I'm a fan of David Guterson, and if you are as well, you will want to take a few moments to explore this website and my semi-historical novel, Grey Pine.
Like David Guterson's East of the Mountains, Grey Pine is set in Eastern Washington. It is May 18, 1980, one of the most infamous days in our nation's natural history. The town of Ponderosa is inundated by a six-inch ash fall that turns day into night. My descriptions of the event are based on first-hand recollections of watching and feeling the volcanic debris fall like unrelenting grey snow.
Meet Phillip Stark, a young science teacher whose first reaction is awe and curiosity for the unexpected geological events. Phillip realizes that his "fascinating ash fall" leads him to complications that inexorably alter relationships with family, friends, and enemies. After descending into suicidal then homicidal depression, Phillip fights to hold onto his mind and individuality, hoping to achieve some kind of breakthrough and take control of his life.
Not unlike David Guterson's novels, you will find that Grey Pine 's serious and sometimes grim subject matter is often set off by both comic relief and vivid imagery.
Click here to read free excerpts from Grey Pine