintances. The dialogue sparkled, with some real laugh-out-loud moments and situations that were puredee entertainment. 

Although this is the first book in this series, there are hints that certain characters or couples have backstories featured in the author’s previous works. However, I didn’t need to have read those to become immediately invested in this current tale. The bonus is that there is backstory gold just waiting to be discovered. 

I recommend SWEET COMFORT to readers who enjoy women’s fiction, later-in-life and second-chance romances, cozy mysteries, chocolate themes, stories set in Texas, especially the Hill Country, and fans of the author’s previous novels. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Book Blog Tours.

Please post in all communities. Thank you.

Lyric Stage, a theatre company dedicated to developing and preserving musicals, will present The Rocky Horror Show just in time for Halloween, from Oct. 10-26 at the Lyric Stage Studio (1170 Quaker St., Dallas, TX 75207). The cult classic, with book, music, and lyrics by Richard O’Brien, invites audience participation.

Scott Guenther, Lyric Stage Managing and Co-Artistic Director, added, “The Rocky Horror Show is an American classic. Grab a group of friends, dress up, and come sing with the cast as we kick off the Halloween season.”

Tickets, which range in price from $42.50-$62.50, can be purchased online HERE.

Performance times:

Friday, Oct. 10, 17, 24 at 7:30 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 11, 18, 25 at 7:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.

Sun., Oct. 12, 19, 26 at 2:00 p.m. 

Cast and production teams are listed below. The production is rated PG.

About Lyric Stage:

Lyric Stage, a Dallas-based 501c3 not-for-profit professional musical theatre company, was established in 1993 with the mission of developing and preserving the musical, a unique art form. In its 32-year history, Lyric Stage has produced over 125 productions, which include 21 world-premiere musicals and 2 Off-Broadway shows. For more information, visit Facebook, Instagram or www.lyricstage.org 

***

The Cast:

Magenta – Jayden Russell

Narrator – James Williams

Brad – Ben Meaders

Janet – Sydney Hamil

Riff-Raff – Brandon Wilhelm

Columbia – Sophia Patterson

Frank-N-Furter—Dominic Pecikonis

Rocky – Vincent Lopez

Eddie – Justin Taylor

Dr. Scott – Evan Faris

Production Team:

Producer – Catherine Carpenter Cox

Director – Michael Robinson

Music Director – Hans Grim

Choreographer – Tricia Guenther

Stage Manager – Ben Doan Stevens

Assistant Stage Manager – Steven Doan

Production Design – Set/Lights/Sound – Scott Guenther

Props Design – Tricia Guenther

Costume Assistant – Annie Corrales

Costumes and wigs are provided by Dallas Costume Shoppe.