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"Infused with beauty, humor, and pain, The Alchemy of Noise is a modern American love story that asks if love can bridge the distance between two Americas." -- Laura Nicole Diamond, author of Shelter Us and Deliver MeIn a world so full of lonely people and broken hearts, Chris Hawkins, a black sound engineer from Chicago's south side, and Sidonie Frame -- white, suburban-raised, the head manager of one of the city's most elite venues -- meet by work-related happenstance and fall quickly in love, convinced that by that act alone they can inspire peace, joy, and happiness in the world around them. The world, however, has other ideas.Their meeting is serendipitous. Chris, who owns and runs his company, largely spends his time surrounded by members of his own community; Sidonie, conversely, is rarely outside the environs of work and its predominantly white staff and clientele. But when the club's sound manager goes AWOL on the night of a big event and Chris is hired to come in as a last-minute replacement, their destinies collide.Immediately drawn to each other, they fall quickly into an unexpected and thrilling relationship, inspiring myriad reactions amongst family and friends on both sides of the racial divide. But even as their love story evolves, day-to-day tensions, police disruptions, and the microaggressions Chris constantly encounters as a black man in the gritty environs of Chicago become a cultural flashpoint, challenging Sidonie's privileged worldview and Chris's ability to translate the unfolding events. After a random and gut-wrenching series of police encounters shakes their resilience, it's the shattering circumstance of a violent arrest -- one in which Chris is identified as a serial vandal and potential rapist -- that sends their world into free fall.He claims his innocence; she believes him. But the forces pushing against them are many and oppressive. With a looming trial, the dissipating loyalties of key allies, and unforeseen twists triggering doubt and suspicion, Sidonie and Chris are driven to question what they really know of each other and just whom to trust, leading to a powerful and emotional conclusion.Lorraine Devon Wilke's third novel, The Alchemy of Noise, ventures beyond the humor and pathos of family drama explored so cleverly in her first two novels to dig deep into the politics of contemporary culture. At its heart a love story, it explores the complexity of race in a suspenseful drama driven by issues of privilege, prejudice, police profiling and legal entanglements, and the disparities in how those provocative themes impact the various and diverse characters involved.
About the Author
Author, photographer, and singer/songwriter, Lorraine Devon Wilke, brings the sum total of her creative experience to her compelling contemporary fiction. Pulling from every chapter of her eclectic background, she creates characters and plots that are both unique and recognizable, with dialogue that jumps off the page. Her book covers are designed with her photography, and her debut novel, AFTER THE SUCKER PUNCH, even includes a free download of one of her songs.
A longtime contributor to The Huffington Post, Devon Wilke's trademark "sass and sensibility" infuses her work with candor, provocative themes, and, whenever possible, lots of laughter. But whether exploring issues of family, faith, love, or tragedy, her stories always embrace an elemental mix of heart and soul. Along with AFTER THE SUCKER PUNCH, both her dramatic short story, "She Tumbled Down," and her second novel, HYSTERICAL LOVE, are also available here at Amazon.
You can follow her commentary, cultural perspective, and updates on various creative adventures at www.RockPaperMusic.com, with all other links and information available at www.lorrainedevonwilke.com.
info@lorrainedevonwilke.com
