Reviews of Snap Me a Future by Connie Gotsch
Shelby McCoy moved to Mesa Vista, New Mexico twelve years ago to escape her fears in journalism. She and her former fianc... were shot at because she was an investigative reporter, in Des Moines, Iowa. After writing a story, the person came after her. A bullet was removed from her spine. She went through several months of recovery and was physically fine.
She left her fianc... and moved to start a new life. She took a job working in public relations for the local mall. Now, at 50 years of age, she was rethinking her career. Hiding behind her job all these years to avoid a reoccurrence of the past, she decided it was time to move on. A series of situations and a job offer to work for the local newspaper convince Shelby writing for the Mesa Vista Times was the right thing to do. Her cousin Pete owned the paper and felt her talent had been wasted writing articles in public relations.
Pete convinces Shelby nothing bad happens in Mesa Vista, that a position with the Times, would be safe. The first assignment Shelby gets in her new role as a journalist is the art show opening for the Fall Fest. Everyone shows up for the show.
Someone is stealing ancient pottery from local Indian ruins. Shelby stumbles upon a freshly looted site while pursuing her love of photography, and, outraged, begins to gather facts. She suspects her boss’s son, Charlie Pearson, who had difficulty holding a job and staying sober. Shelby and Charlie are friends and he shows her a piece he “found” on his father’s ranch. Knowing she loved Indian art, he offers it to her for $300. He is in debt and desperate for money.
Charlie set Shelby up with a friend of his to sell her photographs in Albuquerque. Josh liked a few of them and took them on consignment. When they finished discussing the photos, Shelby noticed an ancient Indian pot in the window. She knew it had come from Charlie and asked several times if it came from the ranch. Josh told her it did and she bought it.
The next day, Benjamin Keith Andrews, museum curator, takes Shelby up to a mountain ridge to teach her how to use a large format camera. They hike a while, shoot some photos and eventually make love. They talk for a long time about relationships and decide it was worth it to try this.
On the way back to the car, Shelby’s dog Sam, runs off. She goes in search of him to find Sam in a cave with some things in it. It looks like more Indian antiques, possibly from the theft.
Shelby and Benjamin Keith call the police to report what they found and headed for home. They spend the night together, watched by Charlie.
On Saturday, a group, including Charlie, Benjamin Keith and Shelby, took a cruise down to Mexico for photography lessons and beautiful vistas to capture on film. Charlie goes after Shelby, who kicks him in unmentionable places and escapes.
Battered and bruised, she heads back to her cabin, where she finds her lover and tells him what happened. He watches over her the rest of the trip. After they get home, Benjamin Keith leaves for a business trip. Shelby gets a notice of a photography contest and is encouraged to enter by the person running it. She goes up to the mountain to shoot more pictures so she can enter the competition. While there, she spots Charlie and knows what he is up to. She photographs him, then the stolen pots and takes the film to the local police. Threatened by Charlie’s father if she writes the story, she is determined to expose the truth.
Snap Me a Future is a Suspense/thriller set in the American Southwest. This story is very complicated. It starts off slow but the pace quickens about half way into it.
I recommend this to anyone who enjoys suspense. It’s a story of how to prove what happened more so than who done it. Shelby is in the middle of everything. She shows how strong she is, time and again. She overcame her fear from her situation in Iowa and feels confident and courage to go out and be an investigative reporter. On the side is a romance for Shelby. At 50, she finally found “Mr. Right”.
This is the author’s second novel. Her first one was A Mouth Full Of Shell, was also by dlsijpress.com. In October, 2004 Gotsch published her poem, Roger Bacons Vision, with the e-zine Apollo’s Lyre at www.apolloslyre.com. A Farmington, New Mexico resident, Gotsch hosts a classical music show on public radio station KSJE-FM, and in that capacity creates a segment called Write On 4 Corners, for regional authors. She has covered the arts for numerous papers in New Mexico.
Rating: 4 Flames – Rare Find
Laurie Biundo for Word Museum
Shelby McCoy, a fiftyish single woman with “Airedale curls,” is sick to death of writing press releases. The tedium is almost enough to overcome her deep-seated terror of controversy, sparked years ago by a threat to her life, and a grievous injury. When Pete Martinez offers her a nice, safe job writing art columns with the Mesa Vista TIMES, she overcomes her queasy stomach and accepts the position.
Unfortunately in New Mexico, land of ancient Native American civilizations, art can be a perilous subject. One of Shelby’s old friends has an old piece of pottery. Did he really dig it up on his own land? Old village sites are being violated and ancient pottery begins to appear in art galleries. What, precisely, is Shelby’s duty? Where does honest reporting cross the line into foolhardy investigation? When do ethics outweigh friendship? Amid the growing danger, Shelby explores not only pottery theft and the extent of friendship but also the perils of developing a relationship with a very private man.
