Bio:
Dustin Stevens is the author eight novels, including The Zoo Crew series, Twelve, 21 Hours, and Just a Game. His short stories have also appeared in several anthologies, including The Wild at Heart collection. He currently resides in Honolulu, HI.
Wish I lived in Hawaii right now... if you saw the winter 'wonderland' outside my window you would know why.
(I don't do winter, by the way.)
I asked Dustin if he wanted to write a little something about how he came about writing this book, and this is what he wrote;
A question I've gotten several times now is where the inspiration for Dead Peasants came from, as I think a fair bit of the story's appeal is that it's a fairly unknown practice that exists today. As people read, (hopefully) they are as drawn into the information as they are the storyline.
Like most great things in life, the original spark for the story came from my mama. I started writing seriously about six years ago, and in the entire time since she's kept an eye out for random snippets of things that might make for a compelling read. Articles, other books she reads, movies, overhearing conversations in the supermarket line. You name it...
In this particular instance, she had seen some sort of Dateline-esque program where a widow had been victimized by a large (shall remain nameless) corporation using a dead peasant policy in her husband's name. Immediately mama called and said I should look into this. There's a story there.
As is apt to happen...she was right.
The deeper I dug, the more surprised I was at what I found. Not only as an attorney poking through all the legal ramifications of what was going on, but also from the shocking dehumanization of the entire process. I only hope some of my shock and disgust is able to be felt by readers as they go through the story as well.
Like most great things in life, the original spark for the story came from my mama. I started writing seriously about six years ago, and in the entire time since she's kept an eye out for random snippets of things that might make for a compelling read. Articles, other books she reads, movies, overhearing conversations in the supermarket line. You name it...
In this particular instance, she had seen some sort of Dateline-esque program where a widow had been victimized by a large (shall remain nameless) corporation using a dead peasant policy in her husband's name. Immediately mama called and said I should look into this. There's a story there.
As is apt to happen...she was right.
The deeper I dug, the more surprised I was at what I found. Not only as an attorney poking through all the legal ramifications of what was going on, but also from the shocking dehumanization of the entire process. I only hope some of my shock and disgust is able to be felt by readers as they go through the story as well.
Now onto the book.... lets check it out shall we....
Synopsis:
Bargain Mart, long a fixture in the Missoula economic structure has fallen on hard times. Things are dire, and if a financial windfall doesn’t arrive soon, their doors will close.
Across town, a woman grieves her recently deceased husband. Sitting alone at her kitchen table trying to put her life back in order, a call arrives asking where his quarter million dollar life insurance policy should be sent. A quarter million dollar life insurance policy she never knew existed.
Answering the phone on the other end of her call for help is Drake Bell, third year law student at the University of Montana. Joined by his partner Ava, and his loyal friends the Zoo Crew, Drake must attempt to make sense of the case Alice presents him.
A case that only grows more complex as people continue to pass in Missoula, all with ties to Bargain Mart, all with large life insurance policies attached to them. Policies known in the corporate world as Dead Peasants…
Across town, a woman grieves her recently deceased husband. Sitting alone at her kitchen table trying to put her life back in order, a call arrives asking where his quarter million dollar life insurance policy should be sent. A quarter million dollar life insurance policy she never knew existed.
Answering the phone on the other end of her call for help is Drake Bell, third year law student at the University of Montana. Joined by his partner Ava, and his loyal friends the Zoo Crew, Drake must attempt to make sense of the case Alice presents him.
A case that only grows more complex as people continue to pass in Missoula, all with ties to Bargain Mart, all with large life insurance policies attached to them. Policies known in the corporate world as Dead Peasants…
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Interesting info about the inspiration
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