By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
She’s come back to Texas. She’s been living and writing in the Houston area, so technically, she’s never left Texas. But her second book was set in Alabama.
With her third title, “Watch It Burn,” which hit the top 100 of USA Today’s Best-selling Booklist, Author Kristen Bird has brought her plot and characters back to Texas.
Landing on the authors’ scene with “The Night She Went Missing” Bird brought national attention down to Galveston — and not because of a book about any of the region’s infamous hurricanes or other infamous incidents or people, it was her plot and characters that shone the light on Galveston.
Her first book was a phycological thriller with twists and turns all over the island and some on Bolivar Peninsula. Teenagers were her leading characters. With her history as a high school teacher in Galveston, she was able to develop some very plausible characters filled with teenage angst.
“Watch It Burn” is yet another thriller with Bird’s style of twists and turns, except this time, they take place in the Hill Country. Bird takes the reader on a ride through a small Texas town that has lost sight of reality as it seems to be in the clutches of a secret and powerful cult.
The Texas Hill Country has a personal draw for Kristen. Her attraction to the region led her to develop a story set in a small town nestled up there.
“I’ve always loved visiting the Texas Hill Country, so the atmosphere of the river and the tiny towns served as initial inspiration,” Bird said.
Writing about a possible cult taking over an entire town meant Bird spent time researching the nature of cults, though she did not become caught up in one.
Bird also has a love for Galveston, and she did bring “Watch it Burn” down I-45 for a few scenes early in the book. As the plot unwinds, Galveston holds some hidden clues about the dark secrets found in those hills far away from the coastal region.
In addition to writing her own novels and working as a book coach for other writers, Bird teaches high school English in Houston. She also has a husband, three children and a dog. A question comes to mind when thinking of her busy schedule, how does she fit it all in.
Kristen explained.
“I usually have the most time to write on Saturday mornings and during breaks in the school year,” Bird said. “I prefer to draft in the summer and revise in the school year because creating new characters requires a lot of creative energy.”
Between promoting the release of “Watch it Burn” and fulfilling all her other commitments Kristen said she will be enjoying a Texas spring tradition.
“I’m loving this time of year when I’m driving down the road and spot a cluster of bluebonnets growing anywhere and everywhere,” Kristen said.
As Texans, we love it that Bird has set two of her three novels in Texas, and we hope to see more of her work bringing literary attention to the state of Texas. However, the events of her next book will unfold in Georgia.
If you would like to purchase any of her books you can find all three at your favorite online bookseller or ask for them at your favorite brick-and-mortar bookstore. If you would like to follow Kristen and her work, you can do so at https://www.kristenbird.com.
