writer in residence: L.A. StArkS

these days, you can’t turn on the television or radio without hearing dramatic news about the rise in gas and oil prices. For Preston Hollow writer L.A. Starks, it’s the perfect subject for a thriller. “The stakes are huge,” she says. “There’s high emotion. It affects everything from the price you pay at the pump, the cost of groceries and getting on a plane. I like thrillers, and I hadn’t seen this topic reflected out there.” Drawing on her extensive knowledge on the subject she studied chemical engineering and works in the oil industry — Starks wrote “13 Days: The Pythagoras Conspiracy”, a story about a plot to sabotage an oil refinery and one woman’s struggle to stop it. The narrative takes place over 13 days, and Starks chose the Pythagoras reference not only because of his famous theorem but also because of the lesser-known conflict surrounding the Greek mathematician — he once murdered a student for disputing one of his theories. “One of [Pythagoras’] students questioned the existence of irrational numbers, and he was killed. For speaking the truth,” she says. Starks has always been a writer at heart but knew she couldn’t make a living from it. So she pursued another passion. “I grew up in a small Oklahoma town during the oil boom. Just like with Texas, it was all around me.” She graduated magna cum laude with a chemical engineering degree from Tulane University in New Orleans and later received her MBA in finance from the University of Chicago. Most people know that rising gas and oil prices directly relate to supply and demand — when oil prices rise, so do gas prices. But there’s a middle factor that’s often overlooked, Starks says. “It’s the refinery part — the cost of operating the equipment to turn that straw into gold.” —Emily Toman

LeArN More

“13 Days: The Pythagoras Conspiracy” and the e-book edition is widely available. l.a. Starks donates a portion of sales to help rebuild new orleans. Her website offers a map to finding the cheapest gas prices in the area. Visit lastarksbooks.com.

WHAT GIVES?

Small ways that you can make a big difference for neighborhood nonprofits

PLANT FLOWERS ...

and raise money for breast cancer research. North Haven Gardens will host Plant the Town Pink 6:30-9 p.m. June 4, benefiting the Dallas County affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The afterhours party includes music, local wine, food, gardening demos and free 15-minute coaching sessions. The first 50 entrants will receive a goodie bag of products and gift cards from NHG and other local businesses. The $10 admission fee plus 5 percent of the evening’s sales will be donated to Komen for the Cure. 214.363.5316 or nhg.org

PLAY GOLF and help support Preston Hollow mom Amy Zicarelli, co-owner of Kidville in Preston Royal Village, who helped establish Angels for EOS, a foundation dedicated to finding a cure for eosinophilic disorder. Her 3-year-old son Luke was diagnosed with the disorder, which affects the digestive system, characterized by an overactive type of white blood cell that, when triggered by food allergies, attacks the body and releases toxins. Patients must receive aggressive treatment on a regular basis, making it difficult to lead a normal life. The annual Angels for EOS Golf Tournament is the organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year, beginning at 1 p.m. June 4 at Tour 18 Golf Course, 8718 Amen Corner in Flower Mound. angelsforeos.com for sick and abused children in area hospitals and shelters. In conjunction with Project Linus, Midway Hills Christian Church hosts its annual Blanketfest 11 a.m.-4 p.m. June 25. Instructors will be on hand to teach sewing, knitting, crocheting and techniques that do not require these skills.

MAKE A BLANKET ...

11001 Midway, midwayhills.org

KNOW OF WAYS that neighbors can spend time, attend an event, or purchase or donate something to benefit a neighborhood nonprofit? Email your suggestion to launch@ advocatemag.com.