Catherine McKenzie's, SMOKE, is one of the hottest books this year. (See what we did there?) So, of course, we chose it as our book club pick this month. #duh #nobrainer #welovecatherine
If you leave a comment on this post or on our Facebook page, you'll be entered to #win a copy! Contest closes on Wednesday, November 11th at 8pm PST.
The scoop: From the internationally bestselling author Catherine McKenzie comes an evocative tale of two women navigating the secrets and lies at the heart of a wildfire threatening their town.
After a decadelong career combating wildfires, Elizabeth has traded in her former life for a quieter one with her husband. Now she works as the local arson investigator in a beautiful, quaint town in the Rockies. But that tranquil life vanishes when she and her husband agree to divorce and a fire in nearby Cooper Basin begins to spread rapidly. For Elizabeth, containing a raging wildfire is easier than accepting that her marriage has failed.
For Elizabeth’s ex-friend Mindy, who feels disconnected from her husband and teenage children, the fire represents a chance to find a new purpose: helping a man who has lost his home to the blaze. But her faith is shattered by a shocking accusation.
As the encroaching inferno threatens the town’s residents, Elizabeth and Mindy must discover what will be lost in the fire, and what will be saved.
Our thoughts: We couldn't put it down. It was engaging and nuanced and kept us up at night as we raced to finish.
Liz & Lisa's Book Club: Smoke by Catherine Mckenzie
We loved SMOKE! Tell us, what was your inspiration for this story?
I've spent a lot of time in a small town in the Rockies and a few years ago it was threatened by a wildfire. I have several friends who live there and it was interesting to me how they each had a very different experience of the fire. That was the genesis of the idea.
There is great detail about fire-fighting--how much research did you have to do?
My sister worked in search and rescue in a national park for many years and she helped me a lot with the details. I also read a lot on the internet, watched videos etc.
You also work as an attorney. When do you squeeze in time to write? Where is your favorite place to scribe?
I usually write at night and on the weekends. More on the weekends these days. I have this nice desk to write at, but I usually end up writing on my laptop with the TV on in the background. Which I may be doing as I write this ...
What are you reading right now?
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell.
What's up next for you? We can't wait!
I can't say yet unfortunately, but I'm close to finishing my sixth novel and it will hopefully be out next October! Crazy.