Solstice [Paperback]

Kate Christie (Author)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kate Christie was born and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan. After high school, she studied history at Smith College in Massachusetts and earned a Master's in Creative Writing from Western Washington University. A marketing and development writer by day, Kate spends most evenings writing fiction. Currently she lives in Western Washington with her partner of nine years and their two dogs. Solstice is her first published novel.

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Bella Books (March 16, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594931755
• ISBN-13: 978-1594931758
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #772,690 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Thanks for your interest in my background. I grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. After high school, I studied women's history at Smith College in Massachusetts (class of '93) and earned a Master's in Creative Writing from Western Washington University. I work now in academia, and spend most of my evenings writing fiction. Currently I live in Western Washington with my partner of eleven years, our two dogs, and the newest edition to our family, a baby girl. For more information on me or to read first chapters of any of my novels, check out my Web site at www.katejchristie.com.

"Solstice" (March 2010), my first published novel, deals with two of my favorite things: soccer and the city of Seattle. After college, following a hunch, I moved to the Pacific Northwest sight (site) unseen. I immediately fell in love with the water, mountains, and hills of the aptly named Emerald City. Seattle is also an awesome place for soccer players and fans, as evidenced by the tremendous fan support for the MLS expansion team, the Seattle Sounders. The Sounders weren't in existence when I wrote "Solstice," or undoubtedly they would have made an appearance in the book.

My second novel for Bella Books, "Leaving L.A." (January 2011), is set in Hollywood and Hawaii, places that vary rather significantly from the Pacific Northwest. The storyline is a bit like a tropical lesbian romance version of the movie "Notting Hill." Pam Bigelow, a reviewer for the Lambda Literary Foundation, wrote a glowing review of the novel that closes with, "'Leaving L.A.' could very well end up as one of the ten best books of 2011." Perhaps unsurprisingly, this is the nicest thing anyone has ever said about my writing. Ms. Bigelow was kind enough to add her review to the product page here on Amazon, too.

My third novel, "Beautiful Game" (July 2011), returns to the world of soccer, and is set in the early 1990s at a fictional university in Southern California. Technically, BG is actually the first sequentially of the three novels--I wrote an initial draft in 1994 while living at home after college and saving up money to move to Seattle. "Solstice" comes next, penned in 1997-98 while I was living in Seattle, working at a software company and playing tons of rec soccer. "Leaving L.A." is my latest completed novel, and was begun for NaNoWriMo 2009. Nothing like a challenge to get you writing!

Between 1998 and 2009, I wrote a couple of other novels that do not fall under the lesbian fiction umbrella. They may, however, be candidates for revision and publication at a later date. Currently I'm working on an LGBT-themed novel set in Scotland, where my grandfather, James Wallace Christie, was born in 1900. I traveled to Scotland a couple of times when I lived in London for a few months after college, and am hoping to go back again sometime soon.

Thanks for reading! If you'd like to get in touch, you can find me on Facebook or e-mail me at katechristie8 at gmail.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well-Written Lesbian Fiction, June 4, 2010

By 

Saira Fazaluddin (New Jersey) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Solstice (Paperback)

****Possible Spoilers****

I was hesitant to purchase this book because of some of the reviews which described it as a "Seattle Tour-guide." I took a chance even though I'd never heard of the author or the book simply because the premise seemed interesting. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I finished it in one day because I didn't want to put it down. The book does have descriptive passages, but they are necessary to our understanding of the characters and where they live. The city they live in is in essence the third main character of the novel and as such is necessary to the story.

The characters themselves are fleshed out, especially Sam whose acute pain and loneliness at the beginning of the book is so well described that it is almost heartbreaking at times. The scene describing her brother's death did actually bring tears to my eyes, not a common occurrence when I'm reading a book (especially a romance). Another reviewer complained that the characters were juvenile, but I don't remember being very mature when I was twenty-two and twenty-five. In fact, I remember being completely clueless about life, love, relationships, etc. The story feels true to life in that respect. Sam and Emily's journey towards each other and towards love feels real, which is I think, what I liked most about this book. They felt like people that I knew (or, maybe parts of myself at a younger age) and as such I was able to sympathize and empathize with them.

The other characters in the book (for once in a lesbian romance) did not irritate me. They too, rang true to life. They behaved like real friends and people, rather than trumped up stereotypes which are never amusing to read. The book pulls you in and builds the love story until the reader has no choice but to root for these two characters to realize what is plain to see for everyone around them. The author has a fine talent for writing and the only reason I gave this four stars instead of five is because this is her first novel and I'm looking forward to seeing her outdo herself in subsequent efforts. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. There is too much drivel in the lesbian fiction genre today. Do yourself a favor a pick up something worth reading.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Seattle in Summertime, March 28, 2010

By 

Winger (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Solstice (Paperback)

Ever see a place light up in a certain time of year? Then you'll understand Seattle in the summertime. Using a backdrop of long sunny days with views of the water and mountain vistas, "Solstice" is as much an ode to Seattle as it is about a budding sweet romance. If you enjoy soccer, women, and giddy crushes then you'll love "Solstice."

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't flow well, September 6, 2010

By 

Cicely - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Solstice (Paperback)

I enjoy a book that reads easily and I can happily skip along with it. This was not one of them. I understand the need for some books to describe the setting, and if you have been in love with a big city, I guess this book might be for you. I thought it was too much. I skimmed over what I felt to be filler paraghraphs about Seattle and all the intricate parts of the game of soccer. If it wasn't soccer it was basketball. I am a sports fan but it seemed that every sporting event was a monumental occurance in the character's life. Every invite to a game was suppose to get the reader's blood pumping and this didn't do it for me. I think this book is for college age and sports obsessed readers. The only aspect of the book I did like was that the story went back and forth between two characters and their points of view. Kate Christie's style of writing is not the kind I enjoy. Maybe you will.