Guest Post by Kelli Kretzschmar, Author of "Defending Wellton"

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Book Description:

Wellton, Arizona. Population 2,864… and falling. Something - or someone - is killing the kids in town, and the Wellton Police Department is called in to investigate the untimely deaths.

Officer Trent Buckley has lived in Wellton since the day he was born, and he’s been trying to get out of the small, dead-end town ever since.  Just when he has a shot at a transfer to Tucson, a disturbing case lands in his lap, one that has him working with Yuma Sun reporter – and ex-lover – Sarah Goodwin.  Trent is forced to push aside his resentment for Wellton and settle his own personal demons to focus on keeping more kids from dying in his town.

Chief John Walker has lived in Wellton for over thirty years.  When kids start getting sick and dying, it takes all his courage to face his own past and solve the case.  With the help of his best cop, Officer Buckley, Walker is determined to stop the deaths in his town, and keep them both alive in the process.

As the pair discovers what, or who, is behind the mysterious deaths, will two small-town cops be able to stay alive long enough to put a stop to it before any more kids have to die?

10 Favorite Books of All Time (in no particular order) by Kelli Kretzschmar:

1. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
Hands down my favorite book of all time.  Mr. Darcy is the original brooding bad boy, and Elizabeth the feisty heroine.  Austen had it right all those years ago, and every romance author has tried to emulate her work ever since.

2. The Alchemist, Paolo Cuehlo
This story mesmerized me when I first read it.  I thought it was a masterful work, and Cuehlo is a skillful storyteller.  The subject matter was inspirational, and it was simply and beautifully written.

3. Way of the Peaceful Warrior, Dan Millman
I read this book when I was a teenager and absolutely loved it.  I wish I had a Socrates in my life.  I felt like I could jump over buildings after I read it.

4. Jonathon Livingston Seagull, Richard Bach
This is a powerful tale packed into a short story.  It’s a motivating story about striving for more, pushing yourself farther, and not always accepting the status quo.

5. Siddhartha, Hermann Hesse
This inspiring story is about a man who became more than a man.  Siddartha learns lessons and valuable experiences once he gets outside the kingdom walls.  The story touches all humanity and makes me want to be a better person.

6. Hopeless, Colleen Hoover
A relatively recent read for me, Hopeless covers a really heavy topic that hits pretty close to home personally.  I think Hoover did an excellent job handling the topic graciously.  I fell in love with the characters and can’t wait for the second installment.

7. The Edge of Never, J.A. Redmerski
I am SO in love with Camryn and Andrew.  Like completely and utterly in love.  They are perhaps my favorite characters of all time (well, next to Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, of course.)

8. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad
I was assigned to read this book as a senior in high school, and it totally freaked me out.  Conrad’s storytelling is eerily detailed, and his recounting of the entire river journey is so vivid.  Every time I read it, I feel like I’m on the jungle cruise at Disneyland.

9. Ten Tiny Breaths, K.A. Tucker
People deal with death in different ways.  I’ve seen it first-hand.  My niece passed away last year, and it was interesting to me to see how each of my family members dealt with the loss.  The twist at the end of this book was clever, even if predictable, and so good.

10. The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden, Jessica Sorensen
I love Jessica Sorensen.  I love character-focused novels, and all of hers are.  If I had to pick just one favorite from Jessica, I would have to choose this one.  I fell in love with Kayden’s sensitivity and vulnerability and Callie’s quirkiness and courage.  I absolutely cannot wait for its sequel.

Author Bio:

Kelli Kretzschmar, author of the mystery novel Defending Wellton, researched the novel by visiting Wellton, Arizona, and interviewing several officers of the Wellton Police Department.  Kretzschmar says, “I needed to actually experience the feeling of the small town in order to capture Trent’s frustration in feeling stuck there.  And speaking with the Wellton Police Department proved invaluable and has given me a lot of material for a second book in the Wellton series.”

Kretzschmar resides in Rancho Santa Margarita, California with her husband and three children. Although this is her first published novel, she says there will be more to come.  “Writing is an exciting hobby,” says Kretzschmar. “I have lots of characters in my mind that are ready to come to life on paper.  Currently, I’m working on three more novels and expect my next to be released this winter.” When asked to describe what she enjoys most about writing, Kretzschmar states, “There's a point I get to in the process of writing when the characters just start acting things out on their own, and I'm just there to record it all on paper.”

A full-time Marketing Manager for a high-technology company, Kretzschmar finds time to write between an active schedule of work, family life, and practicing her most recent passion, Krav Maga. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Cal State Long Beach.

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