He's a graduate of the University of Iowa and spent nine years doing media relations in the Hawkeye Athletic Department. He's also been a sportswriter, movie ticket taker and Dairy Queen ice cream slinger who can still do the little curly thing on top of a soft serve cone.
He currently lives in Rochester, MN, with his wife and two daughters.
Wirt applied the Page 69 Test to his new novel, Silent Creek, and reported the following:
Page 69 is the final page of chapter ten, a scene I really liked writing. There isn’t much action or suspense, so I wouldn’t say it’s a great example of what a reader would be in for, but I’d like to think it really fleshes out our characters.Visit Tony Wirt's website.
It’s a scene in the gym where Jim is helping Kelli, the coach of their high school’s girls team, prep for the upcoming basketabll season, but Kyle shows up as a bit of a third wheel. He’s been hounding Jim to come on as his assistant coach for the boys team, something he has absolutely no interest in doing.
While It may not be a great example of the book, as a character building chapter it does a good job. The scene is a great example of the tug of war going on inside Jim’s head ever since he returned home. Kyle represents everything Jim wants to leave behind, while Kelli represents the future he’s always wanted. It also shows the pressure that Jim is feeling to be everything his hometown wants him to be. This struggle is what guides Jim’s actions for the whole book—for better or worse.
The Page 69 Test: Pike Island.
Q&A with Tony Wirt.
My Book, The Movie: Pike Island.
My Book, The Movie: Silent Creek.
--Marshal Zeringue
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