Here I am, finally about to be published. My first book, titled The After School Murders, should be released in September of 2012. But although it is my first book and the event is monumental in my life, as it would be with any other writer, it means much more to me on a deeply personal level. What will be shared with the release of this book is the precious world of fantasy that I've been living in for decades, and the people in it that I have grown extremely familiar with and fond of.
In The After School Murders (book one of The War This Side of Heaven series), you are introduced to Janette West, the heroine, and her friends in the Amateur Detective’s Guild. Here also is the hero, David Conrad, who gradually becomes her love interest. The love relationship gels in book two, Man Trouble, and Conrad’s competition (a Catholic Priest) also comes along. The setting of these stories is a place that must be seen: New Mexico. And yes, it is in the United States. At this point in time in 1968-69, Albuquerque is a large town that has yet to become the bustling city it is today, still having some of the quiet, rustic Southwestern charm of old Route 66.
The characters in The War This Side of Heaven, and much of what they go through, are a reflection of my life in reality and my life in the world of fiction through books, radio, television, movies, and my active imagination as a child. This is the writer writing not only of what she knows, but of what she loves, and detective fiction has been a passion for me since I first learned to read. With myself being a singer, songwriter, and musician, I have made Janette West the same. Also, having lived in Albuquerque and having an appreciation for the unique culture and beautiful landscape there, I share that culture and landscape throughout the series. But the names of my hero and heroine reveal some very early influences of western film and television on my life. See if you can guess where their names came from.
For those who have fallen in love with Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre as much as I have, you will find small elements of this beloved story in my book. And for those who enjoy Raymond Chandler, Earl Stanley Gardner, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and other fine writers of detective fiction, you’ll have fun with the humor, the mystery and the suspense in The War This Side of Heaven series.
So all you who love the thrill of suspense and the tasty titillation of romance, school is about to begin–and it’s killer. Look for The After School Murders on Amazon–and get another copy for your teacher.
© 7/31/2012 Sharon Evans
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