Me on Turn the Page podcast, talking about “Not the Ones Dead”
Spoiler free, so fear not. Jessikah was fun to talk to, but then, she’s a librarian, so what else would you expect? Click here to listen.
the 23rd Kate Shugak novel
published April 11, 2023
order your signed hardcover here
Kindle US
Kindle UK
Excerpt…
“She took an associates’ degree in maintenance while she was at it.”
“Why didn’t she sign off on her own annuals, then?” Her voice sounded muffled.
“Twice as careful on the ground, twice as safe in the air.”
“See how well that worked out for her.” Her voice changed. “Jim.”
He turned and saw that she had raised the mattress so she could look under it. He stepped forward and took the weight and she reached for a nine by twelve manila envelope lying in the exact center of the box springs.
He let the mattress down gently. “Surprise.”
She was disgusted. “It’s such a cliché. Hiding stuff under the mattress. Geeze.”
The Poisoned Pen Bookstore still has copies of Kate23 which include a recipe card for the salmon bouillabaisse Kate makes in the book. Click through the image below to order yours.
Chatter Kate Shugak Not the Ones Dead Poisoned Pen Bookstore
What a surprise to see the Syosset Library pop up! That’s just one town over from where I live!
Really enjoyed the interview, and was especially interested in what you had to say about dealing with the passage of time in the Kate series. This came up a short time ago in the Spoilers group, which, if I have understood correctly, you never look at, so I’ll quote what I said over there a few weeks ago.
“You just have to ignore certain aspects of reality in the series, such as the passage of time.
I’m in the middle of rereading A Fine and Bitter Snow, which quite obviously takes place at the beginning of Dubya’s presidency, around 2001. Johnny is 14 years old. Fast forward to No Fixed Line, ten books later, which just as obviously takes place 16 or 17 years later, during the Orange Indictee’s presidency (if it can be called that) and Johnny is still in college. There are plenty of other examples, involving Kate, Bobby, Jim and other Park rats.”
I also noticed that Bobby’s annual Tet Offensive gathering has now morphed into commemorating the Battle of Fallujah.
And I’m so glad to hear you have an idea for Kate24.
In re passage of time–about ten years of Kate’s life have passed during the series, compared to the 31-year life span of the novels. I have a timeline where things happen in the backstory that may or may not be referenced in the books, but serves to keep me current in the lives of the characters. It’s a juggling act and I may say I occasionally miss catching one of the balls. But Ed McBain and Robert Parker were great examples to follow in handling a long series, and Sue Grafton’s experience a cautionary tale in not allowing a series to become historical fiction as it was begin written.