Michael Kardos, Mississippi State University English associate professor and co-director of the creative writing program, will read from his new novel “Before He Finds Her” Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in McCool Hall’s Rogers Auditorium.
Kardos said his passion for writing developed over time as he went to college as a music major and played the drums in a rock band for nearly a decade after his schooling. He explained he was not aware of his inclination toward the art of literature.
“I always enjoyed reading and writing, and I’d written a number of stories over the years, but it wasn’t until my 20s, when I was taking a break playing with my rock band, that I had the time to sit down and actually try to finish a novel,” he said. “But to be a drummer, you need other musicians and a soundman and lots and lots of gear. A writer, I found, requires only a notepad or a computer. I found that very freeing.”
Kardos said his first novel was not great. However, this did not phase him.
“But it showed me that I had the perseverance to finish it. Eventually, I went back to school for a Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) degree, and later for a Ph.D.,” he said.
Wednesday night’s reading will consist of Kardos reading from his novel for approximately 30 minutes. He will follow by answering questions from the audience.
Kardos described his latest novel as a crime thriller that follows the story of a small-town crime and its aftermath.
“More specifically, it’s about a young woman, raised in the witness protection program, who comes out of hiding to track down her mother’s murderer — her father —who has for 15 years eluded the authorities,” he said. “Thematically, it’s a novel about the lies we tell and the secrets we keep in order to live our lives.”
The New York Times Book Review described “Before He Finds Her” as “a well-crafted girl-in-peril narrative with an uncommon premise and an ending you don’t see coming.”
Kardos said aspiring writers should block out time in their days to read and research published authors so they can learn the craft.
After the reading and Q&A session, Barnes & Noble will be on-hand with copies of the novel for Kardos to sign.
