5-STAR Fantasy / Sci-Fi

Friday, July 05, 2019

Featured Indie Book: The Alchemy of Noise (Lorraine Devon Wilke)


The Alchemy of Noise (Lorraine Devon Wilke)
Featured Indie Book on Indie Author News: Contemporary Literary Fiction Novel The Alchemy of Noise by Lorraine Devon Wilke.

The Alchemy of Noise ventures beyond the humor and pathos of family drama explored so cleverly in her first two novels to dig deep into the politics of contemporary culture. At its heart a love story, it explores the complexity of race in a suspenseful drama driven by issues of privilege, prejudice, police profiling and legal entanglements, and the disparities in how those provocative themes impact the various and diverse characters involved.

The Book has been published via She Writes Press and is available as eBook and Paperback - 353 pages - released in April 2019.


About the Book

In a world so full of lonely people and broken hearts, Chris Hawkins, a black sound engineer from Chicago’s south side, and Sidonie Frame―white, suburban-raised, the head manager of one of the city’s most elite venues―meet by work-related happenstance and fall quickly in love, convinced that by that act alone they can inspire peace, joy, and happiness in the world around them. The world, however, has other ideas.

Unexpected reactions amongst family and friends on both sides of the racial divide create conflict.

Day-to-day tensions, police disruptions, and the microaggressions Chris persistently encounters as a black man in the gritty environs of Chicago become a cultural flashpoint, challenging Sidonie’s privileged worldview and Chris’s ability to translate unfolding events. After a random and gut-wrenching series of police encounters shakes their resilience, it’s the shattering circumstance of a violent arrest―one in which Chris is identified as a serial vandal and potential rapist―that sends their world into free fall.

He claims his innocence; she believes him. But forces pushing against them are many and oppressive. With a looming trial, the dissipating loyalties of key allies, and unforeseen twists triggering doubt and suspicion, Sidonie and Chris are driven to question what they really know of each other and just whom to trust, leading to a powerful and emotional conclusion.

The Alchemy of Noise (Lorraine Devon Wilke)
Click to Read an Excerpt

Reviews (Excerpts)

- "[...] At one point I threw the book across the room, as she lobbed another twist across the page. You'll have to read it to find out how it turns out. I can assure you, she delivers." - B. Tyler

- "The Alchemy of Noise is an honest, empathetic, and powerful look at racial tensions in modern America, explored through one interracial couple’s burgeoning relationship―and how it plays on the concerns and assumptions of their friends and families. The writing is excellent, the characters full and real and conflicted―just like life." - Laurie Boris

- "[...] At times Lorraine Devon Wilke's written word is a bit closer to reality than we would like to imagine. The violence against Chris Hawkins, just because he happens to be a young black man, is heart wrenching. The ugliness of racism (against Chris) rises up from the pages, not only on the streets of Chicago but in all facets of his life." - Patsy E.

- "Wilke’s prose is cautious and empathetic, probing at the edges of politeness, taboo, and uncomfortable truth. . . the directness and openness with which the author explores the topic, as well as its continuing relevance, make this a novel that will still read as daring to many." - Kirkus Reviews


About the Author

Author Lorraine Devon Wilke
Author Lorraine Devon Wilke
Lorraine Devon Wilke's writing resume includes over a decade as a political/cultural contributor to HuffPost and other popular media/news sites. Her articles have been globally disseminated, reprinted in books, articles, and academic tomes, and she continues to write cultural essays and commentary at her blog, www.rockpapermusic.com and select media sites. Her two previous novels, After the Sucker Punch and Hysterical Love, are awarded, well reviewed, and available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and select bookstores. Her highly anticipated third novel, The Alchemy of Noise, was published in April 2019 by She Writes Press.

In addition to her writing, Lorraine works frequently as a singer/songwriter and actress, while her "semi-professional" hobby of photography has seen her work exhibited on many a gallery wall. Links to all her work, writing awards, and other details of her creative background can be found at www.lorrainedevonwilke.com.




Links to the Book

Connect with the Author via the Author's Website

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Connect with the Author via on Twitter: @LorraineDWilke

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Link to the Paperback The Alchemy of Noise on Amazon

Link to the eBook The Alchemy of Noise on Amazon



The Alchemy of Noise (Lorraine Devon Wilke)


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