Guest Post

Guest Chick: Christina Estes

Today the Chicks are pleased to welcome back Christina Estes, winner of the Tony Hillerman Prize for Best First Mystery Set in The Southwest for Off the Air. The sequel, The Story That Wouldn’t Die, was published August 19 and involves a plot twist that not even Christina saw coming. She is giving away a copy of The Story That Wouldn’t Die to one lucky commentator.

Career Plot Twist

When I wrote The Story That Wouldn’t Die, I never imagined it might make my real job awkward. But here we are.

After spending more than 20 years reporting on crime, politics, and public policy, I traded my press badge for a city badge. A few months ago, I became the director of communications for the vice mayor of Phoenix, which happens to be the place my fictional reporter is investigating potential corruption and possibly murder. What could go wrong?

Before I joined the city, I spent nine years covering Phoenix City Hall. I attended countless neighborhood and city meetings where I witnessed how public policies ignite passions. I filed stories about neighborhood disputes, controversial contracts, elevator mishaps (more on that coming up), and all the wonderful, messy, and occasionally infuriating things that happen when democracy is in action.

Then I started writing a mystery series featuring a Phoenix reporter named Jolene Garcia. In my latest book, Jolene investigates the suspicious death of a beloved small business owner and uncovers secrets tied to city hall. It opens with Phoenix’s real mayor getting stuck in a real elevator—because yes, that actually happened. But the rest is fictional, I swear!

By far, this has been the weirdest month of my career. The book was finished before I accepted the job, but not everyone around city hall seems to believe it. As readers, our personal experiences influence how we feel about certain books and The Story That Wouldn’t Die certainly hits differently for readers inside city hall.

So far, my colleagues have been supportive, but as more people read the book, I’m not sure how they’ll feel about a fictional version of their workplace involving bribes, betrayal, and bodies. If I suddenly disappear or someone claims that I begged to be transferred to work overnights at the landfill, please ask questions and demand proof of life.

Readers: For a chance to win a signed hardcover of THE STORY THAT WOULDN’T DIE, comment below and answer this question: We all experience awkward moments in life. Have you had an awkward moment at work you’re willing to share? (U.S addresses only)

About The Story That Wouldn’t Die:

The Boston Globe – One of the New Books to Add to Your Summer Reading List

“Vibrant. . . A brain-teasing, fair-play puzzle.” –Publishers Weekly


When a beloved small business owner dies in a car crash, reporter Jolene Garcia isn’t convinced it was an accident. He’d been raising questions about who keeps getting lucrative deals at city hall—questions that powerful people don’t want answered. The deeper Jolene digs, the more suspicious things she uncovers.

Exposing greed, ambition, and deception could become the biggest story of Jolene’s career. Her bosses tell her to drop it. But there’s a story here, and Jolene’s going to find it.

About Christina:

Christina Estes is an award-winning reporter who spent more than twenty years covering crime, public policy, and business for TV and radio stations in Phoenix, Arizona. Her reporting has appeared on CBS and NPR. Christina’s career inspired her mystery series featuring reporter Jolene Garcia, which began with Off the Air, winner of the Tony Hillerman Prize for Best First Mystery Set in the Southwest and a Good Morning America Buzz Pick. www.christinaestes.com

42 thoughts on “Guest Chick: Christina Estes”

  2. As a resident of the Valley of the Sun, I recognize your name from NPR and miss your insightful reporting. Congratulations on the books and the career change! The city is fortunate to have you.

    In a past life, I worked for a large corporation and found myself in the role of signing all requests to purchase new computers and associated peripherals, so everyone knew my name. I got into the elevator of one of our larger office buildings one afternoon and overheard two women talking one of them needed to have requests signed and wanted to know what the other person knew about me. Since I was in a quirky mood, I jumped into the discussion and said “she” was an ornery hard to get along with person and get ready for her rudeness. The shocked looks on their faces was awesome! I immediately felt bad, flipped my badge around, introduced myself and apologized. After a nervous laugh, the exited the elevator. The poor woman came to see me the following week, a bit nervous, so I was overly accommodating!

