Area native to share latest book at Los Angeles event this weekend
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Though his books focus on fictional but gruesome murder cases, author and Indian Lake area native Cutter Slagle’s writing career is alive and well, with a recently released new crime fiction novel that he will share at a Los Angeles event “Authors Con L.A.” this weekend.
The San Diego-based writer said during the Labor Day weekend activities hosted by his publisher, he will have the chance to sign copies of his latest book, ‘Til Death, at various Los Angeles area businesses, and also to inspire University of California at Irvine students at a panel discussion and participate in a press party.
“I’m really looking forward to Authors Con L.A.,” the 2006 Indian Lake High School graduate said. “I’m excited to meet the other authors represented by Doce Blant Publishing, as well as take part in the signings. I think this will be a great opportunity to expose my books to a new audience, and hopefully build a bigger fan base.
“I’m eager to speak at UC Irvine — we’re doing a panel discussion for the English and creative writing departments. This should be fun, and hopefully, helpful to students who want to pursue writing.”
Related to the new novel, Mr. Slagle said ‘Til Death is a stand-alone, murder mystery and suspense story that follows protagonist Cate Abbott, a 28-year-old woman who runs a coffee shop in Perry’s Creek, a small town in Southern California.
She becomes suspicious of someone close to her after several women in the town are strangled to death, and she unearths something crucial about the case.
“When women in town start dying, she thinks her husband is the killer. He’s a violent man, and she suspects he may be a murderer,” the writer explained.
Mr. Slagle’s stepfather, Bellefontaine Examiner graphic artist Steve Smith, designed the book jacket. The author is a son of Lee Ann Smith of Bellefontaine and Gary Slagle of Indian Lake.
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The release of ‘Til Death follows his first novel, The Next Victim, which was published in October 2015, and an electronic book of short stories, A Motive For Murder, both of which were featured in the Examiner. Slated for release in early 2017 is yet another novel by Mr. Slagle, A Silent Town.
“It’s doing what I love, so it doesn’t feel like work at all,” the Ohio State University graduate said of his writing career.
As a child, some of his favorite stories included the Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine, and now some of his favorite authors include James Patterson, Lisa Gardner and Janet Evanovich. While he was a student at ILHS, Mr. Slagle remembers the encouragement for pursuing writing that he received from his English teacher, the late Russ Hogue.
Locally, ’Til Death and The Next Victim will be available for purchase at Peach Tree Boutique, 129 W. Columbus Ave., Bellefontaine; his mother’s business, Lu’s House of Fit, 8200 State Route 366, Russells Point; and Reflections Hair Design, 224 E. Main St., Russells Point.
His two novels also are available for purchase online at his Web site, cutterslagle.com; the publisher’s Web site, www.doceblant.com; along with Barnes and Noble’s and Amazon’s sites. The Next Victim is now available at Wal-Mart’s online store.
To connect with Mr. Slagle, visit his Web site, Facebook page by searching “Writer Cutter Slagle” or find him on Twitter @cuttTHROAT10.