D. A. Blankinship
teller of tales, bard of ballads, connoisseur of conspiracies
Author and international development activist, D. A. Blankinship understands the human experience. His stories immerse you in timeless places where you meet people who are familiar, yet, mysterious. Blankinship's stories take place in a remote cabin, an abandoned warehouse, on bustling streets, in the distressed dreams of a dying man, or in a post-apocalyptic future ruled by a tyrannical government. His characters face overwhelming problems and Blankinship takes you into the thoughts and lives of these people as they confront life-changing crises. Their decisions and the consequences of their decisions, will surprise you.
In his stories, Blankinship draws on his professional experiences in a variety of settings. He has worked as a clinical psychologist at a state school and hospital, as a research psychologist at a military prison, as a senior associate with a Washington, DC-based management consulting group, and as the director of research development for a university-affiliated research corporation. In higher education, Blankinship has held appointments as a director of research and sponsored programs, an associate dean of graduate studies and research, and as dean of university extended education.
In addition to his speculative fiction works, Blankinship is an advocate for sustainable solutions for reducing the deadly impacts of extreme poverty in Ethiopia and sub-Sahara Africa. He is a co-founder of Praxis Ethiopia and serves as the chief executive officer of The Praxis Ethiopia Foundation. Blankinship authors reports for the government of Ethiopia to assist in preparing for and responding to famines, and he is the co-author of The Praxis Accord: The Necessary & Sufficient Conditions for Sustaining Development and Reducing Poverty in Ethiopia. Blankinship speaks to civic groups and places of worship on the realities of extreme poverty and the importance of practical solutions for meeting a community's needs.
Blankinship is a past president of the UW-Whitewater/ Community Optimist's Club and a past president of the Rotary Club of Oswego (KS). He is a Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary International Foundation. He is also a member of the Oswego City Council, serving on the rural water development committee and the mayor's healthcare advisory taskforce.
Dr. Blankinship and his family
live in Oswego, Kansas. Their home is situated on seven acres of densely wooded land on a bluff one hundred
feet above the Neosho River Valley; it is an excellent setting for writing and for raising the family's German
Shepherd Dogs.
He spends his leisure time maintaining his classic 1973 Porsche 914 Sport, and continuing his quest for the perfect homemade pizza, the maximum hopped homebrewed India Pale Ale, and the ideal cup of home roasted coffee.
Contact Blankinship
Blankinship would enjoy hearing from you and email is the easiest way to contact him. Please email him using this address dave (at) tenparinc (dot) com. If you would rather use paper and a stamp, send mail to:
D. A. Blankinship200 Woodcliffe Drive
Oswego, KS 67356
Publications/Presentations
In addition to his fictional works, D. A. Blankinship has more than 25 nonfiction publications on academic excellence, university faculty development, applying Adlerian personality theory to management, and developing practical, sustainable approaches to ending extreme poverty in sub-Sahara Africa. He is also a national and international keynote and conference speaker on the topics of academic excellence and practical solutions for reducing extreme poverty.
Books
Blankinship, D. A. (2009). Justice for All (in) The Shameless Shorts Anthology. Sandusky (Ohio): PD House Holdings, LLC [ISBN 978-0-9815333-9-1]
Blankinship, D. A. (2009). Jewel's Friends (in) The Shameless Shorts Anthology. Sandusky (Ohio): PD House Holdings, LLC [ISBN 978-0-9815333-9-1]
Blankinship, D. A. (2006). The Scoloderus Conspiracy. Overland Park: Leathers Publishing [ISBN 1-58597-402-1]
Blankinship, D. A. (1982). Career Choices: A Think-Book. Manhattan, KS: Kansas State University, Center for Student Development.
Articles in Scholarly Journals
Young, W. A., Blankinship, D. A., & Arounsack, S.S. (2001). Voices for academic excellence: Honors students, faculty, and senior academic affairs administrators at comprehensive universities describe superior teaching. California State University, Stanislaus, Journal of Research, Fall 2001.
Blankinship, D. A. & Ehlen, D. M. (1997). A general survey for obtaining participant’s evaluations of professional development sessions. Journal of the Society of Research Administrators, (Summer/Fall) 17-24.
