Debut novels

Originally published in the Ketchikan Daily News, April 2018; written by Tammy Dinsmore

One of the best things about my job is cataloging the fiction books for the adult collection here at the Ketchikan Public Library. I get to see and touch the new books as they come in, and make sure the record is correct in the database. Many times it is familiar authors, but I love it when we get books by new authors.

“Gunpowder Moon” is David Pedreira’s debut novel and spans two genres. It is both science fiction and a murder mystery.

The story takes place on the moon in the year 2072. Everyone there thinks the moon smells of burnt metal. Former Marine turned chief of mining operations on the moon, Caden Dechert disagrees with that assessment, and just thinks its people’s imaginations.

Caden oversees the mining operation on the moon for helium-3, which powers fusion reactors back on earth to bring earth back from an environmental catastrophe. When a bomb goes off and kills one of the miners, Caden has to investigate the first ever murder to happen on the moon. This also has international implications and it’s a race for time to keep two superpowers from going to war.

Told from two perspectives, “Halsey Street” by Naima Coster is a story about family, loss, and moving on.

Penelope Grand is living in Pittsburgh and is feeling that she has failed as an artist. She likes to drink, is rather selfish, and angers easily. When she gets a call, saying her dad is in failing health, she decides to move back to the New York City neighborhood of Bed-Stuy, where she was raised, to take care of him.

Penelope rents a room not far from Halsey Street where she grew up. She barely recognizes her old neighborhood due to the gentrification happening there. She doesn’t like the changes that are happening, as she fells people are being pushed out of their own businesses and homes.

Penelope’s mom, Mirella retired early and decided to leave New York and her family to return to the Dominican Republic. This move devastated the people she left behind, and created a rift between Penelope and her mom.

When Mirella gets in touch with Penelope and tries to reconcile, Penelope doesn’t know what to think or do. There is no love lost for her mom.

The dynamics between Penelope’s family and the neighbors (new and old) and the changes happening in the neighborhood all make for an interesting story.

There are many more novels from new authors on the shelves. Come on in and check them out!