Don’t you love when an author’s backstory is just as interesting as his or her fantastic new book? Take Taylor Stevens, for example, whose second Vanessa Michael Munroe novel, The Innocent, is featured in our January Whodunit column.
Photo © Alyssa Skyes, 2011
Self-employed spy Munroe has the difficult task of infiltrating a religious cult called “The Chosen” in order to rescue her best friend’s kidnapped daughter. Sounds intense, right?
It just so happens that Stevens was born and raised in a very similar cult, the Children of God. Her education stopped at age 12, she hopped from country to country and lived (as she describes on her website) as a “worker bee child in a communal apocalyptic cult.”
So before you check out The Innocent, read what Stevens had to say about the Children of God in our 7 questions interview. (And if you haven’t read her first book, The Informationist, you should read that, too.)
Is Vanessa Michael Munroe your type of heroine? And does knowing an author’s cool backstory entice you to read their book?
I have wanted to read this author’s first book for sure. I think if the author’s has a interesting life story it makes it more interesting to read a book based on some events that occurred to the author.
I accidentally got the first book. I do a lot of books on tape. (download from library to my mp3) I heard the first one and found it quite different and interesting. Then, once again I picked up the second book not knowing what it was. I was so delighted to have come across it. Now I will look for them. I find the books pretty violent in a way and very female aggressive. Now I know why. I have a family member who cut herself after she was sexually assaulted, so I get it. I hope the author has a decent life. I like her books and will continue to look for them.