Books

This year, our faculty, students and alumni contributed to and were subjects of several published works. We’ve highlighted a few of these recent books, and we invite you to submit your own recent and upcoming publishing accomplishments. E-mail the editors at publications@mccombs.utexas.edu with the subject line “Book Page.”

A Fine Romance : Novel Accountant Sherry Ma
Imagine a romantic tale of an estranged couple in Victorian England blended with the saga of a modern-day business student in Texas. Strange bedfellows, you might say. But when you consider the world of Sherry Ma, MPA student and historical romance author, it all makes sense.

Ma’s first novel, “Schemes of Love,” was accepted for publication last summer—about the same time she began the Master in Professional Accounting program at McCombs.

She never planned to be a writer—or an accountant, for that matter. After reading a library book she deemed “the worst- written book ever,” Ma was pretty sure she could do better.

Writing under her married name, Sherry Thomas, she finished her first book in 2000 and began querying agents. “It was soundly rejected,” Ma laughs. “One agent did say I had talent, but as it stood, the book just wouldn’t fly.” Rather than undertaking a revision, Ma decided to send in a second novel she was working on. But that one didn’t sell, either.

By summer 2005, Sherry had submitted two more manuscripts that were also nixed. Undeterred, she took an agent’s advice and penned a sprawling tale of the derring-do of a half-Chinese martial arts expert—but still no luck. With two school-age children and no book contract on the horizon, Ma felt it was time to put down her pen and begin casting about for a more lucrative career.

The Plot Thickens
About that time Enron was writing a complex tale of its own: a misadventure involving power plays, deception and dishonor. News coverage of the scandal introduced Ma to the world of forensic accountants, who combine accounting, auditing and investigative skills as they assist in disputes and litigation. With her keen eye for details, Ma could envision herself in that role.

She was familiar with the Texas MPA program and was intrigued by the idea of earning a master’s degree in just one year. With a perfect GMAT score and a B.S. in economics from Louisiana State University (with a 4.0 undergraduate GPA, no less), she sailed through the admissions process.

“Then, inexplicably, my very first manuscript called to me from its dusty box,” Ma says, “I flipped through it and thought, ‘God, it really is awful!’” She liked the original premise, though, and embarked on a total rewrite. In June 2006, Ma made a last-ditch effort to submit it to a new agent. Ten days after she entered summer school last July, “Schemes of Love” sold to Bantam/Dell, a division of Random House publishers, with a two-book contract that included an option on a third.

Her second book was due April 1, so Ma’s school year has been a feverish blur of studying, writing and family life. One highlight was the prestigious one-year, $34,000 Harrington Fellowship for gifted and ambitious students that UT Austin awarded her in October 2006.

Head and Heart
Ma isn’t sure exactly how her skills as a wordsmith affect her accounting acumen. “I think exercising the creative side of my brain all these years has made using the logical side easier,” she muses. Ma appreciates the “cleanness” of accounting, in contrast to what she calls her untidy writing process. “In first semester accounting courses you learn journaling, where everything is in its place and adds up neatly. In contrast, I’m a seat-of-the-pants writer, so normally I have no idea where a book is going.”

While she used to be content to write a story that was “good enough,” Ma says the publishing process has transformed her into a raging perfectionist. “As a new author breaking into the business,” she says she found it to be very demanding. “There’s lots of rejection; I needed to constantly improve.”

After graduating this summer, Ma will take a brief hiatus from accounting. “This year has been so crazy, I will probably take a year off just to write,” she says. Then she intends to pick up where she left off in anticipation of sitting for the CPA exam. She says she is looking forward to the stability of a job in accounting that will offset the more tenuous aspects of being a writer.

And so Ma’s double life continues. But don’t belabor the obvious dichotomy between accounting and historical romance novels—she’s ready for that: “Just wait until you hear about the futuristic science fiction romance I’m planning,” she laughs.

Ma will graduate with her Master in Professional Accounting in August 2007 and “Schemes of Love” will hit bookstore shelves this fall.

—Dorothy Brady

Alumni Publications
Richard Tomasulo, BBA ’67, wrote “The Big Blue Schoolhouse: A Revolutionary View of God, Man and the Meaning of Life.” Tomasulo’s 2006 book takes a lighthearted approach to the exploration of love, freewill, prayer and soul mates. The author is the president of American Leasing Capital in San Diego, Calif.

Thomas Tunstall, BBA ’79, wrote “Outsourcing and Management: Why the Marketing Benchmark Will Topple Old School Management Styles.” Published by Palgrave MacMillan in March 2007, the book discusses the implications of outsourcing beyond the obvious transfer of jobs to other countries or the use of metrics to manage external providers. Tunstall recently completed a long-term assignment for the Central Bank of Afghanistan to modernize its operations. He is currently co-chair for the Dallas Chapter of the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) and a former senior manager with BearingPoint (KPMG Consulting), a leading international consulting firm.

“Babyproofing Your Marriage” co-authored by Stacie Cockrell, MBA ’96, Julia Stone, MBA ’96, and Cathy O’Neill is a how-to guide on navigating the sleepless fog of new parenthood. The authors appeared on NBC’s Today show Jan. 23, 2007, to discuss how the experience of having a newborn is often complicated by marital strain as couples keep score of baby-related chores and try to incorporate romance into their hectic schedules. Debbie Baladad Miles, Brad Miles, Kathleen Lewis Mabley and Lou Mabley, all MBA ’96, also participated in a focus group for the morning show’s segment.

Jason Ryan Dorsey, who attended McCombs 10 years ago, released “My Reality Check Bounced: The Twentysomething’s Guide to Cashing in On Your Real World Dreams” in 2007. The book aims to help young adults with career advancement and personal growth. Dorsey is an inspirational speaker who has given more than 1,500 keynote speeches across the U.S. and as far away as India and Egypt. He has been featured on NBC’s Today show, ABC’s The View and 20/20, and he recently won the Austin Under 40 Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Dorsey wrote his first bestselling book, “Graduate to Your Perfect Job,” at age 18. Ten years later, “My Reality Check Bounced” is a course taught in 1,600 colleges, schools and work force development programs.

Faculty Publications
In 2006, Douglas deVidal, accounting professor, released the seventh edition of his book, “Study Guide for Managerial Accounting,” published by Irwin/McGraw Hill.