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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | MARCH 13, 2022
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Chandler author addresses human trafficking BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer
B.D. Lawrence says human trafficking can happen anywhere. “We have a friend whose daughter got kind of caught up in it,” Lawrence said from his South Chandler home. “It got me thinking that this is really an awful thing, and you don’t see it spoken about a lot. It’s bad in the U.S., and ever worse worldwide.” Human trafficking plays a major role in Lawrence’s first self-published novel, “An Angel and a One-Armed Man.” The man with the missing limb is private detective Lefty Bruder and Lawrence plans to write more stories featuring him. Stating that human trafficking “is a lot more local than people think,” Lawrence said he attended an event with the head of a trafficking task force with the Phoenix Police Department and learned that about 60 percent of prostitutes there are products of the foster system or otherwise “lost in the system.” The issue has become so important to Lawrence he says he will donate half of his profits from sales of his book to help combat the problem. The first book is set in St. Louis, where Lawrence spent a lot of time. It ends with a lead that sets up the second novel to be set in the Phoenix area. Writing more Lefty Bruder novels as well as other stories is Lawrence’s plan to keep busy once he retires from a career as a software architect for 3M.
Chandler author B.D. Lawrence has based his novel on human trafficking, a problem he says is more widespread in the Valley than people realize. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)
That’s not a likely path for someone who says English was his worst subject in high school and college. “I didn’t really care for writing that much,” he said. “One day … I was sitting in this programming class and I just thought of a story, a vigilante story if you will. I thought, you know I can probably write something like that. So I just got into writing and found I really
like it.” He joined an online writing group to learn the craft and began writing short stories. He has published about 30 of them. That led him to earn a master’s degree in English and started teaching writing and English at the junior college level. Lawrence said he found writing a novel is half the battle. The other half is market-
ing it and getting it out to where readers can find it. “I wish it was write a book, put it out there and it sells itself,” Lawrence said. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. You need time and money for that as well.” Lawrence said growing up he was drawn to super heroes. His favorite was Batman, so he’s always been a fan of vigilante justice. That’s how he settled on a private detective for his main character. Lefty Bruber is a former mixed-martial arts fighter who loses his arm investigating some serial killings. Lawrence said he got the idea for the character from a relationship with a friend. “I had a friend who only had one leg, and had a prosthetic leg, and in observing him and seeing how it didn’t really impact his life that much, I thought, ‘That’s interesting,’” Lawrence said. He said he also likes that it gives his character an element of surprise because others would likely underestimate him. Lawrence said he plans to continue to highlight human trafficking in future books. And he said his own faith journey will play a role in his novels. “I think Hollywood glorifies, in some cases, prostitution and what not, and I’d rather take the more realistic approach that shows most of those girls are not there by choice.”
Check it out
Read Lefty Bruber’s origin story and/ or a sample of his first book for free at the author’s website, bdlawrence.com.
3 honored by Chandler to mark Disabilities Month
BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer
The City of Chandler honored three individuals and a business at a recent council meeting at part of Disability Month. The Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities selected Savannah Branum, Julie Stuart, and Alicia Wronski for recognition. They also announced Sprouts Farmers Market is their employer of the year for offering a fun and inclusive place to work. Branum was named the Student of the Year. She attends Hamilton High and has transitioned from special education to regular classes. Branum has submitted all of her school work on time. Wronski was named the Educator of the Year. She teaches special education at Navaratte Elementary School for Chandler Unified School District and was nominated by several of her students. The nominations said she goes above and beyond and she
cares for her students like they were her own. Stuart is the Habiliator of the Year. She works with clients to help them build their skills. She was recognized for having the skills to help individuals with disabilities grow and progress to become better members of the community. In addition to the recognition, Mayor Kevin Hartke declared March to be Disabilities Awareness Month. Hartke said his committee for people with disabilities serves as a liaison between the City Council and people with living with disabilities. The panel provides programs to raise awareness and educate others. It also addresses employment issues through the use of a stipend program.
Honorees flanked by Chandler City Councilman OD Harris on the left and Mayor Kevin Hartke and Councilman Matt Orland on the right are, from left, Alicia Wronski, Erin Fortner, Julie Stuart and Savannah Branum. Fortner is a member of the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities. Wronski, Stuart and Branum were honored at a recent council meeting. (City of Chandler)
