Author: Angie Sykeny

Angie Sykeny is a Hippo staff writer covering local arts, theater, music and pop culture. She can be reached at asykeny@hippopress.com.

Lost and found

NH’s Lisa Gardner discusses her new thriller

Lisa Gardner of Jackson, known for her bestselling Detective D.D. Warren, FBI Profiler and Tessa Leoni thriller series, releases her newest, Before She Disappeared, on Jan. 19. It’s her first standalone novel since 2004. Gardner talked about the story and the inspiration behind it.

What is Before She Disappeared about?

It’s based on a new character, Frankie Elkin. She’s a recovering alcoholic, short on belongings and long on regret. She now travels from town to town trying to help [missing] people who are forgotten. In this case, she comes to Mattapan, Boston, where a 15-year-old Haitian girl went missing almost a year ago. She disappeared in the middle of the day without a trace. The police have no leads, and it’s not the kind of case that earns any media attention, but it’s exactly the kind of case that [fits with] Frankie’s mission. She is there to make a difference, no matter what the cost.

What was your inspiration for this story and character?

Most of my books have been ripped from the headlines, so to speak. For Before She Disappeared, I had read an article in the BBC on a real-life woman, Lissa Yellowbird-Chase. She had no police background, no specialty. She’s just an everyday person who had grown increasingly frustrated by the number of women who were going missing on tribal lands and, in many cases, not looked for at all. … She decided to do something about it and got involved in finding one of the women. It’s now become her life work. She’s an ordinary person doing the extraordinary, and I was captivated by that [and the idea] that any of us could make a difference. … Then I found out that there are entire online forums that are populated by amateur sleuths, drone operators, people who are willing to donate their canines to help search for missing people … and I thought, what might [a person doing that] look like? A woman who gives up all of her belongings, has no stable relationships or job, no white picket fence? I loved that in creating Frankie Elkin. She’s leading an anti-life. She has none of the trappings that most of us would say are earmarks of success and yet … she has found herself.

Is the theme of forgotten and uninvestigated missing people something you intended to address in Before She Disappeared?

Absolutely. After reading about Lissa Yellowbird-Chase, I did more research and … became aware of such things as the Black and Missing Foundation, which has a website with hundreds and hundreds of cold cases of missing Black children, men and women. Most of these cases, we’ve never heard about. … It’s a really sad nationwide trend that, often because of socioeconomics or your skin color or where you live, you can really fall through the cracks.

This is your first standalone novel in 17 years. What made you decide to take a break from your series?

I loved this notion of writing about an everyday person trying to make a difference. All of my previous novels are about an FBI agent, a police officer, etc. … but Frankie is like you or me, so it’s [easier] to try to be in her shoes. If you showed up in Mattapan, Boston, and wanted to find a missing person, what would you do? What questions would you ask? How would you go about it? It’s fun for the reader because for once the [protagonist] has the same [lack] of training, so if Frankie can figure it out, so can you.

Do you have any plans to continue Frankie’s story?

Yes, at least one more [book]. I really ended up loving Frankie, and I think she is now one of my most compelling characters. … Detective D.D. [the protagonist of Gardner’s D.D. Warren Series] is aggressive and has the right as a police officer to bully people into answering questions. That’s not Frankie. Frankie is very vulnerable and has to use that vulnerability as her strength. She gets people to talk to her simply by making them want to share their stories. I’ve just found that intriguing and powerful. So I’ve happened to come up with yet another book. … It involves Frankie and has to do with a number of people who are still missing on national public lands. … I’m writing it now and hopefully [will have it published] by this time next year.

What has it been like, releasing a book during a pandemic?

It’s very different. I’ve worked on this book for an entire year, and I don’t want to just release it out into the wild, so to speak; I want to connect with my readers, answer their questions and hear what they have to say. … But, like all things pandemic-related, we’re learning as we go and finding different ways to connect. Zoom is great. It means a great deal to still be able to connect with some of my readers virtually.

Lisa Gardner presents Before She Disappeared
Gardner kicks off her virtual book tour with a livestream book launch on Monday, Jan. 18, at 6 p.m., hosted by White Birch Books in North Conway and 93.5 WMWV with Roy Prescott. The tour continues through Feb. 4 with virtual events hosted by bookstores throughout the country. For more information, visit lisagardner.com.

