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Date: 11/2/2017
SOMERS – Life-long Western Massachusetts resident-turned Somers local, Howard Odentz, just released his fifth novel, “What We Kill.” The book is a psychological thriller inspired by several area towns and landmarks including Longmeadow as “Meadowfield,” Wilbraham as “Littleham,” Monson, Palmer and Three Rivers as “Apple,” Greenfield as “Greenfield Center“ and Shelburne Falls as “Purgatory Chasm.”
“I nearly always incorporate the small towns of the Pioneer Valley and the foothills of the Berkshires into my work. This area is rich with history and filled with unique and unusual landmarks from The Seven Sisters to Puffers Pond to very, very creepy Rockadundee Road,” Odentz shared. “I don’t have to travel far to find inspiration for my writing. It’s right here.”
Odentz’s latest book. “What We Kill,” features four friends who wake up one morning in the middle of the woods, all without any memory of how they got there.
“One has a triangle burned into his forearm. One has lost her pants. One is missing his glass eye and the last is covered in blood. As images of big black eyes and the cries of sheep haunt their addled brains, the town fire alarm and police sirens can be heard in the distance. What is happening to them? What is happening to their pristine town? What’s more, why can’t they remember any of it?” a press release describing the book stated.
“What We Kill” is certainly not Odentz’s first rodeo. Though he’s written four other books, he’s also had great success in a career as director of Communications at MassMutual. Additionally, he wrote the book, lyrics and music to his first musical, “In Good Spirits.”
“‘In Good Spirits’ is about a haunted theatre, its resident ghosts and the community theatre group that performs there. ‘In Good Spirits’ premiered at the Broad Brook Opera House in Connecticut, and went on to be performed around the country,” Odentz explained.
Following “In Good Spirits” he wrote his second musical, “Piecemeal,” which is about Frankenstein and where all of the body parts came from that make him up.
“That also premiered in Broad Brook and went on to enjoy a six-week-run at The Majestic Theatre in West Springfield,’ Odentz said.
Five years ago Odentz wrote his first novel, and subsequently one book after another ensued.
While his books feature teen protagonists, Odentz believes his books can be picked up and read by anyone in the teen to adult range.
“My Dead (a lot)” zombie series has been read by kids in middle school all the way through adulthood. I would say that ‘Bloody,Bloody Apple,’ ‘Little Killers A to Z,’ ‘Snow’ and ‘What We Kill’ are definitely for teens or adults,” Odentz said. “In our current society, we have created age ranges for books that didn’t use to exist.”
Writing can be work, but Odentz finds that in his favorite genre, he has a lot of fun.
“I think my home is in the psychological thriller genre. I find that I have the most fun writing about older teens in suspenseful situations, but I may work my way into adults. It depends on if I ever grow up or not. Right now, I think I’m perpetually 17,” Odentz said.
Odentz is on track to be writing for the rest of his life. He noted his publisher would like him to write two novels each year, which Odentz believes is a great target.
“I don’t think I’ll ever stop. As long as my publisher is interested, and my fans want more, then I’ll keep at it. It’s better than watching TV. Except for ‘Game of Thrones,’” Odentz joked. “It all depends on how fast my fingers can type.”