Month: June 2024

Over the Edge: A Novel
by Kathleen Bryant

About Over the Edge

Over the Edge: A Novel
Traditional Mystery
Setting – Sedona, Arizona
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crooked Lane Books (June 4, 2024)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1639107541
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1639107544
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CH9KTJ6C

In Sedona’s red rock canyons, a former reporter must piece together her shattered memories in time to stop a killer in this cat-and-mouse thriller, perfect for fans of CJ Box and Anne Hillerman.

After a disastrous mistake ended her career as a crime reporter, Del Cooper returns to Sedona and takes a gig with a down-on-its-luck tour company while she rebuilds her life. Her peaceful small-town escape ends when, hiking in a remote red rock canyon, she finds the broken body of a murdered man.

At first, she believes the murder is connected to a proposed land trade that will pave the way for a luxury development on the edge of town, but it seems money isn’t the killer’s only motive. As she digs deeper, she uncovers the small town’s darkest secrets, all leading her to Lee Ranch, a former filming location for Western movies. Two women disappear after Del interviews them, and rumors begin to spin faster than Sedona’s famed energy vortexes. But she knows the truth: Someone is watching her from the shadows.

GUEST POST

Are all books travel guides?

I’ve always been propelled by curiosity—the breathtaking panoramic view that might be waiting around the next bend, what it would be like to live in eighteenth-century Paris, or how we might colonize Mars.

Curiosity fueled my reading, inspired my love of travel, and guided me—at least indirectly—to a career as a travel writer. I believe, at their core, all books are about travel. For example, OVER THE EDGE might be a mystery, but through Del’s story—she’s a Jeep tour guide, after all—I get to show a different side of Sedona, the one I came to know while living there for two decades. As a writer, I hope Del’s story leaves readers longing to explore red rock country for themselves. (And as further enticement, I’m going to close this post with my top three suggestions for experiencing the real Sedona.)

I often joke that I inherited my love of travel from my parents. They took me on my first road trip when I was only six months old, driving across two states to visit my great-aunt Lizzie, who’d homesteaded a ranch in South Dakota. Did I wake up from my baby sleep, blink at the deep blue sky and rocky badlands, and fall in love with the West?

Maybe. After all, life is a collection of moments and impressions. What we remember, and why we remember it, goes a long way toward explaining who we become. My most vivid childhood memories are related to travel, reinforced by the boxes of Arizona Highways magazines my parents stored in the attic. From the Sonoran Desert to the make-believe world of Walter Farley’s Azul Island to the castles of Gothic romances, I loved visiting exotic places with my favorite authors.

Becoming a writer allowed me to indulge my curiosity, though my career has also taken me on plenty of detours and 180-degree turns. I started working as a technical writer when I left college. After computer software manuals, I wrote romance novels. Then—following a move to Arizona—I began romancing the West, writing articles for Arizona Highways (to the delight of my magazine-hoarding parents), and guidebooks to Sedona, Grand Canyon, and the Four Corners.

Whether I’m researching a book or planning a trip, I use the same tools—maps, field guides, local histories. Yes, the internet has made travel research much easier. But despite the gorgeous photos and handy driving directions, I often find that something’s missing. It’s like lasagna: If I’m short on time, I might pop a frozen one in the oven. But making a lasagna from scratch—chopping garlic, simmering the sauce, spreading one layer over another—is more nourishing.

By now, you’ve probably guessed I’m not talking about nutritional value here, but about the satisfaction of creating and experimenting, layering the enjoyment of the senses with connections to the farmers who grew the ingredients and the memories of my mom’s kitchen.

So—take your time, fill your senses. It’s not only a good approach to lasagna and travel but also to life. With that in mind, here’s this travel writer’s top three suggestions for making the most of a trip to Sedona:

Hire a guide. If you’re active and adventurous, spring for a Jeep excursion or a private hike. If you’re on a budget, you can join a docent-guided tour at an archaeological site, or a ranger-led hike at Red Rock State Park. Local guides will answer questions you didn’t even know you had and make you feel right at home.

Take time for nature. Even if you’re not into hiking or mountain biking, leave room in your itinerary to be outdoors. Discover the amazing night sky—thanks to dry air, high elevation, and local restrictions on nighttime lighting, the stars are dazzling. Enjoy the musical burble of Oak Creek, or find a comfortable spot to watch sunset. As the sun slips behind the western horizon, Sedona’s eastern cliffs change from buff to gold to pink. It’s magical.

Pack a bag, leave the baggage. You’ve heard it before, and it’s worth repeating: No matter where you travel, it’s best to go with an open mind. This is especially true in Sedona, as famous for its spiritual vibe as for its red rock scenery. So go ahead: Visit a vortex, treat yourself to an alternative healing session, circumnavigate a labyrinth or stupa. It’s easy to get caught up in the external journey, but your inner journey may prove to be a greater treasure than any photo or souvenir.

Of course, these three tips can be applied to any journey, including the most important one—life itself. To remind me, I keep a quote from T.S. Eliot’s poem Little Gidding on my desktop: “We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.”

Of all the places that books take us, the most important discovery is who we are. Happy reading!

About Kathleen Bryant

Kathleen Bryant turned her boots-first exploration of the West’s landscapes and cultures into a career as a travel writer and novelist. Her publishing credits include romance novels, travel guides, magazine articles, an award-winning children’s picture book, and a cookbook highlighting National Parks. An avid hiker and history buff, she’s led tours of ancient rock art sites, participated in field school digs, and guided yoga experiences in the red rocks of Sedona. Today, Kathleen lives with her musician husband in California, where she continues to seek out new adventures. When she’s not writing or researching her next book, you might find her on a hiking trail taking photos of wildflowers or driving down a country lane to visit a dairy farm or vineyard.

Author Links

Website: https://www.kathleenbryantwriter.com

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/KathleenBryantWriter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathleenbryantwriter/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kathleenbryant.bsky.social

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kathleen-bryant-a71782295

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3QaMdqg

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/366225.Kathleen_Bryant

Library Thing: https://www.librarything.com/author/bryantkathleen-1

Substack (newsletter): https://kathleenbryant.substack.com

Purchase Links

Amazon Kindle Amazon Hardcover Apple Books BAM! Barnes & Noble Bookshop.org Google Play Kobo Random House

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

June 4 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT

June 4 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

June 5 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

June 5 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 6 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 6 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

June 7 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 7 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 8 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 8 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

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June 9 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 10 – Ruff Drafts – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 10 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read! – REVIEW

June 11 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 11 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW

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