McVicker brings North Bend to North Bend for debut

Published 6/11/14

DES MOINES – George McVicker, writing under the name G. Gray McVicker, has just finished penning his new novel North Bend and will debut it in his hometown of North Bend the week of Old Settlers.

The cover of McVicker's book includes a picture of downtown North Bend.

The book, available in stores in early fall, tells a story of bondage and murder.
A 1957 graduate of North Bend High School, McVicker has always felt a strong connection to his hometown and to the state he grew up in. His parents, Belva and Mitchell McVicker, lived and worked in North Bend, as did his grandparents.
Growing up with his siblings, numerous aunts and uncles and lots of cousins, it seemed only fitting that his third published novel be called North Bend.

Why this story?

“To write a story about your hometown is a little daunting,” McVicker said, “but sometimes a story just needs to be told.”

And whether North Bend is the portrait of a happening or a horizontal picture of Midwest life in general, it aims to capture the reader’s imagination.

Folks have asked him if it is a true story, but that can only be determined by each reader. This novel is built around a journey like his first two books: Niobrara Crossing in 2008 and Cold Promise in 2012. Each portrays a life story in its own setting around a path we might find ourselves following. Although the stories are different in the end there is one word to describe each: justice.
North Bend is structured differently from most novels. For the most part it is lineal, but to better absorb the story, readers are constantly faced with a crossroad on the pages, where they are obliged to make a choice. If the reader chooses to stay with the main story track they will find it exciting, engaging and dramatic. Different though from most novels are the cul-de-sacs, endnotes; additions and facts that flavor the story, and move the reader to all the corners of a scene. Some of the endnotes are written in the form of backstory, others challenging sidebars. There are multiple narrators, known and unknown, even storytellers from the grave. After investigating the turn-offs the reader may comfortably return to the core path and move deeper into the story.

The book has received great reviews and will most certainly be included in Nebraska’s new books of the year.

A word of warning to the reader from McVicker: if you are from North Bend or familiar with the community, your challenge is to separate yourself from the characters in the story. For others, after reading the story you will need to disconnect your thoughts from the control issues violently on display as they may be lasting. Both will be difficult to do.

McVicker will be in North Bend during Old Settlers to autograph first edition copies, the first copy of the book before the paperback hits the bookshelves. You can also pick up an autographed copy at the North Bend Eagle office. If you won’t be in North Bend and would like an autographed first edition you can go to www.NorthBendTheStory.wordpress.com and place an order.

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