This month, Book Talks & Wine at South Stage Cellars takes place on Thursday, May 21, 2015 from 6:00-8:00pm at the Tasting Room at 125 South 3rd Street. Ashland writer Michael Niemann will read from his novel, Legitimate Business and discuss his tale of international intrigue.
Legitimate Business begins with the shooting death of Ritu Roy, a young UN policewoman, in the Zam Zam camp for Internally Displaced Persons in Darfur. Authorities are quick to write it off as an act of random mob violence, but Ritu’s best friend and partner, Priya Choudhury, believes Ritu was targeted deliberately for complaining about the poor quality of Nepali armored personnel carriers. Priya enlists the help of UN investigator Valentin Vermeulen who soon discovers that the fraud runs much deeper than a batch of shoddy vehicles. As he is drawn into a dark world of corruption and illegal arms trafficking, Valentin must risk not only his job but his life in order to expose the truth, and stop the civil war in Darfur taking an even more deadly turn.
Michael Niemann
Michael Niemann is a writer and teacher whose story, Africa Always Needs Guns was included in the 2012 MWA Anthology edited by Lee Child. On the non-fiction side, he has written a book on regionalism and numerous articles on global and African issues. He has traveled widely in Europe and southern Africa. A native German, he now lives in Southern Oregon. Legitimate Business was published in 2014 by Endeavor Press.
This monthly series featuring authors from The State of Jefferson is perfect for book lovers to gather and meet local literati while enjoying wine and appetizers at one of the Rogue Valley’s premier wine venues. Admission is free.