NEW
RELEASE and INTERVIEW
Painting With Fire
by K.
B. Jensen
Description
Murder in the Windy
City. Love without trust. Reckless justice.
These are the themes
in Painting With Fire, the story of Claudia Wilson, a woman down on her luck living
with a stranger, an artist named Tom. After the two of them discover a body on
the street corner, buried in a snow bank, Claudia becomes obsessed with the
murder and the fact that her roommate is not telling her everything about his
past. While police search for the killer in her building, she wonders if she
should be searching for a new roommate.
Claudia learns
everything she can about the neighbors, as well as Tom. In the end, she makes a
startling discovery. When art and violence collide, the results can be
explosive.
Excerpt
Prologue
Steve Jackson was
trying to get his Honda Civic through the snow, but the tires spun loudly and
the vehicle wouldn’t swim through. “Come on baby, please, please, we need to
get out of here now,” he coaxed and swore.
But the Civic
couldn’t climb out. It slid back into its final resting place, crooked against
the curb. He turned off the ignition and slumped forward with his gloved hands
on the wheel and his forehead against the top of it. He felt drained, empty. He
had said what he needed to say and it wasn’t wise to linger. They let him walk
out the door but they could still change their minds.
“Thank you, God,
it’s over,” he said. “Now, please help me get the hell out of here.”
He was surprised
they hadn’t stopped him after he gave his “notice.” Drug dealers aren’t
normally so courteous. They don’t give you a card and a goodbye lunch before
you walk out the door. But the worst of it was over now and he just had to
drive home in the storm.
Blinking the snow
out of his eyes, he glanced up at the old, three-story brick building through
the blur of snowflakes and saw a dark face in the oversized window. It moved
back behind the curtain.
He got out of the
car and started digging out holes behind the tires, kicking the snow with his
boots. He shivered. He was only wearing a puffy black vest over a flannel
shirt. He had been too preoccupied to listen to the forecast that morning, too
nervous about getting killed to worry about what clothes he’d be wearing when
the shots would ring out. Snow had been the last thing on his mind when he
showed up to tell them he couldn’t work for them anymore. His conscience
wouldn’t allow it, that feeling in the pit of his stomach every time he made a
delivery. A 13-year-old girl had thanked him, for what? For helping her kill
herself slowly. He knew he had to answer to God one day and the day was coming
soon, sooner than he’d like.
He bent down and dug
out the snow with his gloved hands. The blur of white snowflakes stung his eyes
so he could barely see. He didn’t hear the footsteps in the snow behind him
through the whistle of the wind. He didn’t hear the metal slide through the air
as it sliced down and cracked open the top of his head. He spun sideways from
the blow and fell.
For a matter of seconds,
he lay there flat on his back in the snow bank watching the flakes twirl and
land on his face. His vision whirled. He had bitten his tongue, but he could
still taste the snow melt and mix with blood as it dropped into his open,
gurgling mouth. He thought of his mother, what she would say when she found
out? Did she know that he had changed? She’d never know.
“Jesus,” he gurgled.
It was a prayer this time.
Review
By Mary Most
When you read the
first paragraph or two of a book and feel the pulse of a good mystery based on
the happenings of the following page or two, you know you're in for a good
read. Add strong characters, most of whom seem suspicious and lead you to
thinking you know 'who dunnit' only to find yourself second guessing yourself.
The book keeps your interest and pulls you deeper into the story. As the plot
thickens and builds momentum, the relationship between Claudia and Tom keeps
you guessing as well. You will absolutely not be able to put the book down as
an action packed finish will rivet you to its pages and very effectively pull
it all together for you.
Congrats to K. B.
Jensen on her first book. It's a clever mystery.
Interview With the
Author
Hi K. B., thanks for
joining me today to discuss your debut novel, Painting With Fire.
For what age group
do you recommend your book?
Sixteen and over. Adults of all ages seem to enjoy it, but it’s too
gritty for children.
What sparked the
idea for this book?
I used to work as a crime reporter in the Chicago suburbs and one of the
stories I wrote about involved a body found in the snow. The person was lying
there for hours and could have lived if they had been found earlier. Many
people I interviewed heard the gunshots but didn’t call the police. To my knowledge,
the police never caught the murderer, and I always wondered who he/she was. It
bothered me. My book is not based on that case, but it started out as a kind of
a daydreaming about what might have happened.
Also, I had this clear picture of the villain in my head, this perfect
villain and I wanted to explore that.
Which comes first?
The character's story or the idea for the novel?
The characters should always come first. They drive the ideas.
What was the hardest
part of writing in this book?
It was like arranging puzzle pieces. Getting everything to click in place
just right took a lot of crafting. Also, the journalist in me wants everything
to be realistic but you have to take liberties and free yourself as a writer to
tell the story.
How do you hope this
book affects its readers?
I hope it gets people to think. I hope it’s also a good time, an
entertaining read.
How long did it take
you to write this book?
Four years off and on.
What is your writing
routine?
I don’t have one. I write when the mood strikes, which is often. The only
real routine I have is journaling. That is an every day occurrence and keeps my
writing sharp.
What do you like to
do when you're not writing?
I’m a downhill ski instructor. I also love to travel. I enjoy jogging and
biking next to Lake Michigan.
What does your
family think of your writing?
My family is very proud. My husband is my number one fan, of course. My
dad said it was excellent and he’d tell me if it wasn’t. He said it was “not so
predictable.” I liked that, because he’s a smart guy and he couldn’t figure out
the killer.
Fantastic! Please
tell us a bit about your childhood. Did you like reading when you were a child?
I loved reading. I stayed up all night reading. You can see the dark
circles under my eyes in my second grade school picture. I look terrible in it.
Just five pages more, I used to tell myself, then I’ll turn out the light. But
I never did, not until I was finished. That’s the power of good books on a
young mind.
When did you first
realize you wanted to be a writer?
When I was in third grade. I told my dad and he told me, “You’ll starve.”
I hope you prove him
wrong! Did your childhood experiences influence your writing?
Not as much as you would think. My childhood teachers influenced it
though. I had a third grade teacher at North Star Elementary School in
Minneapolis named Mrs. Grein who used to send me to the principal’s office to
read my stories. I don’t think I would be a writer if I hadn’t met her.
Which writers have
influenced you the most?
That’s a tough question. When it comes to life, I’d say Paolo Coehlo. I like his idea that the universe is conspiring to help you achieve
your dreams, if you follow them. When it comes to style, I’d say all the great journalists
I’ve met working at newspapers and magazines have really trained me to write in
a clean, tight manner.
Do you hear from
your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
I do hear from readers. They say they liked the twists and turns in Painting With Fire, also the romantic elements. I think that’s kind of funny,
because I’ve never envisioned the book as a romance. They keep asking me to
write a sequel. I’m thinking about it.
So, what can we look
forward to from you in the future?
Currently, I’m working on a collection of short stories, but it’s top
secret. The themes are impossible love and other craziness.
Thank you for taking
the time to stop by today. Best of luck with your top secret project!
About the Author
K. B. Jensen is an author and journalist. Painting With Fire is her debut novel. As a reporter, she has written
extensively about crime in the Chicago suburbs. Jensen grew up in Minneapolis
and currently lives in Chicago, with her husband, daughter and rescued border
collie/lab mix. In her spare time, she enjoys teaching downhill skiing and
traveling the world.
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