WATSONVILLE — A self-described avid reader, Jesse J Elliot said she was tired of reading the same old western novels.
She found there were two types of westerns: one with the traditional male lead, and the other a romance novel starring a main female character.
The long-time short story author decided to change that.
Elliot, who is also known as Julie Hanks of Watsonville, will celebrate the release of her first novel, “Death at Gran Quivera,” on Saturday from 1-3 p.m. with a book signing at Kelly’s Books, 1838 Main St. in Watsonville.
“Death at Gran Quivera” follows Iragene Jones, a homesteader in central New Mexico, who discovers a bloody, blond scalp on her property. Determined to find out who this woman was, Iragene sets off to question her neighbors, only to find that they, too, have experienced other bizarre events.
Elliot said she wanted to create a western with a strong female protagonist, and Iragene Jones, who appears in a number of Elliot’s short stories, is just that. Not only can she hold her own in a fight, but she’s also adept at solving mysteries.
“She uses her brains instead of her brawn,” Elliot said.
A retired teacher, over her career Elliot taught K-6, reading at Cabrillo College, and educational methods at the University of New Mexico.
She has published six short stories in “Frontier Tales Magazine,” four of which will be published in “The Best of Frontier Tales,” volumes 5, 6, 7 and 8. Another short story, “Lost in Time,” was published in “A Mail-Order Christmas Bride.”
Writing “Death at Gran Quivera” took about a year and a half to complete. It was during this time that the first-time novelist learned just how much more intricate writing a book is compared to a short story.
“It’s not that I’m unaware of what books have in them, but to actually do it yourself, it’s a whole different deal,” Elliot said.
“Death at Gran Quivera” is available for purchase at Kelly’s Books.
