by Janis Patterson
This has been in the works for the past eight months, and I’m
finally free to get the word out publicly.
Most of you know of my lengthy affiliation with the American
Research Center in Egypt, a scholarly organization which is headquartered in
Cairo – with a secondary headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. Begun over
seventy years ago as an archaeological facilitating entity for those scholarly
institutions and museums which did not maintain a dedicated presence in Egypt, ARCE
has become one of the biggest Egyptological organizations in the world.
I have been working with ARCE for almost thirty years on a
volunteer basis. The North Texas Chapter – one of the largest and most active
chapters – was begun in my den in 1992. I’ve served the chapter in some capacity on the
board for almost every year of its existence. I began and for nine years put
out the Newsletter of the North Texas chapter, which for the nine years of my
reign (word chosen deliberately) was the only monthly publication for ARCE in
the world. It was archived by universities and museums as a scholarly journal
in spite of physically being just four sheets photocopied and stapled. Some of
the biggest names in Egyptology wrote for our Newsletter. I’ve also served the international
organization in several small ways. One of the highlights of my life was being
the closing speaker at the ARCE International Conference of 2005.
Do you get the idea that I’m slightly mad about Egyptology?
I even met The Husband through our mutual love of Egyptology, and he proposed
to me in a moonlit garden across the street from the Pyramids. Yes, those
pyramids…
So you see, Egyptology has always been a big part of my
life.
Now ARCE and I are starting something new, something that
neither one of us has ever done before. (And with the life I’ve led, that’s a
rare statement for me to be able to make!) Here’s the text of the press release
– it’s prettier in actuality, with my picture and a pretty border and some photos
of Egypt, but this gets the important part across…
INTERESTED IN IMMORTALITY?
SILENT AUCTION APRIL 3RD- APRIL 4TH
@ 2PM, 2020
The Ancient Egyptians believed in
achieving immortality through their burial practices. You can do it through a
winning bid, and you don’t have to die!
Well-known mystery novelist Janis
Patterson is partnering with ARCE to auction off a chance to become a character
in her new mystery novel set in Egypt. The highest bidder will be named as a
secondary character in her next novel set in Egypt.
There are still more chances to win.
The second and third highest bidders will be named as tertiary characters in
the novel.
The Silent Auction will be held
during the Annual Meeting starting Friday morning, April 3 and conclude at 2:00
p.m. on Saturday, April 4. The winning bidders will be announced at the April 4
Members Dinner.
Look for the Janis Patterson booth
at the Annual Meeting and win the chance for immortality!
Janis Susan May/Janis Patterson is a
7th generation Texan and a 3rd-generation wordsmith who writes in
mystery, romance, and horror. Once an actress and a singer, Janis has also been
editor-in-chief of two multi-magazine publishing groups as well as many other
things, including an enthusiastic amateur Egyptologist. Janis’ husband even
proposed in a moonlit garden near the Pyramids of Giza. Janis and her husband
live in Texas with an assortment of rescued furbabies.
Can you see why I’m excited? I'll keep you all up to date on how this goes...
