The Clovis Dig

by Teri Fink, Robb Grindstaff (Editor)

Overview

When a shocking discovery is found among ancient artifacts during an archaeological dig in an orchard, an investigation of a different kind begins. Orchardist Claire Courtney must decide who to trust as she desperately tries to salvage what's left of her livelihood and her life.

WINNER: Pinnacle Book Achievement Award, Summer 2021 - Best Literary Fiction

TOP 5 FINALIST: The Kindle Book Review 2021 - Best Literary Fiction

FINALIST: The Independent Author Network 2021 - Best Literary Fiction

FINALIST: Eric Hoffer Award 2022 - Best Literary Fiction

FINALIST: Nancy Pearl Book Awards 2022 - Best Literary Fiction

"Given the sheer volume of literature produced each year, it can sometimes be hard to find true works of such striking excellence as this tiny gem of a book... The voices that spring out of every page seem to come from the mist of time and the furthest reaches of the human experience... The book has some of the most creative and fully fleshed-out characters in modern fiction." US Review of Books, RECOMMENDED

Amidst the beauty of the Wenatchee Valley at the feet of the Cascade Mountains, apple orchardist Claire Courtney struggles to make a living.

When strange and ancient artifacts are discovered beneath her land, Claire wonders whether the ensuing archaeological dig will save her, or be the final blow in her struggle to hang onto her home and livelihood. To make matters worse, conflict between the archaeologists on the dig-Joe Running from the west, and Spencer Grant from the east-threatens the entire project.

This multicultural novel brings together Native Americans, Latinos, and migrant workers from the American South to grapple over ownership of what lies beneath the earth.

"Fink has impressive command over the many swirling elements of her well-plotted novel... The characterizations are strong, but the author has the ability to make the unique setting as important as the people. Archaeology and murder mix in this smart, picturesque novel that's steeped in local culture." Kirkus Reviews (Our Verdict: GET IT)

EVOLVED PUBLISHING PRESENTS a literary fiction piece from the award-winning author of "Invisible by Day."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781622530861
Publisher:	Evolved Publishing
Publication date:	05/03/2021
Edition description:	First Softcover ed.
Pages:	246
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.56(d)

About the Author

AUTHOR: Teri Fink's writing has won literary awards for both fiction and nonfiction, including winning 2nd Place for the prestigious PNWA Nancy Pearl Award for Literary Fiction, and 1st Place for nonfiction in the PNWA Literary Contest. Teri spent her early childhood years in Redondo Beach, California, before her family traded the beaches of the Pacific Coast for the apple orchards of Wenatchee, Washington. Her career has taken her from librarian, to corporate writer, and communications officer before becoming a novelist. She's a member of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association (PNWA) and Write on the River. Teri and her husband live on beautiful Lake Chelan in central Washington State.

EDITOR: I've edited fiction and non-fiction books for authors from around the world for the past ten years. My clients include authors of literary, contemporary, women's fiction, crime, young adult, fantasy, and romance (spicy or mild), as well as creative non-fiction such as memoirs. I've edited about every genre other than sci-fi. A few of my articles on the craft of writing fiction have appeared in various writer magazines and websites, and one of my pieces was presented at the Sydney (Australia) Writers Festival. I also teach fiction courses for the Romance Writers of Australia, Romance Writers of America, and Savvy Authors.

Editorial Reviews

2021-05-19
An apple orchard owner discovers relics on her land that may be from ancient Native Americans in Fink’s mystery.

Claire Courtney grew up on the land she now owns—an apple and cherry orchard in Washington state. It’s a beautiful place, but the work is hard, and the orchard is carrying a great deal of debt. Her workers unearth some old Native American spear points—at 8 or 9 inches, they are unusually large. Claire calls a state university for advice, and they send Joe Running, a young Native American archaeology professor. Joe, astounded by the size of the objects, realizes they could be 10,000 years old and artifacts from the ancient Clovis culture. He sets up a dig site with some graduate students, but Claire is skeptical. (“I don’t much like anybody telling me what to do, and I’m not one for a having a bunch of people underfoot, so we’ll see how this whole thing plays out.”) News of the find leaks to the media, and a local Native American nation threatens legal action to halt the excavation. Tourists begin to flow into the orchard along with Spencer Grant, an Ivy League hotshot who wants to take over the dig from Joe. Spencer has seniority and plenty of prestige and connections, but the dig is jeopardized when workers at the site find a contemporary murder victim in a plastic bag. Fink has impressive command over the many swirling elements of her well-plotted novel, from the stresses of an agricultural business to the politics of academic power plays. Crucial to the story is Joe Running, a finely drawn young archaeologist who contextualizes the novel’s events in a marked way, especially as things take a darker turn. The characterizations are strong, but the author has the ability to make the unique setting as important as the people.

Archaeology and murder mix in this smart, picturesque novel that’s steeped in local culture.

Kirkus Reviews