Truth is stranger than fiction. I’m sure y’all have all heard the saying, but I can add a bit of twist: truth is especially strange when it mirrors fiction. Before the fiction even goes on sale.
Last week on Facebook, I revealed the fabulous cover for the new Nichelle Clarke novel, DEADLY POLITICS. A few readers who know their architecture messaged to ask: Hey, is that the Virginia State Capitol?
Why yes, yes it is. And wouldn’t you know it, a scandal ensnaring the governor kicks Nichelle’s Friday into high gear in chapter one. Also: I wrote this book last summer, and haven’t ever had any psychic episodes.
To be fair, the truth really is stranger than fiction here, because while I was going for high shock value, I was (I thought) attempting to remain realistic. My fictional scandal takes an entirely different route than the real life one playing out downtown, which has sucked in the entire state executive branch and sent the commonwealth’s government into chaos in the past ten days. Plus, Nichelle and I get to control the way ours ends.
Hopefully Virginia politics will be out of the national headlines by the time the book launches, but just in case it’s not, for the record: I did have the idea first. And objectively, I like mine better, too.
With much affection,
LynDee
