Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Learn the Story Behind 'Stinger' at Friends of the Library Fundraiser
GV-Wire-1
By gvwire
Published 5 years ago on
September 13, 2019

Share

One of the most-asked questions Fresno novelist Tanya Nichols gets these days is what her latest book, “Stinger,” is all about.
“It’s a story of revenge involving the family of a small farmer, big ag, and mad honey — with a little unintentional corporate sabotage thrown in,” she answers. “It’s a Valley story and, at times, a very funny story.”


Listen to this article:
 


It’s also an unusual story in that Nichols, a literary novelist and a Fresno State lecturer, teamed up with journalist Bill McEwen to pen the tale.

The Birth of ‘Stinger’

“We were challenged by a mutual friend over lunch to write something together,” says McEwen, who is a columnist and the news director at GV Wire. “Initially, both of us said, ‘no way,’ but when I shared with Tanya some pages I had written for a novel I’d been thinking about, she agreed to do it. And, I’m glad she did. I couldn’t have pulled it off by myself.”
Information for Friends of the Fresno County Library fundraiser
The “Stinger” book launch is 7 p.m. Wednesday at 2nd Space Theatre in Fresno’s Tower District, and it’s a fundraiser for Friends of the Fresno County Public Library. Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased at this link. All of the ticket proceeds benefit the nonprofit, which supports the library system.
“We wanted to give back to the community in a way that supports literacy, lifelong learning, and branch renovations,” Nichols says.

Mark Arax Is the Publisher

Portrait of Mark Arax
“I’m proud to publish ‘Stinger.’ It’s not only a great read, but it says so much about our place — California, the San Joaquin Valley, Fresno.” — Mark Arax
The publisher of “Stinger” is Mark Arax’s Fresno-based West of the West imprint. After reading the manuscript, he decided to publish the first edition as a high-quality hardback — taking a different path than many independent presses which opt for paperbacks.
“I’m proud to publish ‘Singer.’ It’s not only a great read, but it says so much about our place — California, the San Joaquin Valley, Fresno,” says Arax, whose latest work “The Dreamt Land” is a Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle best-seller.

High Praise for ‘Stinger’

Others are praising the book as well.
“Stinger is taut and colorful, a tale well-told by Nichols and McEwen, both of whom know every corner of the Valley and every secret hidden there. The landscape and the characters who inhabit it come alive in these pages,” says Steve Yarbrough, the critically acclaimed author of eleven books, most recently the novel “The Unmade World.”
Novelist and poet Liza Wieland says that “Stinger” is a “lively, engaging, and deeply knowledgeable romp though business and family intrigue in the Central Valley. Both Nichols and McEwen are talented, accomplished writers on their own, but in Stinger, they make a great and seamless team.”
Says author and Connecting California columnist Joe Mathews: “Highway 99 runs right through the San Joaquin Valley’s heart — which is where you’ll find ‘Stinger.’ This is a letter of crazy stupid love to California’s most intriguing region, a literal land of milk and honey It’s also a page-turning caper about the things that really matter: life, liberty, and the pursuit of water.”
At the book launch, the authors will share the challenges and advantages of collaboration, read from the “Stinger” and take questions from the audience. Appetizers, wine, and water are included with admission. Books will be available at $25 each.

DON'T MISS

A Fresno County First: Kerman Council Passes Amended Gaza Cease-Fire Resolution

DON'T MISS

Rockin’ Out or Laughing, the Valley Has Its Pick of Weekend Events

DON'T MISS

Ex-Correctional Officer at Women’s Prison in California Sentenced for Sexually Abusing Inmates

DON'T MISS

Caitlin Clark and Iowa Draw Nearly 5 Million Viewers for Second-Round NCAA Win

DON'T MISS

Canadian School Boards Sue Snapchat, TikTok and Meta for Disrupting Students’ Education

DON'T MISS

California Law Enforcement Agencies Obstruct Transparency Efforts in Use-of-Force Cases

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Tackles Animal Overpopulation with New Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Program

DON'T MISS

No Police Charges for Taylor Swift’s Dad Over Paparazzi Incident in Sydney

DON'T MISS

Biden Administration to Lend $1.5B to Restart Michigan Nuclear Power Plant, a First in the US

DON'T MISS

Tonight’s Biden Fundraiser With Obama and Clinton Already Nets a Record $25 Million

No data was found

Facebook News Tab Will Soon Be Unavailable as Meta Scales Back News and Political Content

6 hours ago

Stock Market Today: Wall Street Rises to More Records to Close Out Its Latest Winning Month

6 hours ago

A Fresno County First: Kerman Council Passes Amended Gaza Cease-Fire Resolution

6 hours ago

UN Top Court Orders Israel to Open More Land Crossings for Aid into Gaza

6 hours ago

How Involved Is Southern California Consulting Firm in FUSD Executive Dealings?

7 hours ago

Biden’s Fundraiser with Obama and Clinton Nets a Record $25 Million, His Campaign Says

7 hours ago

Fresno Unified’s Self-Protection Racket Is Hurting Our Kids

7 hours ago

Rockin’ Out or Laughing, the Valley Has Its Pick of Weekend Events

8 hours ago

Ex-Correctional Officer at Women’s Prison in California Sentenced for Sexually Abusing Inmates

10 hours ago

Caitlin Clark and Iowa Draw Nearly 5 Million Viewers for Second-Round NCAA Win

11 hours ago

PGA HOPE at Riverside Golf Course Introduces Military Veterans to the Game

PGA HOPE, now underway at Fresno’s Riverside Golf Course, is designed to introduce golf to veterans and active duty military members t...

4 hours ago

PGA HOPE at Fresno's Riverside Golf Course
4 hours ago

PGA HOPE at Riverside Golf Course Introduces Military Veterans to the Game

5 hours ago

Cronenworth’s Big Hit Helps Lift the Padres to a 6-4 Win Over Melvin’s Giants

6 hours ago

Shohei Ohtani Reaches 3 Times in Home Debut as the Dodgers Rout the Cardinals 7-1

6 hours ago

Facebook News Tab Will Soon Be Unavailable as Meta Scales Back News and Political Content

6 hours ago

Stock Market Today: Wall Street Rises to More Records to Close Out Its Latest Winning Month

6 hours ago

A Fresno County First: Kerman Council Passes Amended Gaza Cease-Fire Resolution

6 hours ago

UN Top Court Orders Israel to Open More Land Crossings for Aid into Gaza

7 hours ago

How Involved Is Southern California Consulting Firm in FUSD Executive Dealings?

MENU

CONNECT WITH US

Search

Send this to a friend