Featured photo: Lisa Gardner. Courtesy photo.

The Art Roundup 21/01/07

The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities

Art by Chris Reid, featured in “The View Through My Eyes” exhibition. Courtesy photo.

• Gallery goes digital: Kelley Stelling Contemporary, an art gallery in Manchester that has been closed throughout the pandemic, announced in a newsletter that it will soon roll out a series of new digital programming, including artist talks, studio visits and home tours. Watch the gallery’s social media @kelleystellingcontemporary for updates.

• Drive-in singing: The Nashua Choral Society has found a creative way to continue meeting during the pandemic while observing social distance, according to a press release from the chorus. With a new drive-in choir system, members can gather in person and, while remaining in their cars, sing together using wireless microphones tuned into the same radio station. NCS purchased the wireless microphones with a grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. The chorus had its first drive-in sing on Dec. 13, which is World Choral Day. “Seeing everyone in person, even through car windows, was a joyful event,” the press release read. “NCS looks forward to hosting more socially distanced sings in the new year.” The choir is also planning to hold in-person public performances this year as soon as it is safe to do so, according to the release. Visit nashuachoralsociety.org

• Nature through the seasons: The New Hampshire Art Association has an exhibition, “The View Through My Eyes,” featuring the work of pastel artist Chris Reid, on view at the gallery in the Concord Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center (49 S. Main St.) now through March 18. Reid’s pastels depict nature scenes from the four seasons, like emerging flowers and plants in the spring; gardens, farms and greenery in the summer; harvest landscapes and the changinging colors of leaves in the fall; and the natural shapes formed by ice and snow in the winter. “My work is a conversation with nature,” Reid said in a press release. “My paintings are more than simple depictions of place. Rather, they invite a choreographed dance of the eyes, where the viewer is invited to look deep into the depths of the work and see the subject’s spirit and life-force.” Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

• Literary Zoom: Gibson’s Bookstore of Concord will host a virtual author event with Beverly Stoddart on Monday, Jan. 11, at 7 p.m. Stoddart will present her new book Stories from the Rolodex: Important Figures of Journalism in Their Own Words, which includes a series of essays on local personalities from the golden age of journalism. She will be joined in conversation by local author (and Hippo associate publisher) Dan Szczesny. Then, on Wednesday, Jan. 13, at 7 p.m., Gibson’s will virtually host poet Kyle Potvin, who will read from her new volume of verse Loosen (Volume XIV of the Hobblebush Granite State Poetry Series). Poet and executive director of The Frost Place Maudelle Driskell will join the reading and discussion. The events will be held on Zoom, and registration is required. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com or call 224-0562.

• A look at slavery in New England: The Moffatt-Ladd House and Garden in Portsmouth kicks off its free public winter continuing education series with a virtual lecture and discussion, “Confronting Slavery in Early New England: History, Sources and Interpetation,” led by Dr. Jared Ross Hardesty, on Thursday, Jan. 14, at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Hardesty is the author of Black Lives, Native Lands, White Worlds: A History of Slavery in New England (2019), “the first comprehensive look at slavery throughout New England in more than 50 years,” according to a press release from the Moffatt-Ladd House. The book explores the lives of enslaved people in New England, how New England became wealthy from the slave trade and the connection between slavery in New England and the Carribean. Registration is required. Email education.moffatt.ladd@gmail.com to receive the link to the Zoom event.

Blast from the past

Robinson decries white supremacy, pays homage to the ’80s in Exo-Hunter

Science fiction, sociopolitical satire and 1980s nostalgia are the basis for Seacoast author Jeremy Robinson’s newest novel Exo-Hunter,released last month.

Exo-Hunter follows a Black Marine known as Dark Horse in 1989 who, after a mission gone wrong, is launched with his team a millennium into the future. In the year 2989, humans have abandoned Earth and expanded colonization throughout the galaxy under the rule of a white supremacist government called The Union. Separated from his team and now the only Black man in The Union, Dark Horse takes control of a space vessel and sets out to find his teammates, disguised as an Exo-Hunter, a space explorer seeking new planets for the Union to colonize.

