I’m especially fond of this review blurb that landed in my inbox this week because it mentions the genre-bending aspect of Chained Birds: A True Crime Memoir. I’ve been asked on numerous forms and submissions to check the genre box(s) that most apply to this debut book of mine, and the answer is—sometimes there weren’t enough boxes.
I’ll begin with the obvious … nonfiction, true crime, and memoir. But as I’ve always known, and is now validated by my growing collection of editorial reviews, we can add: thriller, legal thriller, and exposé. That’s six genres for reviewers and book awards to consider, and that doesn’t count the occasional best first book prize or regional categories. It’s a lot.
If I can only pick one genre for Chained Birds (and I’ve had to), it is true crime. And I love how this blurb from David Gwyn, host of the Thriller 101 podcast, drives that home while noting its genre-blending:
“Chained Birds unravels the kind of true crime memoir that reminds you that the truth really can be stranger (and darker) than fiction. … It reads more like a fast-paced thriller than your run-of-the-mill true crime and is perfect for the true crime reader looking for something fresh that breaks the mold.” … Above all, this story lingers with you after the last page.”
David is a fellow Philly writer, and we grabbed drinks in Center City last month to talk about our projects and the state of publishing. Since 2021 he’s hosted Thriller 101, his podcast for readers and writers of thriller, mystery, suspense, and crime books. He interviews top literary agents and authors who run the gamut from best-sellers to the self-published, who offer advice for writers at every stage of their craft. I always learn so much from his weekly pod (I’ve heard them all!), and I’ve picked up more than a few titles from his author guests who lure me in with their enticing book descriptions. Also, his website offers writers plenty of how-to articles from some of the best authors in the business.
In addition to podcasting, David has a day job and juggles a family while carving out time to write—and he still found many hours to read my book and offer this thoughtful analysis:
Engaging and well-written, Carla Conti’s Chained Birds unravels the kind of true crime memoir that reminds you that the truth really can be stranger (and darker) than fiction.
Conti shines a bright spotlight on an often overlooked and ignored aspect of the criminal justice system. Because what really happens when there’s an incident behind bars?
Chained Birds follows the true story of Kevin Sanders, an inmate embroiled in a prison stabbing case. It reads more like a fast-paced thriller than your run-of-the-mill true crime and is perfect for the true crime reader looking for something fresh that breaks the mold.
With a keen journalist’s eye and an ever-present heart for the people portrayed, Conti tackles this narrative methodically and in such detail that her words guide us through the story as we experience every twist and turn alongside her. The writing is crisp and concise and the narrative is handled with precision and control. Above all, this story lingers with you after the last page.
Another reviewer who gets it—thank you, David!
Chained Birds: A True Crime Memoir will publish on November 12, 2024 by WildBlue Press.
Carla Conti is a true crime journalist, storyteller, and prison reform advocate. Her debut book, Chained Birds: A True Crime Memoir, will be published by WildBlue Press on November 12, 2024.
