When Nat King Cole first sang "Get your kicks on Route 66," he sure wasn't kidding. Guisy sets out for some inspiration on the highway and manages to find it. She's been needing it, because she's one screenplay contest away from being less than nobody... or so she feels. A middle school dropout from the reservation, her father drank himself to death, her mother went AWOL., and she wished her cruel foster mom would have done one or the other but had no such luck. Winning this screenplay contest and moving to the City of Angels just might save her soul after all.
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John Clark finds manual labor along that stretch of highway to be almost as good as freedom. Prison life is a far cry from his former life of fame and fortune in Hollywood. Now a used-to-be celebrity dreaming only of freedom, his first meeting with Guisy is like being hit by a truck...or rather, a Subaru Outback. No really, she hits him with her car while he's working in the chain gang on the side of the road.
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So, used-to-be and wannabe have found each other and had one hell of a first meeting. Both are quick to realize that this might be the start of something they've always wanted, and the adventure awaits. Will Guisy and John find something in each other that has eluded them everywhere else? Will their impending adventures give them an opportunity to lift each other up, or with their pasts inevitably cause each to drag the other down? Find out what awaits by purchasing Snakebite, available now at Indigo.com !
Snakebite (2021)
Snakebite was fresh and diverse. The story had a unique yet choppy style with a theatrical vibe that just worked for this quirky couple with an unexpected connection. They say that people are put in our path for a reason. Guisy, an aspiring screenwriter, is the perfect balance for John, the former actor turned convict with his broken ways and sarcastic attitude. Despite her rough upbringing on the reserve, she’s a breath of fresh air, positivity, and strength. Yet every strength has its weakness, and John is hers. There was love, betrayal, help, hope, trauma, success, and failure during their journey. But most of all, there was an undeniable draw to each other that kept me hooked. I loved getting to see the different worlds that they lived in and the ones they both came from. The characters had me laughing out loud, smiling, shaking my head in frustration, and cursing under my breath. John and Guisy were a lovably odd couple, and I find myself wanting more of their tale. Zena Shultz’s expressive style was a pleasure to read and, I will definitely be checking out more of her books.
Goodreads 5 - star rating
Praise & Reviews
“What we have done to the land and to the first people is a tragedy in so many ways.” We spend time in LA, in New York, and on the Reservation where Guisy grew up. The Indigenous spiritually is beautifully and casually integrated into the narration. While we are given a real sense of the community present on “the Rezz”, we are also shown the struggles. We visit Guisy’s childhood home, watch as the couple tears it down and rebuilds it into something entirely new. We visit a community recreation center used by people young and old. I enjoyed the gentle, quiet ways that John ventures deeper into the physical space and spirituality of Guisy’s people – of who she is and where she’s from; and slowly, her community becomes his, too. He is a kind and considerate man who acknowledges the damage done and, without really thinking too much about it, wants to be a part of the healing.
Goodreads - 5 star rating
This is the first novel I've read by Zena Schultz and I can say that it was a great escape from reality (at least my reality) for an afternoon. Two people, from two different cultures collide in a series of events thrown at them by life. Love can be hard enough between any two people, but throwing in two very different cultural upbringings gives this story a bigger perspective about how we view the world based on the color of our skin and our personal life experiences. This story is about a journey of love and how communities can heal the soul. For anyone interested in learning more about the Native American perspective of life, this is also a good read. Overall, I enjoyed Scultz's writing style and look forward to future novels.
Goodreads - 5 star rating
About Zena Schultz
Hi there. My name is Zena. I am Indigenous from Seabird Island Band. I am a member of the Writer's Guild of Canada. I graduated from Capilano Univerity's Indigenous Digital Filmmaking program. I am the story editor for the Canadian television series Containment. My book Alpha will be released 2022. I am a filmmaker and screenwriter. Stay tuned for more books and screenplays.