Novels Written
Also available for the Kindle
S. A. Slack at a book signing in Austin. It was a sold out affair. Not a book of hers was left at the close of the day.
"I really enjoy a good mystery, a real good "who-done-it." A story that, as you read, is fun to guess who the guilty party might be. I found The Austin Fires to be one of these types of books and have enjoyed reading it...Hurry out with your next book." K. Garland, Colorado
"This book is creative, but down to earth and full of page-turning adventure. I couldn't put it down and read through the night." S. Hounshell, Massage Therapist
Why I wrote The Austin Fires…
I fell in love with the city of Austin, TX from the moment I laid eyes on it just before my airplane landed at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. With all its beautiful lakes, rivers, hills, and green trees, it was quite a sight, both from the air as well as on the ground.
I’d flown to Austin from my home in Arizona to visit my oldest son and his young family. As my daughter-in-law took me along shopping and site seeing, I enjoyed reading the unique neighborhood street signs and learning about Austin’s fascinating history.
One day, while driving along a freeway access road, we came upon a small hamburger place surrounded by flashing fire trucks and police cars, as flames leapt high in the sky above the building. The following day, we spotted a burning bus underneath a freeway over pass, its passengers being directed to another bus nearby. This “sparked” the idea for The Austin Fires, and I knew I would need Stormy Winters to solve it.
Where did Stormy Winters come from…
In order to make my characters act and think as a real person might do, I like to base my characters attributes and personalities on some of the people I know or have met before. I also like to write up notes on people I see while waiting at airports or doctor’s offices, or even from stories in the newspapers. I don’t, of course, use anyone’s real names or complete personalities, but when it comes to Stormy that is a little different.
“Stormy” is my mother’s nick name and has been for many years. She and Stormy Winters have several things in common; the walking stick, for instance. One day, while shopping with my mother, she wanted to look at a pair of shoes on the top shelf in the shoe department. Instead of waiting for a salesperson to help her, as a posted sign clearly suggested, she reached up with her stick and dragged the box off into her waiting hand below. This is when I knew that Stormy Winters had to have a stick like this and would find a lot more uses for it besides a grabber. Stormy is brave and full of spunk, much like my mother. I have had a lot of fun working with this character.
Not to leave out her husband, Lance, I find him the perfect match to complement Stormy. Though he has his hands full watching over his wife, he has some interesting attributes himself. (Between you and me: he has a little bit of both my husband and my dad in him.)