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    1. Hi Marjorie! I loved “Final Cut” and “Star Struck” is in my TBR pile 🙂 Weird, huh?

      Probably not supposed to say this, but I like my sequel better. Or maybe it’s okay to say it here? lol!

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  7. Thank you, Chicks for the invitation – and to readers sharing their experiences! I’m heading into the office today for the first time since my book was published. Wish me luck!

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    1. If Jolene moves to Scottsdale I think I’ll work in a way for her to meet Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen Bookstore. 🙂

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  9. When I was teaching English, Art and the Yearbook at North Richland Hills Junior High in Texas, the woman vice principal called me into her office and reamed me up one side and down the other. Turns our she chose one person every year to do that to. I was young and vulnerable. The Librarian was her choice the year before who was old and not vulnerable. I don’t remember what all was said, but she was awful and made me cry (I hated her seeing that). A month or so later, she pulled me aside and said something to me. I don’t remember what it was, but I apologized to her. She said, “You don’t have to apologize.” I said, “I know.” That made me feel better as I was showing her that she did not win. That I was the better person. Years later when I was teaching art at North Richland HS in the same town along with the Librarian I mentioned, that bitter woman was transferred there in another position. One of the men assistant principals pulled her aside and told her to leave all of us alone that she had tormented over the years or else. You would think from that point on that we were all her best friends in the way she acted towards us. So, I did not disappear and I hope that you don’t. Good luck on the job and the book.

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  10. Christina, thanks for visiting and congrats on the book! I’m blanking on embarrassing experiences. I don’t think it’s because they never happened. I think it’s more a case of me blocking them out!

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  12. Three cheers to you on the release of your new book, Christina! And best wishes on the new day job. My best/most embarrassing work story involves an NSFW birthday card a cousin sent to me that made it’s way into the hands of a LOT of co-workers before getting to me. It was a mortifying episode, but it did catch the attention of a young lady who eventually became my wife, so it worked out in the end. Ah, workplaces in the 80’s.

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  13. Congratulations, Christina! It sounds like your work and your writing are amazing. I used to be an academic, and I can’t bring myself to read novels set in academia, ripe setting that it is!

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    1. Deborah, did you ever find out who? When I worked in TV news, that happened occasionally and boy, did people leave nasty notes in the kitchen and break room dedicated to the thief/thieves!

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  15. Thanks for visiting us Chicks today, Christine–and congrats on The Story that Wouldn’t Die. Sounds awesome, and may your sales skyrocket as everyone discusses who’s really who. I once had a series of awkward work situations involving a very famous YA author who had a new book come out late in life. As his new editor, I was in charge of running interference whenever he got in trouble for his deliberately outlandish behavior. He loved to play piano and always insisted on one being available at every live venue. His favorite prank? Belting out off-color lyrics at children’s library conventions after promising me he’d behave.

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  16. One job I had many years ago where I worked for a homeless shelter. I had many interesting and unusual experiences as well as my share of awkward moments.

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  17. I am a retired special education teacher. One year I had a meeting with the parents of one of my boys. They were going through a divorce and both came, but they sat facing opposite directions. Awkward! lindaherold999(at)gmail(dot)com

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  18. Mostly misogynistic stuff. Sometimes i could respond and sometimes I needed to ignore it. More than awkward but it’s all that’s coming to mind.

    Congratulations on the new release! Sounds great, and I’m sure it is pretty awkward with anyone unfamiliar with publishing timelines. Khpinelake (at) gmail (dot) com

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  19. Congrats on book two. And the timing of your job change is pretty funny, at least from my side of things. Can’t think of an awkward moment at work right now. But I’ll probably remember one at 2 in the morning.

    (Please enter me in the giveaway if I’m not too late.)

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  20. Thanks again for letting me share my career plot twist! I appreciated the opportunity and enjoyed everyone’s comments. Congratulations to madsplanger. She’s getting a copy of The Story That Wouldn’t Die!

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