It’s no question that this election has been a nail-biter — with Georgia flipping to blue early Friday — so it’s fitting, really, that Georgia politician Stacey Abrams has a thriller coming out in May 2021. Abrams has been widely lauded for helping Biden take the lead in her home state, which very well could help the former democratic Vice President clinch the election.
But back to that book. For those not in the know, Abrams writes romantic suspense novels under the name Selena Montgomery. And, according to Forbes, the former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives will release the thriller While Justice Sleeps next year — this time under her own name. “A decade ago, I wrote the first draft of a novel that explored an intriguing aspect of American democracy — the lifetime appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court,” she said in a statement. “Drawing on my own background as a lawyer and politician, While Justice Sleeps weaves between the Supreme Court, the White House, and international intrigue to see what happens when a lowly law clerk controls the fate of a nation.”
The novel follows law clerk Avery Keene, who becomes legal guardian and is given power of attorney for her boss, Justice Howard Wynn. According to Abrams’ publisher’s blurb: “As Keene explores Wynn’s research into a case set to appear before the court, what she finds ‘will lead her directly into harm’s way in order to find the truth’ in this ‘cunningly crafted, sophisticated novel’ that draws on Abrams’ ‘astute inside knowledge of the court and political landscape.’”
“When I began writing novels, I read Aristotle to learn how to perfect structure, Pearl Cleage to sustain tension, and Nora Roberts for characterization,” Abrams has said. “Good romantic suspense can never underestimate the audience, and the best political leaders know how to shape a compelling narrative that respects voters and paints a picture of what is to come.”
Abrams narrowly lost the Georgia governor’s seat in 2018 and, through her New Georgia Project, has helped 450,000 voters of color register to vote over six years. As such, she’s being credited with helping Biden score his lead in her home state. All that and somehow she found the time to write and sell her ninth book. Procrastinators, take note.