Bill DeArmond, professor of mass communications and film at Southwestern College, has published his fifth book, “Mortal Silences, Graveyard Talk.”  There will be a book signing on Saturday, April 10, from 10 a.m.-noon at College Hill Coffee in Winfield.

           
The book is a compilation of short stories capturing moments in time.
           
“With these stories, I concentrate on the act of storytelling,” DeArmond says.  “They are more like vignettes capturing a single moment in time.”
           
DeArmond has authored four previous books with Lulu Publishing: “The Quest for Rational Faith: Common Beliefs Across Sacred Traditions,” “Serving Compassionate Conservatives: Why the Christian Taliban is More of a Threat to American Freedom than Islamic Fundamentalism,” and two story collections, “Visions of Shadow and Light,” and “Hail, Fredonia! and Other Tales.”
           
Most of the stories in this latest book are original but DeArmond sprinkled in a couple that appeared in earlier books.  His story “The Wyr of Slater House” won the grand prize in fiction for the 2003 Kansas Voices contest. 
           
DeArmond describes his writing technique as more matter of fact than detail.
           
“I concentrate less on the intricacies and detail.  I like to get right into the story, the heart of the matter,” DeArmond says.  “I sometimes interpret stories from different points of view.  I also like a level of ironic humor to be included in each story.”
           
DeArmond has already announced plans for a poetry book to be his next endeavor.  He hopes to have that published within the next 16 months.
           
“Mortal Silences, Graveyard Talk” can be purchased online at www.lulu.com or locally at Moonshadow Book Store or at College Hill Coffee.  For more information contact DeArmond at (620) 229-6337.