It's the birthday of poet and mystery writer Linda Rodriguez, born October 24th in Fowler, Kansas. Her first novel, Every Last Secret, won the Malice Domestic Award for Best First Traditional Mystery Novel in 2011.It features a Cherokee police chief named Marquitta "Skeet" Bannion who leaves her career in a big metropolitan police force for a small town. She soon finds herself embroiled in a murder on a college campus and tangling with some pretty powerful people who don't appreciate her efforts.
The novel won praise from readers and writers alike. Best selling author Julia Spencer-Fleming called it "a triple crown winner; superb writing, hell for leather plotting and terrific characters."
Linda has published two more novels in this highly acclaimed series, including Every Broken Trust and Every Hidden Fear.In addition to the Malice Domestic Award, she has won the ArtsKC (Kansas City) Fund Inspiration Award, an Elvira Cordero Cisneros Award, and a Midwest Voices and Visions Award. Linda has also served as President of the Sisters In Crime Border Chapter and Vice-President of the Latino Writer's Collective.
Her poems, including The Sun Grows In Your Smile, have been read by Garrison Keillor on The Writer's Almanac. They appeared in her poetry collection, Heart's Migration. You can listen to them here.
