Selection Criteria for the 2006 One Book One Nebraska title;
One False Move by Alex Kava:
- Kava is a Nebraska author with strong roots in Nebraska . She grew up in the country outside Silver Creek, NE ; she's a resident of Omaha ; and a graduate of College of St. Mary (magna cum laude with a BA in art and English).
- One False Move is a popular contemporary title that is an international bestseller. This year's committee made an effort to identify a selection in contrast with last year's epic My Antonia by Willa Cather. We felt it was important to recognize another segment of authors, and genres – mystery, psychological thriller and suspense. Kava describes One False Move this way:
“It's also a psychological thriller employing some of the same techniques I use in my Maggie O'Dell series: short chapters that leave the reader hanging, an inside look at what makes a criminal mind tick, and some of the behind-the-scenes of the crime scene investigation. But with this novel I really wanted to push readers to the edge and hopefully get them to feel a part of the manhunt, to experience and perhaps question just what human nature is capable of when forced to survive, when there's nothing to lose.”
And, “To those who are looking for romance in my novels, they will probably be disappointed. I'm more concerned with good and evil and what drives some to do horrendous evil acts when most of us will never come close to crossing that line. However despite the lack of romance in my novels, I do focus a good deal on relationships between my characters. I'm interested in the dynamics that bring people together as well as the conflicts that drive wedges. Also I explore how various events can transform those relationships. In One False Move Melanie Starks' childhood bond with her brother Jared Barnett is what pushes her to support him even though it goes beyond her better judgment. However, at some point she's going to have to make a choice between that bond with her brother and the one with her son. A crisis can bring out the true character of a person, especially when that person is forced to make choices. Those are the sort of relationship elements readers will find in my books. Those are some of the elements that fascinate and intrigue me and oftentimes add to the level of psychological suspense.”
- The setting for One False Move is Nebraska , which adds an additional level of interest for the Nebraska reader and for book discussion. Here's what Kava says about her choice of Nebraska as the setting for her book:
“I love using Nebraska as a setting because so many people have such a misconception of the state and it gives me an opportunity to share what it's really like. For instance, one major misconception is the terrain. Everyone seems to think Nebraska is flat pastures and cornfields. In reality the eastern part – around the Omaha metropolitan area – is lush river valley with lots of trees and hills. The far western part is the Sandhills which are the foothills of the Rocky Mountains . I love to describe the rolling Sandhills as though you're looking down on the brown backs of buffalo. In One False Move the unpredictable Nebraska weather plays a vital role. It's just after Labor Day with one last outburst of hot, humid and stormy weather. Severe thunderstorms and the risk of possible tornadoes hinder the initial response and investigation. Another factor that adds to the story is the small towns that stretch along the highways. Sometimes you have to drive for miles before you come across one. The people are genuine and friendly and perhaps naïve to the violence that occurs in other parts of the country. That naivety plays yet another important role in the novel.”
- The committee made an effort to make sure copies of the choice for the 2006 One Book One Nebraska would be available at Nebraska libraries and through publishers and book vendors, prior to selecting the title. This is an important aspect that ensures access for Nebraska readers to the selected title. Kava's One False Move was readily available for purchase, and also a frequent title held in library collections across the state. The publisher also provided us with additional copies of the title, so that book discussion bags could be made available for lending, with 10 copies of the title in each of 14 kits. The title was available in a variety of formats: hard cover and paperback, large type, audio cassette, and compact disc.
- It was also important to the committee to select an author who was willing to participate in an author tour across the state in promotion of the title as a choice for One Book One Nebraska. This is most definitely a positive aspect of selecting a current author for a statewide read as a compliment to many of the traditionally known Nebraska authors. Kava expressed an interest and enthusiasm in touring the state with an expressed desire of making visits across the state.
- Similar to the process library staffs use in selecting books for their collections, the committee read reviews of the title, prior to its selection. Reviews were available for One False Move in Publishers Weekly, Book Page (Sandy Huseby), AudioFile, Mystery Scene (Henry Wagner), Mysteryone.com, Bookreporter.com (Joe Hartlaub), and AllReaders.Com
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