The story has a good flow, attends to every detail of plot, and presents many insights into desert photography. I also appreciated Ms. Gotsch’s characterizations. Charlie, a failed set designer and alcoholic, is convincing in a way that lends both pathos and unpredictable edge to the book. The relationship between Charlie and his parents is well developed as is Shelby’s relationship with him. The only jarring note was the author’s tendency to force a lot of information into supposedly casual conversation. This is a minor glitch in what is otherwise an excellent story.
Snap Me a Future is a fine book, especially for those who like to sink into a world and experience it as they read.
Jeanette Cottrell for SimeGen
Being a reporter, even one who just writes society and art fest pieces, is not always as simple as it looks to an outsider. First you have interns to look after, and once in a while, you have to deal with those who slip through the cracks and are not good at their chosen career choice, not to mention, bosses who feel they own you.
Making the decision to change employers, Shelby McCoy has managed to make a few unknown enemies in the process. Life as Shelby knew it is taking a curve ball, throwing off vibes in every direction, personally and otherwise. Her long time fascination with Benjamin Keith is finally starting to look up. The new job is giving into her need to be a true journalist and not just a fluff writer.
With the break-ins happening at Kirby Towers, an archaeology site, Shelby is drawn in to reporting and breaking the story just by happening upon key elements. Someone starts warning her off; vandals hit her house, steal her dog, and in general, terrorize Shelby. While repairs are being done to her house, Shelby moves in with Benjamin Keith, and their relationship grows.
The combination of characters works well with each other, lending strength where one might have been lacking, enabling the strength of each to show through, and connecting like a well-knitted community. Not all is rosy perfect though; each character has its faults, which leave the reader without the total loss of reality.
Connie Gotsch has written a very good mystery, and does not away the whole whodunit too soon so that the reader does not get bored early on. "Snap Me a Future" is full of intrigue and mystery, not just in the basic overall plot, but the many minor inter-relationship ones -- things most of us deal with on a daily basis -- that help make this a moving book.
Nearly all of us lead busy lives. Even the most serious book lover sometimes finds time for leisure reading a challenge. However, making time for such an undertaking can provide a reader with time well spent on an unexpected jewel.
I have just described my personal life and myself. For a long time, I wanted to read the book Snap Me a Future by Connie Gotsch. Finally, I gave into my wishes and made the time. To my amazement, I spent far less time that I would have expected. In other words, the book is "a fast read." Perhaps it remained so because of the manner in which Gotsch wove the tale.
The word "snap" in the title related to the world of artistic camera work. "Future" referred to leading character Shelby McCoy's decision to leave an economically secure job of public relations director at South River Mall. Because of circumstances beyond her control and mall owner J. Rodney Pearson's micromanagement techniques, Shelby decided to accept Pete Sanchez's job offer at The Mesa Vista Times. Shelby's two interns at the mall- Teresa Sanchez and Warren Miller- illustrated the positive and negative aspects of human nature. Sanchez, a hard working and sincere person, possessed qualities worthy of a promising future. Lazy, rich and accustomed to getting his way because of his family connections, Miller didn't appreciate Shelby's dismissal from the mall internship. Owner Pearson reinstated Miller in order to secure the Senator's (Miller's father) cooperation for Eric Pearson's (J. Rodney's son) upcoming political race. Another of Shelby's friends, Lisa Corwin, owned a gallery at the mall. Corwin's husband Jim served the county as a deputy.
The plot thickened with the introduction of more central characters. Charlie, J. Rodney's son, fought his demons of alcohol, gambling and inability to pay his many bills. The talented set designer also moonlighted as a "potter," one who stole and sold ancient pottery artifacts from sacred sites. Charlie also loved Shelby; she considered him "a friend." The Buckboard Gallery owner Josh Simmons, who eventually represented Shelby's photography, knowingly and willingly received the stolen property. Martha Pearson, J. Rodney's wife and Charlie's mother, attempted to help all- keeping her husband "down to earth"; supposedly helping (but really enabling) Charlie's alcohol problem; and trying to match make her son and Shelby. However, as the book progressed, the budding romance of Mesa Vista Museum curator Benjamin Keith Andrews and Shelby unfolded. Interestingly enough, the author added the human touch of including Shelby's dog Sam as a main part of the plot.
As I read, I easily pictured each character in my mind. Gotsch described her book personalities so well that the casual reader easily identified with them. Her attention to details and inclusion human characteristics common to many people we all know helped the book remain "believable."
As the characters come alive, so did other elements- romance, conflict, culture and New Mexico scenery. Who could resist a mental trip to a Mexican cruise trip, the Bar D Ranch, Kirby Towers or Hono'ji? Without ruining a good read for prospective enjoyment, I won't reveal too much of the plot- and especially the ending. However, Gotsch successfully guided me through a thoroughly enjoyable novel through the adventure and freelance photography work of Shelby McCoy. This is a "must read" for the busy (and not so busy person) seeking enjoyment.
Kathy Cordova for Silver City Daily Press