PHOTO SOURCE: TYPORAMA
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Perfect for fans of Emma Straub’s All Adults Here and Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere.
Debut author pens story of friendship and healing between officer and witness
Uhlmann crafted the basis of her debut novel on the story of an officer and a witness mourning together, but with one small secret: the killer is the witness’s daughter.
After working as a reporter in the Chicago area, award-winning writer Karen Uhlmann imagines the turmoil and choices of both the criminal’s mother and the police officer investigating the crime, diving into the psychology of grief, justice, and protection shared between two strangers bonded by tragedy.
ABOUT INTERSECTIONS:
When suspended police officer Ed Kelly witnesses a fatal hit-and-run, he begins to regularly stake out the intersection hoping to find the car responsible.
Charlotte Oakes, a style guru, also witnesses the event that killed a young child, and begins to visit the site of the hit-and-run.
While both grapple with the grief of losing an innocent life, Charlotte is hiding a secret from Ed – she believes her daughter is involved in the crime.
And as Ed gets closer to the truth, Charlotte must choose between shielding her daughter, or giving her up.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Karen Uhlmann received her MFA in fiction from Bennington in 2010 and has published short stories and book reviews in Southern Indiana Review, Story, Whitefish Review, and The Common among others.
She won the 2016 Rick Bass/Montana Fiction Award, and the 2012 Northern Colorado Writers Award judged by Antonya Nelson.
She was recently shortlisted for the 2024 Lascaux Fiction prize and longlisted for a collection of short stories by Santa Fe Writers Project.
She lives in Los Angeles but spent most of her life in Chicago. Learn more about her at her website.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram: @karenuhlmann
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An Interview with
KAREN UHLMANN
1. How did witnessing the police officer filming at the intersection inspire your book?
The police officer was on the scene when the girl died, and he and another officer broke down crying. The accident was near my home, and I frequently saw the officer videotaping. He ticketed drivers who blew through the stop and put a sticker with a picture of the girl on the ticket. There was a mystery person who left flowers for four years (I actually did not know this when I was writing). The driver was actually caught right away and jailed, but the grief over her death was palpable. I started the book years later, as his image had stayed with me.
2. How can the unexpected “intersections” we make in life help us when we are dealing with grief and trauma?
One never knows where one will find comfort and understanding. It’s rare to find another who has the ability and compassion to see what another person is going through outside of a trauma or grief group. But occasionally, this type of person unexpectedly enters one’s life and it’s a gift.
3. What are some of the challenges people face after witnessing a traumatic event? How are these represented in “Intersections”?
Fear would be the biggest challenge. Ed has PTSD, and Charlotte constantly fears for her daughter. It can be debilitating. Ed has panic attacks.
4. There’s a prominent mother/daughter relationship in the story with the daughter struggling with addiction as well as being involved in the hit-and-run. Could you share how you wrote the complexity of this relationship?
This is a touchy subject. I don’t have a daughter, but I do have a neurodiverse family member who has faced mental health challenges and addiction. There is no question, this helped me write about Libby and Charlotte.
5. What is next in your writing career?
I have started to write a fictionalized account of my colorful family who were originally Jewish pioneers. That said, I am not deep into the project yet.
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