Blankinship, D. A. (1995). Personality priorities, stress management, and the research administrator. Journal of the Society of Research Administrators, (Winter/Spring) 29-35.
Blankinship, D. A. (1990). Army family research program: The role of installation leaders in creating a supportive family environment. Proceedings of the 1990 Military Family Research Review. Arlington, VA: Military Family Information Clearinghouse.
Parker, M. W., Chynoweth, G. E., Blankinship, D. A., Zaldo, E. R., & Matthews, M. M. (1987). A case for computer applications in social work. Journal of Social Work Education, Summer 1987.
Chynoweth, G. E., Blankinship, D. A., & Parker, M. W. (1986). The binomial expansion: Simplifying the evaluation process. Journal of Counseling and Development, 64, 645-647.
Monographs, Conference Proceedings, & Contracted Research Reports
Blankinship, D. A. & Aseffa, A. (2006). The Praxis Accord: The Necessary & Sufficient Conditions for Sustaining Development and Reducing Poverty in Ethiopia. The Praxis Ethiopia Foundation: Oswego, Kansas.
Blankinship, D. A. , Rogers, D., Baumgaertner, J., & Getachew, T (2004). A Sustainable Approach to Managing the Opuntia spp. to Strengthen Food Security and Improve Quality of Life in the National Tigray Regional State of Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Social Rehabilitation & Development Fund: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Blankinship, D. A. (2002). The Funding Success Handbook: Procedures for Preparing Proposals, Negotiating Awards, and Managing Sponsored Projects. Turlock, CA: Office of Research & Sponsored Programs, California State University, Stanislaus.
Blankinship, D. A. & Ehlen-Gardner, D. (1996). Annual Report: Office of Research & Sponsored Programs. Whitewater, WI: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Blankinship, D. A. (1994). Results of the UNC Research Corporation Customer Satisfaction Survey FY 1992-93. Greeley, CO: UNC Research Corporation.
Blankinship, D. A. (1993). Understanding, Predicting, and Controlling Overall Indirect Cost Recovery Rates. Greeley, CO: UNC Research Corporation.
Blankinship, D. A. (1993). Proposal Activity & Funding Patterns at the University of Northern Colorado 1988-93. Greeley, CO: UNC Research Corporation.
Blankinship, D. A. & Sorensen, M. M. (1993). Managing Externally Funded Projects: What Works, What Doesn’t? Greeley, CO: UNC Research Corporation.
Blankinship, D. A. (1993). The UNC Research Corporation Annual Report 1991-92. Greeley, CO: UNC Research Corporation.
Blankinship, D. A. (1992). The UNC Research Corporation Annual Report 1990-91. Greeley, CO: UNC Research Corporation.
Blankinship, D. A., Thomas, D., & Bullman, S. L. (1991). A Comprehensive Model for Assessing the Clinical Effectiveness of the New Parent Support Teams. Fairfax, VA: Caliber Associates.
Blankinship, D. A. & LeVine, C. L. (1991). Army Family Relocations: The Moves, the Families, & Community Supports. Prepared under contract MDA 903-87-C-0540. Alexandria, VA: U. S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences.
Blankinship, D. A. (1990). Army Family Research Program: The Role of Installation Leaders in Creating a Supportive Family Environment, Research Report 1553. Alexandria, VA: U. S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences.
Blankinship, D. A. (1990). A preliminary model for estimating the cost effectiveness of family advocacy programs. Proceedings of the 1990 Military Family Research Review. Arlington, VA: Military Family Information Clearinghouse.
Styles, M. B., Janofsky, B. J., Blankinship, D. A. & Bishop, S. (1990). Investigating Family Adaptation to Army Life: Exploratory Site Visit Findings. Prepared under contract MDA903-87-C-0540. Alexandria, VA: U. S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences.
Blankinship, D. A., Mensch, J. R., Bullman, S. L., & Sorenson, E. (1989). A Preliminary Mathematical Model for Estimating the Cost Effectiveness of Family Advocacy Programs in the Department of Defense. Prepared under contract N00604-86-C-0062. Fairfax, VA: Caliber Associates.
