Kondazian Book Tour for THE WHIP Begins in Watsonville, California

Karen Kondazian’s book tour for THE WHIP, a new historical novel about the Californian stagecoach driver Charley Parkhurst, begins in Watsonville, California on Wednesday, December 9, 2011 from 5:30 pm–7:30 pm at the Watsonville Public Library in the main library meeting room. The event is free and open to the public. It features a reading from THE WHIP by Ms. Kondazian, a question and answer session about the writing of THE WHIP and Charley Parkurst, a book signing and free refreshments. Copies of THE WHIP will also be available for purchase at the event.

Watsonville, California was chosen as the first event for Ms. Kondazian’s book tour for her novel THE WHIP because Charley Parkhurst is a local legend. Charley Parkhurst spent the last part of her life in Watsonville and is buried there. It was upon Charley Parkhurst’s death in December 28, 1879 in a small cabin outside Watsonville that it was discovered that Charley Parkurst was really a woman. The news about the discovery that Charley Parkhurst was a woman was picked up by local and national newspapers at the time, like the Watsonville Pajaronian, the Santa Cruz Sentinel, the San Francisco Call, the Providence Journal and The New York Times. The author of Charley Parkhurt’s obituary that appeared in the Watsonville Pajaronian in January 1, 1880 captures the spirit of Karen Kondazian’s inspiration for her novel THE WHIP and the event:

Of course great curiosity is excited as to the cause that led this woman to exist so many years in such strange guise. There may be a strange history that to the novelist would be a source of inspiration.

THE WHIP by Karen Kondazian is published by Hansen Publishing Group. THE WHIP is available as a trade paperback and as an ebook. The paperback can be ordered online from Amazon and Barnes & Noble and other online retailers. The ebook version of THE WHIP is available on the Kindle, the Nook, the iPad and other platforms.