Storylines from the Past Offer Lifelines Too
by Kay Kendall
“I tried so
hard to sleep last night, but kept getting up to read more of Kay Kendall’s
DESOLATION ROW. It resonates powerfully in these troubled times . . . .”
So begins
the newest reader comment on Amazon about one of my mysteries. Of course any laudatory
review is a pleasure for an author to read about one of her book babies. However,
while I was thrilled to see five stars, I was surprised to see an emotion
expressed about reading my fiction that I never expected.
The reviewer concluded a personal email to
me by saying, “I realized that the
ideas/ideals are as compelling as the plot in your books, just what we need
right now.”
the newest reader comment on Amazon about one of my mysteries. Of course any laudatory
review is a pleasure for an author to read about one of her book babies. However,
while I was thrilled to see five stars, I was surprised to see an emotion
expressed about reading my fiction that I never expected.
The reviewer concluded a personal email to
me by saying, “I realized that the
ideas/ideals are as compelling as the plot in your books, just what we need
right now.”
I write
historical murder mysteries, and my chosen time period is the turbulent era of
the 1960s. Back in 2012 when I finished writing DESOLATION ROW and then when it
debuted in 2013, I had hoped that setting my first book in a fraught time of
extreme unrest would be interesting. I thought it would help readers of the
baby boom generation remember their salad days and younger readers might read
and learn what it was like. The plot is fiction. The background is not. DESOLATION
ROW looks at the consequences of the Vietnam War, the anti-war movement, and
personal outcomes from military service. In RAINY DAY WOMEN published in 2015, I explore the hopes
for female improvement held by early members of the women’s liberation
movement.
historical murder mysteries, and my chosen time period is the turbulent era of
the 1960s. Back in 2012 when I finished writing DESOLATION ROW and then when it
debuted in 2013, I had hoped that setting my first book in a fraught time of
extreme unrest would be interesting. I thought it would help readers of the
baby boom generation remember their salad days and younger readers might read
and learn what it was like. The plot is fiction. The background is not. DESOLATION
ROW looks at the consequences of the Vietnam War, the anti-war movement, and
personal outcomes from military service. In RAINY DAY WOMEN published in 2015, I explore the hopes
for female improvement held by early members of the women’s liberation
movement.
One reason I
write about that time period is to describe its importance to those who know
nothing about it. Reading fiction is an easy way to learn about history.
write about that time period is to describe its importance to those who know
nothing about it. Reading fiction is an easy way to learn about history.
After both
my mysteries were in print, I spoke to classes at a community college in
Alabama. Only two in one hundred students knew about Bob Dylan—my book titles
come from his songs. Moreover, none of them knew why the United States
was drawn into fighting a war in Vietnam. And none of them had ever heard of
the “domino theory.”
my mysteries were in print, I spoke to classes at a community college in
Alabama. Only two in one hundred students knew about Bob Dylan—my book titles
come from his songs. Moreover, none of them knew why the United States
was drawn into fighting a war in Vietnam. And none of them had ever heard of
the “domino theory.”
Another
reason I write about the 1960s is to commemorate and revivify a part of
American history that has had far reaching effects. Societal upheaval was so
intense in the 1960s that the aftershocks still are felt today. Until very
recently, that past seemed dead and buried.
reason I write about the 1960s is to commemorate and revivify a part of
American history that has had far reaching effects. Societal upheaval was so
intense in the 1960s that the aftershocks still are felt today. Until very
recently, that past seemed dead and buried.
Yet only two years since I spoke to those Alabama students and right now, right now the
1960s have gained new relevance. The era is evoked often on television news stations. Old battles are
being fought again in the streets of America. And readers are telling me that
my books bring them hope.
After all, they say, If we Americans got through such troubled domestic times once, we can do
so again. But hang on, dear readers, we may be in for a long and bumpy ride.
1960s have gained new relevance. The era is evoked often on television news stations. Old battles are
being fought again in the streets of America. And readers are telling me that
my books bring them hope.
After all, they say, If we Americans got through such troubled domestic times once, we can do
so again. But hang on, dear readers, we may be in for a long and bumpy ride.
Read the first 20
pages of Kay Kendall’s second mystery, RANY
DAY WOMEN here! http://www.austinstarr.com/
That book won two awards at the Killer Nashville conference in August 2016—for best mystery/crime and also for best book. Visit Kay at https://www.facebook.com/KayKendallAuthor
