How much work does your title do to take readers into the story?Learn more about the book and author at Bryan Gruley's website.
Bitterfrost struck me as an arresting and descriptive word that would grab browsers’ attention. It’s the title of the book and the name of the fictional northern lower Michigan town where the story is set. I don’t recall precisely how I came up with it. I know I did some trolling through Finnish words (the river that runs through the middle of town is called Jako, which is Finnish for division). Somehow, I stumbled on Bitterfrost and immediately liked it, for the feeling of coldness it evokes, and the sharp three-syllable rhythm. I barely knew then what the book would be about, but I assumed it would be dark because my books are always dark, and Bitterfrost also evokes dark. The story is also about the town itself and how it divides against or for the protagonist, Zamboni driver and accused murderer Jimmy Baker, so Bitterfrost seemed...[read on]
The Page 69 Test: Starvation Lake.
The Page 69 Test: The Hanging Tree.
The Page 69 Test: Bleak Harbor.
The Page 69 Test: Purgatory Bay.
The Page 69 Test: Bitterfrost.
Q&A with Bryan Gruley.
--Marshal Zeringue
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