Minotaur Debut Week: Christina Estes (9/12/23)

For day two of Minotaur Debut Week, we have the pleasure of introducing an Emmy Award-winning reporter writing an entertaining murder mystery about a local TV reporter who is racing to investigate a death at a radio station.

Christina Estes is a longtime library lover, and shares her favorite experiences with her library card and all about her debut novel OFF THE AIR in this Q+A and author letter.

OFF THE AIR is available for download on Edelweiss and NetGalley. LibraryReads votes due by February 1st.

Where is your local library? How have libraries played a role in your reading life?

I’m a regular patron of the Phoenix Public Library where I’ve lived for more than 20 years.

I became hooked on libraries thanks to the bookmobile. Getting a library card, browsing the shelves, checking out, and returning books felt very grown-up. As a latchkey kid, Ramona Quimby, Encyclopedia Brown, and Trixie Belden became my after-school friends.

I’ve never been without a library card–in fact, I’ve memorized the first half of my Phoenix library bar code! Libraries are like a smorgasbord. Whatever I’m craving, I can find. And if I’m not sure what I need, I can sample the offerings until I find the right novel to nourish my soul.

What’s on your TBR right now? 

The list is long, so here are five: THE MAID by Nita Prose, FINDING ME by Viola Davis, ALL THE SINNERS BLEED by S.A. Cosby, LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY by Bonnie Garmus, and VERA WONG’S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS by Jesse Q. Sutanto.

Tell us about your writing process.

My process is a work in progress. I try to write or do something to support my writing every day, but a full-time reporting job doesn’t always allow for it.

My dream process looks something like this: Wake up early and energized. Go for a walk, run, or bike ride. Feed my dog. Write. Eat chips and red salsa. Play with my dog. Write. Pretend my dog is distracting me when really, I’m interrupting his nap. Write. Eat chips and green salsa. Write. Or revise. Or read. Play with my dog. Write. Feed the dog. Open a new bag of chips.

Who’s your favorite character in literature?

Picking one is hard, but Polly McClusky has stayed with me since reading SHE RIDES SHOTGUN by Jordan Harper. I originally checked it out from my library and then bought the book because I loved it so much. Eleven-year-old Polly is shy, awkward, and too old for the teddy bear she carries everywhere. Her father, just out of prison, shows up unexpectedly and takes Polly on the run from enemies out to kill them. As they try to escape, Polly gets to know her dad, begins to emulate him, and discovers her own power.

Can you describe your debut novel in five sentences?

When a controversial radio talk show host dies unexpectedly, the last thing Jolene Garcia expects is to be fighting for her job and her life. At first, her Phoenix TV news bosses are ecstatic because she conducted the last interview with the host, but when it’s revealed he was poisoned, national media descend upon Arizona with bigger budgets and bigger scoops. With her career at stake, Jolene pushes hard to break the story–too hard for a trusted source who turns on her and a killer determined to keep her quiet. Fast-paced, funny, and thought-provoking, OFF THE AIR is a love letter to my hometown and local news.

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Dear Librarians,

“The bookmobile’s here!”

I can’t recall if I actually shouted those words out loud, but I definitely heard them in my head.

As a latchkey child of a single-mother who worked second shift, books were my babysitters. And the bookmobile was my first library experience outside school. Every other Thursday afternoon, I would run down a big hill to be the first in line. Despite climbing up the hill with a stack of books, the return home never seemed hard because I was excited to start exploring new places and meet new friends.

Libraries have been a favorite destination my entire life and I’ve shared that love with others, including co-workers, friends, and family. During my years as a foster parent, visiting the library branch was a weekly outing. And visiting Phoenix’s central library was always a special treat. Not only because the children’s section was larger, but we would time trips in the glass elevators so we could shoot up to the fifth floor, no stopping, while staring out the windows at the city. It was our literary amusement ride.

Teaching children who had never been to the library how to find books, use the self-checkout, and be responsible for caring for and returning books were small, yet important lessons. Watching them place “their” books on the shelf at home warmed my heart. And every time they asked to read “just one more,” my heart soared. Libraries provided an ice-breaker, a way for us to initially connect. And then, libraries brought us hours of joy and, in some cases, a lifelong bond.   

When a child leaves care, the foster parent must say good-bye knowing they may never see the child again. There’s no rule requiring relationships to continue. I’m grateful to remain involved in the lives of two children, years after they were reunited with their biological family members. My debut, OFF THE AIR, is dedicated to them, my forever bedtime-story buddies, thanks to the library.

Christina Estes