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Page A2 — REGISTER-PAJARONIAN, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014
Writers will visit Crossroads Books Saturday
By ERIK CHALHOUB
OF THE REGISTER-PAJARONIAN
WATSONVILLE — Christine Mason and Gail Elizabeth Kretchmer have known each other for several years, the two authors frequently critiquing each other’s writing while chatting about their latest literary escapades.
Mason lives in Scotts Valley, while Kretchmer resides in Seattle, and the two have never met before in person— until now.
The two are preparing for their joint book tour to promote their new novels, and the California leg of the tour will begin at Crossroads Books, 1935 Main St. in Watsonville, on Saturday from 1-3 p.m.
Mason’s novel, “Boundaries: A Love Story,” was released last year but recently was published in paperback. Kretchmer’s debut novel, “The Damnable Legacy of a Minister’s Wife,” was recently released.
The authors’ “unusual history” goes beyond the fact that they have never met face-to-face before, Mason said. Both spent their early years living on the south side of Chicago, and eventually moved to the west coast. They are both full-time writers in their second careers: Kretchmer in business, Mason in legal profession.
The two eventually met online as members of the Pacific Northwest Writers’ Association.
“We excitedly await our first in-person meeting when Gail arrives from Seattle for the start of our collaborative tour,” Mason said.
The two novels focus on “strong women, family secrets and controversial choices,” Mason said. In particular, Kretchmer’s book emphasizes cancer and adoption, and with October being National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and November National Adoption Awareness Month, the timing of the book tour worked out well, Mason noted.
Mason said “Boundaries” began as a “very long short story” about forbidden relationships. However, several editors praised the story, and encouraged her to develop it into a full-length novel.
Using her background as a former lawyer inspired her to discuss legal issues in the novel, and some characters include a law professor, a first-year law student and a children’s rights attorney.
For Kretchmer, “The Damnable Legacy of a Minister’s Wife” is the result of “a lot of dreams and a lot of life experiences,” she said. Kretchmer, who has three adopted sons, found this to be the inspiration for the protagonist Lynn. Beth, the narrator, was born out of certain religious services Kretchmer has attended, during which she said she’s questioned whether the pastor’s spouse is “really as pure and perfect and faithful as she appears.”
The tour will continue Saturday from 5-6 p.m. at The Village House of Books in Los Gatos and Monday at 7 p.m. at Books Inc. in Palo Alto. Other locations will be announced, including stops at bookstores in Seattle in November.
For information, visit www.christinezmason.com and www.gekretchmer.com.