New York Times bestselling author J. A. Jance will make a stop at the Covington Library Saturday on her tour to promote her newest title, “Dance of the Bones: A Beaumont and Walker Novel.”
Jance wasn’t allowed in the creative writing program at the University of Arizona because she was a woman. That was in 1964.
After her refused admission, she married a man who was in the program. She recalled him telling her four years later there would only be one writer in their family, and it would be him.
After divorcing him, Jance moved to Seattle in 1981 and starting writing in 1982.
Her newest novel is a crossover book between two of her series, the J.P. Beaumont series and the Walker Family series.
She’s written crossover titles before, but never with these two particular characters, she said.
The synopsis of the book is described as, “With a missing boy’s life at stake, detective J.P. Beaumont and Sheriff Brandon Walker join forces to stop a sociopathic smuggler who has eluded justice for decades.”
Publishers Weekly wrote, “Bestseller Jance’s 51st novel brings together two of her popular series characters — Seattle detective J.P. Beaumont and Arizona sheriff Brandon Walker — in a highly entertaining plot that honors both of these now-retired cops.
“Jance (‘Cold Betrayal’) satisfies fans of both series with an energetic plot resplendent with believable twists, leaving readers eager for Beaumont and Walker’s next outing.”
Jance said she pulls inspiration from her life experiences into her writing. For instance, the murderous character in her book “Hour of the Hunter” is a former creative writing professor at University of Arizona.
Another character was inspired by her dentist as a child, whom she said didn’t believe in novocain.
Jance will be at a book signing and reading at the Covington Library at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12.
“I don’t do readings at readings,” she said in an interview last Thursday. “I do ‘talkings.’ That gives people a chance to know the person behind the words, rather than just the words themselves.”
