'Green Castles' book draws on real events in author's past

Saturday, November 2, 2013
Courtesy photo
Sharing a moment at the Big Four Arch west of Greencastle are author Krista Montgomery Knapp (right) and Christina McClure, whose friendship goes back to their kindergarten days at Reelsville School.

Krista Montgomery Knapp knows a "Wonder Years" existence, growing up in small-town Greencastle, frequenting all the local haunts, surrounded by enough friends and a successful, loving family to write a book.

And now she has.

The daughter of Monty and Vicki Montgomery, a product of South Putnam High School and a 1992 graduate of the inaugural class of the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics and Humanities at Ball State, is the author of "Green Castles."

"I think it (the book) speaks highly of Greencastle and small towns," Krista said during a recent visit home, realizing now as an adult (39) that "growing up in Greencastle wasn't so bad. It's actually a pretty good place."

Self-published and available on Amazon.com, "Green Castles" is the story of three women who grow up the best of friends, go their separate ways, only to be reunited in their hometown of Greencastle in the wake of tragedy. While a work of fiction, the book was inspired by a true story.

"The book is about a falling out and a reconciliation," Krista said.

She and childhood friend Christina McClure, an acquaintance since kindergarten, were reunited with another friend, Heather Hancock Bryant, a 1993 Greencastle High School grad, because of the funeral for McClure's daughter Brooklyn, who died two years ago of mitochondrial disease at age seven.

"That's classic. That's literature right there," Krista said, alluding to circumstances coming full circle to create something good from something so bad.

"I wrote it," she said, "as a way to preserve the memory of Brooklyn."

Themes running through the story are forgiveness, reconciliation and love.

"Love is patient. Love is good. Love never fails," the author said.

"Everyone can relate to that," Krista added. "Everyone has had friendships that have gone sour."

The novel is set in the period 1988-92 with a multitude of pop culture references, including movies, music and TV of the era, along with the "big hair" style worn by so many area girls back then.

The book also includes references to many local business and landmarks.

"And even though I never called it Greencastle Christian Church in the book, that's the church in the book," Krista said. "It's where the funeral was."

Also turning up in the storyline are the Big Four Arch, Dairy Castle, the Buzz Bomb and the Square.

"There's even a boulder run," she laughed, addressing the infamous time-honored streaking tradition of DePauw University students.

The plot incorporates efforts by the young women to sneak into a party at Phi Delta Theta fraternity on Monon Bell weekend.

"I did enough research to know," Krista added, "that DePauw won the game that year."

Krista has been living in Delaware most recently as she pursues her writing career. She wrote the book this past summer.

"After working at DePauw as a librarian for several years," she said, "I moved out to the Eastern shore of Maryland to take a faculty position at Salisbury University.

"I have chosen to start by self-publishing the book on Amazon and possibly other online book retailers. It is my hope that my initial audience will provide me with a lot of feedback so that I can revise this edition and try to get it accepted for publication."

Judging by the online comments, the book has been well received. Readers literally have said they've laughed and they've cried.

Krista considers the novel contemporary women's fiction, or more familiarly, "chick lit."

But that didn't stop her dad, Monty Montgomery, from reading it.

"When I wrote my book, I figured my mom would read it. She's an avid reader. I never thought that dad would, but he downloaded it on his Kindle before my mom did."

And what was dad's take on "Green Castles?"

"He said, 'Krista, you're a good writer, but your book's a little too feminine for me.'

"That's because," the author quickly added, "nothing blows up."

But with love and redemption and mystery and romance, it appears to have a lot to offer.

"It's got everything," Krista smiled. "But nothing blows up ... maybe in my next book."

***

You can learn more about Krista Montgomery Knapp's novel by visiting the book's facebook page www.facebook.com/GreenCastles.

For more information about mitochondrial disease, persons can go to www.umdf.org or mitoaction.org.

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