WALKER, Margie 1952-

PERSONAL: Born September 23, 1952, in Houston, TX; daughter of Elius and Lucy Rose; married Sherman Walker, January 1, 1975; children: Sherman Leo II, Shomari Lukata. Ethnicity: "Black." Education: Texas Southern University, B.A. (magna cum laude), 1975; Colorado State University, graduate study, 1975–76; Texas Southern University, M.A., 1985. Hobbies and other interests: Child education, salt water fishing.

ADDRESSES: Office—School of Communications, Texas Southern University, 3100 Cleburne St., Houston, TX 77004. E-mail—Malaikar@aol.com.

CAREER: Writer. Texas Southern University, professor of communications. Worked as radio broadcaster in Houston, TX, and as newspaper journalist, novelist, and adjunct professor of education.

MEMBER: Mystery Writers of America, Texas Trailblazers Preservation Association.

AWARDS, HONORS: Literary Lion Award, Houston Chronicle and Houston Area Booksellers Association, 1996, and Laurel Wreath Award, best short contemporary category, 1997, both for Indiscretions.

WRITINGS:

FICTION

Love Signals, Marron (Yonkers, NY), 1990.

A Sweet Refrain, Pinnacle Books (New York, NY), 1994.

Breathless, Pinnacle Books (New York, NY), 1995.

Indiscretions, Pinnacle Books (New York, NY), 1996.

Conspiracy, Pinnacle Books (New York, NY), 1997.

Public Affair, Pinnacle Books (New York, NY), 1998.

Also author of Remember Me, 1999. Work represented in anthologies, including Spirit of the Season, 1994; Season's Greetings, Pinnacle Books (New York, NY), 1998; Something to Celebrate, 1999; and Where There's a Will, Dafina Books (New York, NY), 2004.

WORK IN PROGRESS: A screenplay.

SIDELIGHTS: Margie Walker once told CA: "When I embarked on a career as a fiction writer and it seemed as if rejection letters were all I was going to get, a friendly bookseller gave me some sage advice that has served me well. She said that there are a lot of talent writers out here who want to become published, but you won't ever hear of them because they gave up. The lesson is that perseverance pays off, and I share it with every aspiring published writer who approaches me bemoaning another rejection letter. It transcends writing, for no matter what one's goals in life, she or he has to be willing to believe in his or her talent, regardless. This self-belief is the impetus to continue striving to achieve the dreams you hold dear."

Walker later added that, after several years of writing romance fiction, "my first mystery appeared in the anthology Where There's a Will, with the story 'Curtains.' Additionally I'm trying my hand at screen-writing and hope to hear good news soon about a screenplay."