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Monday's Internet Edition, March 15, 2010.
RM author publishes final book in trilogy
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Photo courtesy to River Valley Times
Rancho Murieta author Naida West has a book signing scheduled at Murieta Plaza on Feb. 13 for her latest history novel ‘Rest for the Wicked' completes her trilogy about the 1800's and turn-of-the-century era in what is now RM and Soughhouse.
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By Sheri Barile
River Valley Times Reporter
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Acclaimed Rancho Murieta author Naida West will be at Murieta Plaza this Saturday, Feb. 13, to sign copies of her newly released book “Rest for the Wicked.” She will be at MarshaTes’ from 9-11 a.m. and at Plaza Foods from noon - 2 p.m.
The book, which she began writing 10 years ago, is the third in her trilogy of history novels spanning the 1800’s and turn-of-the-century era in what is now the Rancho Murieta and Sloughhouse areas. The first two books, published in 1996 and 2000 respectively, were “Eye of the Bear” and “River of Red Gold.” Both were award winners and fetched critical acclaim.
West describes “Rest for the Wicked” as a coming of age story about a girl who gets trapped in the Sacramento underworld after moving to California from Iowa with her family in 1893. Her family moved in hopes of cashing in on the abundance of gold found in the Sierra foothills during the Gold Rush, not realizing that those days had passed them by.
The heroine finds herself working for the non-fictional Granlees family of RM and becoming friends with the equally real Sheldon and Miser families.
This brand of historical fiction, which West calls a "history novel," is her trademark. “I don’t treat history lightly in a novel,” she said. “Authors who do so are simply taking fictional characters and dressing them up in era costumes.”
In contrast, what West does in all three books is to interface her fictional characters with true historical characters that inhabited and ultimately settled this part of California. She captures not only the lives of these historical figures but the events, politics, culture and lifestyles of those times.
West, whose historical character Indian Mary is central to all three novels, incorporates a great deal of mystical and spiritual elements in her writing to connect readers to the Miwok people and the grounds they called home.
The author, who moved to RM in 1982, feels that this area along the lower Cosumnes River where the Miwoks lived naturally inspires this kind of writing. “This area absolutely gripped me,” West said. “I see this area as very much connected to the roots of California.”
West lives with her husband on over 12 acres in the home originally built by Art Granlees around 1930. It’s a property steeped in history, and it serves as ground zero for the author’s research and imagination. “When I learned that Elitha Donner lived right here on this property, that sparked something,” West said.
The author found her research for the books fascinating because there is still a pulse drumming from the people of the 1800’s in what is now RM. “That isn’t very long ago,” West said. “This is one of the few areas of California where you can still go and talk to the ancestors of the original pioneers.”
“Rest for the Wicked” has been 10 years in the making, in part because West was sidetracked with other book projects after establishing her own publishing company, Bridge House Books. In addition, the author admits she didn’t have the inspiration for the ending. “Then it finally just hit me,” she said. “It’s not a long ending, but it’s very dramatic.”
The release of this book and completion of the trilogy culminates 20 years of research and writing and satisfies the anticipation of West’s many fans. History buff and RM resident Sue Kjome is among them. “It’s good to see this work completed,” she said. “I read the first two books in her trilogy and have really looked forward to this one. Naida is such a precise historian, and it’s really hard to blend fiction with actual history but she’s gifted at it.”
Jodi Wyner-Holmes, book editor and former owner of an Elk Grove bookstore, agrees. “I find her books wonderful,” she said. “They really bring historical issues to life. It’s rare to come across that quality of work in an author.”
According to West, there are 3,000 readers in her database waiting for her latest book, and more than 250 copies have been pre-sold. “This book is not being launched on virgin soil,” she said. "There are people all over the United States waiting for it.”
“Rest for the Wicked” will be available in single copies at the Feb. 13 book signing. It will also be packaged for sale with the first two books in the trilogy when the sleeves arrive, West said she will have hundreds of copies on hand for the signing at Murieta Plaza.
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