Local author Erin Bartels exposes tales from photographs

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Lansing author Erin Bartels’ debut book, “We Hope for Better Things,” is difficult to define. I’d like to tell you more, but delving too much into its plot and characters will ruin a great read. The book is a complex, historical tale spanning more than 150 years and three generations of strong women.

It’s also a mercurial mystery, wrapped up in a cache of photographs taken during the 1967 Detroit riot. Elizabeth, the contemporary protagonist and crusading reporter, is approached by two men who want the photos from the riot returned to their rightful owner. The two men know who the owner is but want Elizabeth to help make the connection since she’s related to the owner, something she is clueless about.

“In the book I wanted to tell a story about a box of photographs and what you can know from them,” Bartels said.

In Bartels’ book, the photos not only provide a connection to the past, but Elizabeth learns that they hold a key to long-held family secrets. After being fired for bungling a story on the Detroit riots, Elizabeth finds herself living with her great-aunt Nora in rural Lapeer,  where even handmade family quilts tell part of the story.

In more than 380 pages, Bartels pulls all the pieces together. Discerning readers can follow along as she uses distinct storylines told by three alternating characters who are all part of the same family tree. Hints dropped along the way tie together the Civil War, the '60s civil rights movement, and modern-day race relations.

“The novel’s plot was inspired by my dad who was the family photographer. Since he was taking the pictures, he wasn’t in many photographs,” Bartels said. 

Bartels devoured books as a child and teenager in her hometown of Essexville, Michigan. In high school, she was inspired by her English teacher to read broadly. Her second home was the quaint Carnegie Library in downtown Bay City, where she would get little stars for every book she read. 

Bartels is a member of the Capital City Writers Association and was a finalist in the Saturday Evening Post 2014 Great American Fiction Contest. She lives on the east side of Lansing with her husband and son.

In addition to her study of classic literature at Grand Valley State University, Bartels knows a lot about books. For 17 years, she’s been writing the copy which appears on the back of a book’s jacket, or cover, at Baker Publishing in Grand Rapids.

“Blurbs are what I do for a living,” she said.

The author estimates she has written the back-cover copy for more than 2,000 books.

When asked if she could’ve written her own book blurb, she said she’d start with “Elizabeth, an investigative reporter, learns her family has skeletons when … ”

Although race and race relations play a major role in “We Hope for Better Things,” the story is told through three white protagonists, said Bartels, who is also white.

“I am well aware of the dangers of writing about such a subject,” she wrote in the author’s note. “I am aware of the possibility that I have gotten something wrong. I am aware of the pitfalls of writing characters of color as a white woman. I have done my best to avoid stereotypes and cultural appropriation.”

Most readers will understand, I believe, that Bartels did not use race as a prop in her novel, but she said, “That’s a legitimate conversation about who can write about what.”

Bartels will be at Schuler Books & Music at Meridian Mall on Sept. 5 for a discussion, signing and for the release of her new novel, “The Words Between Us.”

The new book is set in a city much like Bay City and is what she calls “a book on books” where books play a central role in the plot. The protagonist, a bookshop owner, is covering up some dark family secrets when a youthful flame contacts her using books as messengers.

Author talk and signing with Erin Bartels

Thursday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m.

Schuler Books – Meridian Mall

1982 Grand River Ave. Okemos

www.schulerbooks.com

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