MACKSVILLE — The Macksville City Library hosted an informal author talk with Leon Unruh on April 15th. Leon is the author of two books, Dog of the Afterworld and Saltwood. Unruh graduated from Macksville in 1975, and these literary Thrillers are set in Central Kansas, the area he first called home.
Local readers may recognize in his stories some similarities and nods to area towns and landmarks, such as Pawnee Rock, the Rattlesnake Creek, and Quivira Wetlands. A few of the characters he described can also be seen as a “mish mash” of real characters in our state.
Leon and his wife, Julie, reside in Tucson, Ariz. They happened to be visiting in Kansas, and we are so happy they chose to make a stop in Macksville! Last year, Leon’s sister, Cheryl Unruh, visited the library and read some selections from her latest book: Gravedigger’s Daughter. We love it when we are able to promote local talent and artistry!
Wednesday’s gathering consisted of local readers, quite a few Macksville alums, and even some Unruh cousins. Leon told us a little about both books, the characters, his writing process, and even what differentiated a Thriller from a typical detective story. He said the first book took three years to write, Saltwood took 10 years to finish, and a third book is now in the works.
Audience members asked a wide variety of questions, with a lot of reminiscing from old MHS days. Leon, who transferred to MHS after Pawnee Rock High School closed, said that he truly looked at Macksville as a “welcoming place” that “opened doors for him.” He had fond memories of his three years at MHS, telling about important teachers, foundation building classes such as English, math, and science, plus activities such as the yearbook and band. In fact, he said he was so grateful for his time in Macksville that he wanted to show his appreciation and everyone in attendance was given a copy of his newest book, Saltwood.
Many thanks to Leon and all in attendance. Visit the library to check out both of his books, or find them at Meadowlark Press or other places books are sold. Visit macksvillelibrary.com for more photos and library news.