Blankinship, D. A., Coolbaugh, K. W., Devine, P., Bullman, S. L., & Sorenson, E. (1989). A Study of the Cost-effectiveness of the Services Assisting Family Environments Program. Prepared under contract N00604-86-C-0062. Fairfax, VA: Caliber Associates.
Blankinship, D. A. (1986). The vocational model of the U. S. Army Correctional Activity. Proceedings of the 116th Congress of Corrections. College Park, Maryland: American Correctional Association.
Blankinship, D. A. & Zaldo, E. R. (1986). Cohesion: Necessary? Sufficient? Proceedings Leadership Research Conference (29 April to 1 May 1986). Fort Leavenworth, KS: Center for Army Leadership.
Blankinship, D. A. (1984). Occupational images, preferences, and gender as predictors of Holland types: A microcomputer administered assessment procedure. Chicago: Dissertation Abstracts International.
National & International Conference Presentations
The Yeha Natural Resource Management Institute. The Praxis-Alliance Meeting, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 26 to 28 September 2005.
Connecting the World with Ethiopia: The Story of Praxis Ethiopia. The Praxis-Alliance Meeting, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 26 to 28 September 2005.
Thinking creatively, talking to strangers, writing proposals and other unnatural human behaviors. University Continuing Education Association, Western Section, [closing plenary session]. Las Vegas, Nevada, October 1, 2, and 3, 2003.
Research administrators as champions of excellence. Keynote presentation at the Northern California Chapter of the Society of Research Administrators, International, Annual Meeting, California State University, Stanislaus, March 2002
Preparing competitive proposals. A series of four workshops presented at the Ethio-Forum 2002 Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, January 2002.
Voices for Academic Excellence: Honor Students, Faculty, and Senior Academic Administrators at Comprehensive Universities Describe Superior Teaching. Triennial Conference of the National Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Indianapolis, Indiana, August 2001. (Invited presentation)
Research administrators as proponents of academic excellence: Guidance from empirical research. Society of Research Administrators, International, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, October 16, 2001 (presentation made w/ Dr. W. Andrew Young)—this talk is available on audiocassette from Kennedy Recordings, 20308 5th Avenue SW, Edmonton, AB T6M 2P4
Roundtable: Planning A Meeting: A BIG Meeting, Midwest Section Meeting, Society of Research Administrators, Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 13-16, 1997.
Technology and the Research Administrator: State-of-the-art Software Applications. Pre-award Support: Identifying Funding & Preparing Proposals. Society of Research Administrators 1993 Conference: New Orleans, Louisiana.
Technology & the Research Administrator: Software Applications. Post-award Support: Project Management & Meeting Institutional Requirements. Society of Research Administrators 1993 Conference: New Orleans, Louisiana.
Army Family Research Program: The Role of Installation Leaders in Creating a Supportive Family Environment. The 1990 Military Family Research Review: Andrews Air Force Base, MD.
A Preliminary Model for Estimating the Cost Effectiveness of Family Advocacy Programs. The 1990 Military Family Research Review: Andrews Air Force Base, MD.
The Vocational Model of the U. S. Army Correctional Activity. The American Correctional Association’s 116th Congress of Corrections, 1986. Las Vegas, Nevada.
Cohesion: Necessary? Sufficient? The 1986 Research in Leadership Conference, Center for Army Leadership, United States Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 1986 (w/ Ms. Ellen Zaldo).
Company Social Climate and Soldier’s Perceptions of Combat Readiness: An Empirical Analysis. The 1985 Army Leadership Promotes Human Aspects (ALPHA) Conference, Fort Riley, KS, 1985.
Help for the Helper: A Skills Based Workshop on Referral and Appropriate Concern. The 1983 Resident Assistant Conference, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 1983.
Birth-order and Personality Priorities: Implications for Staff. The 1982 Resident Assistant Conference, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 1982.
Toward Development of Short Term Assessment of Vocational Counseling Impact. Kansas Psychological Association Annual Conference. Topeka, KS, 1977.
