2018 Colorado Book Awards finalist for Thriller Thirty years ago, Sean Coleman’s father abandoned his family in the Colorado mountain town of Winston, and was never heard from again. The reason for his disappearance was always a mystery, but a lifetime of blaming himself put Sean on a rough, dark path that took him years […]
SunLit
Posted inBook Excerpts, SunLit, SunLit Interviews
SunLit 2018: Colorado authors took us on wide-ranging tours of the human condition
When we launched SunLit in September, our aim was to provide enticing weekly excerpts of work from some of Colorado’s best authors to add a literary flavor to the journalism we do every day. It’s about building community and exploring a variety of perspectives on Colorado life. The offerings represented diverse genres of both fiction […]
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As author David Hicks wrote “White Plains,” the narrative got uncomfortably personal
David Hicks is a professor at Regis University in Denver, where he also co-directs the Mile-High MFA program. Excerpts from his book “White Plains” have been published as short stories in “Glimmer Train,” “Colorado Review,” “Specs,” “Saranac Review,” and “South Dakota Review,” along with other journals. White Plains was a finalist for the 2018 Colorado […]
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How the editor of “Beautiful Flesh: A Body of Essays” constructed a “body of work” in her collection
Stephanie G’Schwind is the director of the Center for Literary Publishing at Colorado State University, where she edits “Colorado Review” and directs a publishing internship for graduate students. In addition to curating the Colorado Prize for Poetry books and, with Donald Revell, the Mountain West Poetry Series, she is also the editor of two anthologies: […]
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Excerpt: An author savors family smiles in a poignant piece from the essay collection “Beautiful Flesh”
2018 Colorado Book Awards winner for Anthology Copyright by Lupe Linares Number nineteen fell apart unexpectedly when I bit into the world’s softest piece of garlic bread. Biting into that bread felt the way I imagined biting into a cloud might—airy, moist. My mouth seemed empty, but I could taste the hint of garlic and […]
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SunLit Excerpt: In “Trafficked,” betrayal begins a teen girl’s harrowing ordeal
2018 Colorado Book Awards finalist for Thriller 3,287 people are reported sold or kidnapped and forced into slavery every day. That’s almost 137 people an hour. More than 2 people every minute. Reported. What about those who aren’t? —Statistics from Force4Compassion CHAPTER ONE JAYLA Mama dumps her cup of instant coffee, laced with whatever booze […]
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SunLit Interview: An expert advised Peg Brantley that her book “Trafficked” shouldn’t take place “over there”
Peg Brantley, author of the book “Trafficked,” is a graduate of the Aurora Citizens’ Police Academy; participated in the Writers’ Police Academy; has interviewed crime scene investigators, FBI agents, and human trafficking experts; obtained her concealed carry permit; studied diverse topics from arson dogs to Santeria; and hunted down the real life locations that show […]
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SunLit excerpt: In “Hunting Hour,” a sheriff’s deputy struggles with her K-9 search for a missing girl
A 2018 Colorado Book Awards finalist for Mystery At the beginning of Hunting Hour, Deputy Mattie Cobb is in a dark place. Haunted by repressed memories from her childhood, she’s sleep deprived and emotionally and physically spent. An emergency text from the sheriff’s department interrupts Mattie’s Skype session with her therapist, calling her back into […]