Robinson said he had been contemplating a “sarcastic, fun, ’80s sci-fi” while also reflecting on the racial tensions felt throughout the country over the last few years.

“I thought I’d kind of just mash all of that together,” he said. “White supremacy … is a serious topic, but I wanted to address it with a sense of humor, similar to how the movie Jojo Rabbit did with Nazi Germany — funny but also moving and revealing.”

The humor in Exo-Hunter comes mostly in the form of sarcasm, Robinson said, with some sci-fi- and ’80s-related jokes thrown in.

“I think sarcasm can be helpful for us now as we look back at 2020 and all the bad stuff,” he said. “It’s a good way to deal with it all.”

The book also provides a comic look at the absurdity of a society without diversity.

“I wanted to kind of poke fun at how weird and strange it would be and how dull life would be,” Robinson said. “I guess the main moral of the story is, a world with diversity is just a better world.”

Readers who lived through the ’80s will get a healthy dose of nostalgia with references to ’80s pop culture, particularly sci-fi movies and new wave music. Additionally, Robinson created a playlist of the referenced songs as a musical companion to the book (available on his website) with hits like “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles, “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” by Eurythmics and “Heroes” by David Bowie.

“A lot of the story hinges on these songs because they’re applicable to what is happening and are just perfect for the situation,” Robinson said, adding that pausing to listen to the songs as they are mentioned in the book can create a more immersive experience for the reader.

A New York Times and No. 1 Audible bestselling author, Robinson has written and published more than 70 books in a number of genres, including science fiction, action adventure, fantasy, post-apocalyptic, thriller and horror, as well as several comic books. Prior to writing novels he did primarily screenwriting, and he continues to write with the ultimate goal of getting his stories made into movies and TV series, he said. A couple of his books are currently in the process of being adapted for the screen, and a TV series based on one of his books has been in development for the last five years. (He is not yet at liberty to say which books, he said.) As for Exo-Hunter, Robinson said, he is “absolutely” envisioning it as an action-packed movie for the big screen.

“It was written with that intention, as most of my novels are,” he said. “[The production] would be really big and cost a lot of money, so [the book] will have to sell really well first for Hollywood to take the risk, but we’ll see.”

Exo-Hunter by Jeremy Robinson
Exo-Hunter is available now on Amazon and Kindle and locally at Jetpack Comics in Rochester. The audiobook is set for release on Audible and iTunes in February. To learn more about the book, visit bewareofmonsters.com/exo-hunter-dark-horse-rising, and check out the companion playlist at bewareofmonsters.com/playlist.

Art

Call for Art
• 35TH ANNUAL OMER T. LASSONDE JURIED EXHIBITION The New Hampshire Art Association seeks submissions of artwork from NHAA members and non-members. The theme is “Beyond the Boundaries.” Submit up to three pieces. Open to all artistic media. Deadline is Fri., Feb. 5, by 5 p.m. Submission form available online. Call 431-4230 and visit nhartassociation.org.

Exhibits
• “THE COLORS OF GREY” Theme art show presented by the Seacoast Artist Association. On display now through Jan. 30. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and by appointment. Visit seacoastartist.org or call 778-8856.
• “A NEW DAY” Exhibit features work by 35 new members of The New Hampshire Art Association. Viewable online, in the front windows at the NHAA’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth) and at the gallery in person by appointment. On display now through Jan. 31. A virtual opening reception will be held on Thurs., Jan. 7, at 6 p.m., on Zoom. Call 431-4230 and visit nhartassociation.org.
• “BRAVE NEW WORLD: RESILIENCE IN THE TIME OF COVID” Outdoor public art display features paintings by 80 students from the Nashua School District that convey a message of hope and resilience amid the challenges of Covid-19. Amherst Elementary School (71 Amherst St., Nashua). On display now through Feb. 14. An opening reception at the exhibit location to celebrate the student and teacher artists will be held on Friday, Dec. 18, at 2 p.m. Visit sites.google.com/nsd42.net/bravenewworld/home.
• “THE VIEW THROUGH MY EYES” The New Hampshire Art Association presents works by pastel artist Chris Reid. Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce Gallery, 49 S. Main St., Concord. On display now through March 18. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

Tours
• NASHUA PUBLIC ART AUDIO TOUR Self-guided audio tours of the sculptures and murals in downtown Nashua, offered via the Distrx app, which uses Bluetooth iBeacon technology to automatically display photos and text and provides audio descriptions at each stop on the tour as tourists approach the works of art. Each tour has 10 to 15 stops. Free and accessible on Android and iOS on demand. Available in English and Spanish. Visit downtownnashua.org/nashua-art-tour.

