Mushroom thrillers

Amy Lewis portrait

Photo by Kevin England

I met Ellen King Rice in a coffee shop a few weeks ago to talk about her books and her love of writing. She wore mushroom earrings and was a fount of knowledge about the mosses, lichens and mushrooms that grow in our area.

On my walk to work this morning, I saw at least five different varieties, but Rice has documented 250 different varieties that grow along the road to her home. Once you know that, it makes total sense that she has written five books that are, in her words, “Mushroom thrillers.”

Writing a thriller combined with an academic bent such as this is a difficult path to tread. Finding a publisher willing to take on a book that might appeal to a narrow audience is even more daunting. Today we’re going to talk about her book Lichenwald, and a little about the self-publishing world. I’m absolutely no expert on self-publishing and would love to hear your thoughts and feedback about this subject.

Lichenwald (Available on Amazon) is the third book in Rice’s Mushroom thriller series. Rice is a former wildlife biologist who is interested in educating and connecting with readers around ecological awareness and thinking about how humans and wildlife react to complex problems. I found Lichenwald to be a good read, and plan on reading the rest of her books.

Rice tends to use six sentences when she could use just one, and the first part of the book was slow. Sometimes, her references to lichen or mushrooms come off as scholarly, which slows down her narrative. It’s a great story she is telling, with a believable and relatable plot. When I persevered through the slow start, the action picked up and the characters were interesting. It’s not a spoiler to say that the novel rests on how lichens and mushrooms behave in this world and how humans can act the same. It’s quite the feat to write an engaging novel that does that.

Lichenwald wrestles with the problems of eldercare and the “sandwich generation,” along with what people will do to survive in our current economy when things go wrong. One set of characters is struggling to handle a medical crisis but has money and resources to do that, and the other side has been ground down by disabilities, poor choices, and a lack of resources. There's a nice twist at the end of the book, and an unexpected resolution.

Rice said to me, “How many ways are there that life can be successful on this planet? Wouldn’t it be great if our species would start to ask: what do you need to thrive? Why do we define success as we do, instead of asking: are you happy? Are you thriving?”

And I think that is the core of what self-publishing is about. If you’re writing a story that doesn’t fit the ‘mainstream', where does it find its audience? I will say that Rice’s book could have benefited from an editor with an eye towards what works well in a novel, what appeals to readers. But so what? It can take years to find a publisher that will accept your work. Why not publish now?

Self-publishing is not for the timid. It requires an investment of your own money, you have to be willing to hustle to market your book, and a deep commitment to what you are trying to accomplish. Rice walked me through her process of getting her book published, and it is a lot of work. The book is professionally done, and the illustrations by Duncan Sheffels, a local artist, are beautiful. I was also impressed with her networking ability, as she hooked me up with her friend's blog, a list of local authors she writes with and was willing to share her experience and knowledge. She was a delightful person to spend an hour with.

Rice’s books are available on her website, and multiple digital download sister sites. You can also buy them on Amazon.

Amy Lewis focuses her column on the literary world of Thurston County, spotlighting writers, small presses, book artists, poets, and storytellers of all types. Contact her – amy@thejoltnews.com – if you have a literary event, book, or reading.