West Newsmagazine 6/3/15

26 I
June 3, 2015
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE
Fat
Summer is Just Around the Corner!
FREE SEMINAR
6.20.15
10AM - 6PM
June 11, 7 pm
For many people they begin the year with good intentions of losing weight
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11710 Old Ballas Road, Suite 205 | Creve Coeur, Missouri 63141
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Presented by Dr. Rhodes, DC BCIM
Required 314.983.9355
don’t miss this two-day
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PLAZA
ree Admission
Complimentary Classes | Great Food and Drinks
Amazing Giveaways | Face Painting | Family Fun
Live music from Miss Jubilee and the Humdingers,
Dawn Weber Group, and Those Guys.
6.21.15
10AM - 3PM
The first 150 attendees on Saturday receive a free tote bag!
ON THE BOOKSHELF
‘Cracks in the Cobblestone’
After serving
nearly 15 years as
inaugural managing
editor of West Newsmagazine,
Susan E.
Sagarra left the paper
in 2010 to pursue her
longstanding goal of
writing a book.
The March 2015
Susan E. Sagarra,
former editor of
West Newsmagazine
publication of
“Cracks in the Cobblestone,” a mystery
novel rich with local ties, marked the fulfillment
of her goal.
Recently, Sagarra sat down with WNM to
discuss her book.
WNM: Your novel is set in the fictional
town of Tirtmansic, with a street that is
modeled after Main Street in St. Charles,
Mo., where you worked early in your
career. Do any of the locations cited in your
book have historical significance?
SES: I used the old St. Charles Journal
building, where I spent the first five years
of my career, to visualize the fictional
Main Informer/The Brass Inn. Mug’s Pub
is based on what used to be Rumple’s Pub
on Main Street, where my dancing girlfriends
and I hung out after dance class
and became friends with the proprietor.
The grounds of the school are inspired by
Lindenwood University, my alma mater. I
always have loved the arched entranceway,
the tree-lined road leading to the buildings,
the swings and the gazebo, which are
described in the novel.
WNM: How much is the character of cub
reporter Meghan Murphy based on Susan
Sagarra as a young reporter in St. Charles
County?
SES: It is all fiction. Of course some
people will see traits of me as a young
reporter; however, the real inspiration is
from a combination of several cub reporters
who started about the same time I did.
WNM: How did your years of covering
local government and public servants
impact your storyline?
SES: I have witnessed many public
servants – both elected and employed by
government agencies – trying to improve
their communities. But I also have seen
many who are corrupt and greedy, and
have immense egos and personal agendas.
So it was easy to create that part of the
storyline.
WNM: In “Cracks in the Cobblestone,”
an unseen force prompts the reporter to
investigate the mystery. Why did you
choose to incorporate the paranormal into
your plot line? Have you had personal
experience with spiritual forces?
SES: The historic buildings and documented
ghost sightings on Main Street-St.
@WESTNEWSMAG
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM
Charles created a nice framework to help
drive the reporter to the mystery. I have
experienced some unexplained happenings,
and some of my friends have told me about
similar experiences.
WNM: Did you base any of the characters
on real people?
SES: The only character who truly is
based on someone is the proprietor of
Mug’s Pub, Frank Henderson. He is based
on Frank Hackney, who was the owner of
what was Rumple’s Pub on Main Street-
St. Charles. Rebecca was written with my
best friend, Marillyn, in mind. Meghan’s
editor and publisher are a combination
of several ineffective leaders (with the
exception of one great managing editor)
at the Journals.
Also, Harrison calls his daughter “Sweet
Pea,” which was my dad’s nickname for
me. My mom’s favorite flowers were gardenias,
so that was a way of “including”
my parents in the story.
WNM: Can fans of “Cracks in the Cobblestone”
look forward to another novel?
SES: I recently completed writing the
first draft of my second novel, “The Last
Stop,” which tackles every parent’s worst
nightmare: children kidnapped from their
last bus stop on the way to school. The
novel reveals more about Meghan Murphy’s
background, and her friend Rebecca
returns. Plus, a new detective modeled after
Det. Cutter from the first novel becomes an
entertaining sidekick for Meghan.
“Cracks in the Cobblestone” is available
at Main Street Books in St. Charles, BarnesandNoble.com,
Amazon.com, OakTree-
Books.com, and is coming soon to other
local bookstores.
“Cracks in the Cobblestone” is a mystery novel
with lots of local ties.