Theater

Shows
• WHERE DO I BEGIN? New Hampshire Theatre Project’s SoloStage program presents. Fri., Jan. 22, and Sat., Jan. 23, 8 p.m., and Sun., Jan. 24, 2 p.m. Performances held virtually and in-person at 959 Islington St., Portsmouth. In-person show tickets cost $30, and virtual show tickets cost $20. Call 431-6644 or visit nhtheatreproject.org

New in town

Jessica Martin joins Intown Concord

Jessica Martin is the new executive director of Intown Concord, a nonprofit organization that promotes and celebrates small businesses, arts and culture and community events in downtown Concord. She talked about why she took the position, the challenges that come with it during a pandemic and what Intown is planning for 2021.

What is your background in this type of work?

I have a background in real estate. I was the executive director at the Greater Manchester/Nashua Board of Realtors for almost six years. I did all of their events — they had quite a few — and I really loved the event [planning] portion of that position. I ended up starting an event planning business on my own but kind of missed the normal 9-to-5, so I took a position at the Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce as their events and marketing director for a year. … I’ve also been working on my master’s degree at UNH in community development and policy practice.

What interested you in the position at Intown Concord?

This is the most perfect job I could have ever imagined. I was looking for a position where I could use my event [planning] skills but also my background experience from the Board of Realtors. … [As] a community organization that’s advocating [for] and promoting small businesses and the community, [Intown Concord] fits within that. It’s a marriage of events and marketing as well as the nonprofit management piece that I had done before and liked, so it checked all of the boxes for me.

What does your job as director entail?

Day-to-day is always different. I’m overseeing all of the events we’re working on [including] Market Days … and Midnight Merriment. We have one other staff person, Haylie Stoddard, who is our event coordinator and does a lot of our social media, and I manage the finances and anything that comes up with the businesses. I’m kind of the liaison between the businesses and our board of directors, working with them to make sure that we’re fulfilling our mission. A lot of my job is also just getting our mission out there and making sure people understand it and how valuable it is.

What are some of the biggest challenges coming into this new position right now?

The finances, managing staff, marketing, events — that’s all stuff I’ve done before, but [with Covid], this [job] is completely different. … I wasn’t [involved] when Intown Concord applied for [and] received PPE and a grant, and there’s going to be a rollout of another stimulus package soon, so [the challenge is] wrapping my head around that process and making sure I understand all of that. And not only do I need to learn it for myself, but then I also need to share that information as quickly and accurately as possible with the businesses that could benefit from it.

How are you handling those challenges?

A lot of education, and making sure I’m getting information from accurate sources. I’m attending a lot of webinars. I have one next week called “The New Hampshire Nonprofit Emergency Relief Fund Webinar.” The Small Business Administration also has a wealth of knowledge about basically anything that you need assistance with related to Covid.

What is Intown planning for this year?

I’m optimistic that we’ll be doing all of our events [in 2021]. They might look a little different. They might feel a little different. In what way? I’m not sure yet. … We have to keep social distancing in mind. … We’re doing our winter festival at the end of January, since people can be outside for the majority of it and will be spread out. … We also have to be strategic with the timing of [the events with] the vaccine and the weather. Usually our biggest event [Market Days] is in June, but does it make sense to keep it in June, or should we be talking about possibly moving it to August to allow for a little additional time for people to get vaccinated and feel comfortable with being in large groups again? We have to be really thoughtful about everything, more than in previous years … and we have to be really clear about social distancing and masks and stuff whenever we’re promoting an event so that people know we aren’t just being reckless.

What are you most excited about?

I’m so excited about Concord in general. … As I go to these places downtown, I’m just blown away by how much Concord has to offer — great restaurants, art, culture, hotels, so much stuff going on. It feels almost like a little hidden secret, and I just want to scream it from the rooftops. It’s really easy to promote a city that has so many exciting things to promote.

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