By Joseph Goral
Staff Writer
jgoral@mihomepaper.com
A psychological thriller unfolds in northern Michigan in local author and “The County Press” columnist Wendy Byard’s recently released novel “Devil in the Dunes” when an 18-year-old is kidnapped six years to the day after her parents are murdered.
Although Byard published a book for educators in 2009, she always wanted to write a mystery novel set in Michigan. It is Byard’s first novel, and it contains themes of love, hope, redemption, good versus evil and what making choices out of hate and vengeance leads to.
She started the story while driving through the night on a family trip to St. Louis. Everyone was asleep, leaving Byard alone to think for hours. By the time everyone woke up, she had the beginnings of a plot and wrote the notes down upon returning home.
A strong female lead
After being kidnapped, Cadie McLeod must escape her abductor if she is going to live and solve the mystery of her parents’ murders. Byard said balancing McLeod’s journey and how she is seen compared with other characters was challenging.
The choice to have a strong female character goes back to Byard’s experience reading crime stories written by men in which the victims are women.
It also adds another theme to Byard’s novel.
“A lot of times in these stories, whether it’s a Dateline, which is real life, or a Forensic Files or any other type of whodunit, it’s typically the woman dying and maybe not even being as important to the story as it is the male detective, male police officer, or whoever, taking up the reigns, solving the crime, bringing justice and (it) really becoming their story.”
Byard also has three daughters and wanted to write something that empowers women by having McLeod embody everything a woman can be.
“There is also kind of a belief in our society that you’re not truly a successful woman unless you’re married and a mother and are going down this cultural path that’s been prescribed for you,” Byard said. “And (McLeod’s) mother is kind of saying to her ‘you can be free to choose whatever path you want, and that can be anything.’”
Byard added other characters, including male characters, to show the best of what they can be and are three dimensional through their actions and their pasts.
Background and writing process
Byard’s past includes storytelling, beginning with her father, who she called an inspiration.
“He was very funny, very quick on his feet,” she said, adding “he had so many stories (that) my mom and I used to number them, like ‘oh that’s number 27.’”
In high school, Byard realized she could be a storyteller. She would tell stories around campfires, not knowing what they would be about or where the plot would lead, but had the intuition to know there needed to be excitement and a conflict.
As time passed, Byard wrote for student newspapers in college, found a job in marketing and advertising in Chicago, then in Michigan, and eventually became a teacher and professor after wanting to make more of an impact on her community.
Byard taught “wildly talented student writers,” several of whom won writing contests. She always enjoyed seeing her students succeed, but said she always wondered if she was as creative and talented as them.
“Ultimately when I retired during COVID, it finally gave me the time, the space, the mental energy (and) the focus to write this novel,” Byard said.
She did not have an outline. She knew how she wanted to begin and end the story, but had to trust that her mind would give her what she needed. Byard said this process creates more organic writing.
“I literally sat some days at my computer for eight hours,” Byard said. “I didn’t eat, forgot to drink, it was me in my pajamas.”
Byard listed a number of people and stories that impacted “Devil in the Dunes.” She loved Nancy Drew who “was clever and courageous – a role model for young women,” and grew up reading Stephen King books. Her father-in-law encouraged her to try writing her book’s first chapter to see if she enjoyed it; her daughter suggested writing from the victim’s point of view; and she invited family and friends to read her manuscript to provide any feedback they wanted.
“People who know me – especially from my book about classroom miracles – may be surprised I wrote a crime novel,” Byard said. “However, people who know me well know I love a good mystery, and my novel is not traditional. People will be surprised by what they read – especially the ending. And pleased, I hope.”
“Devil in the Dunes” and Byard’s 2009 book “Teach and Reach for Classroom Miracles!: Lessons on Teaching With Love” will be carried at Eras Bookstore at 1470 S. Lapeer Rd. They will also be available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Byard will be at the Legacy Center tomorrow from 6:30-7:30 p.m. for an author talk. Those interest can register by visiting thegivingtreecollective.com and clicking on “featured classes” under “book now.”
The Oxford Public Library will host Byard from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on June 5 where she will speak more about her writing process.
For more information, visit wendybyardauthor.com.
The County Press, sister paper to the Lake Orion Review, is published twice weekly in Lapeer County. Byard’s column “Beyond our Backyards” appears every other week in the Wednesday edition. Read it online at www.mihomepaper.com.