Tangles by Kay Smith-Blum
Spotlight + Book & Author Information
Tangles
Oppenheimer was just the beginning… When a harpooned whale offers proof the Hanford Nuclear Reservation is endangering all life in the Columbia River Basin, Luke Hinson, a brash young scientist, seizes the chance to avenge his father’s death, but a thyroid cancer diagnosis derails Luke’s research. Between treatments, he dives back in, making enemies at every turn. On an overnight trek, Luke discovers evidence that Mary, his former neighbor, embarked on the same treacherous trail, and her disappearance a decade prior may be tied to Hanford’s harmful practices mired in government-mandated secrecy.
A love story wrapped in a mystery, this stunning Cold War home-front tale reveals the devastating costs of the birth of the nuclear age, and celebrates the quiet courage of wronged women, the fierce determination of fatherless sons, and the limitless power of the individual.
Reviews:
“Although fiction, Tangles reveals many truths about our radioactive legacy…a brilliant, captivating ride. ” –Joshua Frank, Award-winning investigative journalist, NYT contributor, author, Atomic Waste
“In a well-crafted debut, Smith-Blum provides the reader a ringside seat to the birth of the nuclear age…a beautifully written, important story…Tangles packs a punch and hits close to home.” –Robert Dugoni, New York Times bestselling author of The Tracy Crosswhite Series
“Kay Smith-Blum’s prose is haunting and hopeful, capturing the complexity of emotions that go with loss, love, and the quest for justice. She effortlessly shifts between narratives and the fear-filled decades of the Cold War.” – Readers Favorite
Book info:
Tangles
By Kay Smith-Blum
ISBN: 9781685135065
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Genre: Historical Thriller
286 pages
$21.95 (paperback)
Publication date: December 3, 2024
To purchase a copy of Tangles, click any of the following links: Barnes and Noble, Black Rose Writing & Bookshop.org
Kay Smith-Blum — Author of Tangles
An Austin, Texas transplant, Kay Smith-Blum is a recovering retailer who is redefining the historical fiction genre from her bayside perch in Seattle. Named Woman Business Owner (NWWA) of 2013, her wit, humor, and resourcefulness helped her high-end retail fashion business endure multiple economic shifts in a decades-long career. She and her husband sold their company in 2016, allowing KSB to write full-time.
Winner of the 2023 Black Fox Lit short story contest, Smith-Blum is a member of the WFWA (serving on the Scholarship committee), the HistFic Affinity Group, a member of the Feisty Deeds Anthology editorial committee (see Short Works for more on Feisty Deeds), Ravenna Writers Circle, CommuterLit Writers Group, the Authors Guild, PNWA, NIWA and AWP. She has been published in over a dozen literary journals and her debut novel, TANGLES, will be published on December 3, 2024 (available for pre-order now; all preorders benefit the Heart of America NW/HanfordCleanup.org)
As a publicly elected official (President of the Seattle School Board 2012) KSB led multiple initiatives on behalf of the students of Seattle. As a private citizen, Smith-Blum raised millions of dollars for education, the arts, and medical research. She established the first greenhouse and urban gardening program in Seattle Public Schools. She has served on numerous charitable boards in the Pacific Northwest.
A graduate of the University of Texas, Smith-Blum chaired Downtown Seattle’s first marketing campaign and published a seasonal magazine for 10 years. She co-authored the “Every Man, Every Woman” inspirational series of cards and posters, published by Schurman Fine Papers, Portal Publications, and Sawdust City. Smith-Blum is a dynamic speaker and experienced producer of large and small events that leverage both traditional and social media. An active member of the downtown Seattle community, she is currently advocating for a park in the last green space in the urban core, made available by the demolition of the Highway 99 viaduct. An avid gardener, Smith-Blum works out her writer’s block in her three sons’ gardens and the nearest lap pool.
To learn more about Kay, click any of the following links: Kay Smith-Blum (@kaysmithblum) / X, Kay Smith-Blum (@ksbwritesfiction) | TikTok & Kay Smith-Blum (@discerningksb) • Instagram photos and videos
