GILMAN — Author Rhonda Virkus Mumby of Belle Plaine, formerly of Gilman, is returning to her roots. She will host a talk at the Gilman Public Library on Nov. 21 from 10 to 11 a.m. on her latest book “The Ambassadors,” the first installment in her Semi-Charmed series. It’s a dark academia magic/fantasy set in the late 1940s. It officially releases on Nov. 24.
“I don’t think I’m ever going to get tired of going to Gilman, because that’s my native hometown, and it’s so cool to be able to step back into a library that developed me as a reader and future writer,” Mumby said.
The story follows 17-year-old Bunny Jacobs and Royal Rhys, a student from Highcliff Academy.
As the book blurb describes the setup: “Strange things begin happening. Unexplainable things. Fearing her behaviors are sending her down a troubling path, her parents ship her off to finishing school — charm school — to reinforce proper manners that will help her attract a suitable husband. But Bunny quickly learns Stavanger Finishing School is not what it seems. Many around her hide magical secrets, and in a chilling turn of events, she discovers magic of her own.”
Mumby said the book is YA crossover, and may appeal to fans of Stephanie Garber and Rebecca Ross. She adds that the boarding school setting allows the characters to cultivate friendships and found family.
“The first couple of books will really focus on the broader story. Then my intention is to kind of branch off into a deeper dive with some of the additional characters,” she said. “I think it will be really interesting as people get into the series. It won’t feel like just a straight, chronological story.”
And although it’s a work of fiction, setting the tale in the past requires a great deal of research.
“I did a lot of looking at some of the important things that happened during that timeframe to really set the stage of the world they’re living in: styles, main music they listened to, etc. I listened to a lot of Big Band music as I was creating,” she said. “I was remembering conversations I had with my own grandparents about when they were younger… I did some research on catchphrases and phrases.”
Songs and lyrics shape many of Mumby’s stories, with her books even featuring an accompanying playlist. Her previous novels have been contemporary in nature and entitled: “A Journey to My Life,” “The Sunflower Experience” and “After the Sunflower Experience.”
She said the title for her series was inspired by the Third Eye Blind song “Semi-Charmed Life.” Her decision to set it in the 40s came from her feeling of that era being “more romantic.”
She’s writing “Magic & Misfortune” book two in the Semi-Charmed series, slated for release in 2027. “The Crestin Experience” is also due out next year — which will focus on one of the side characters in “The Sunflower Experience.”
Mumby is also hard at work on a mystery crime thriller entitled “Diamond Ridge.” It draws inspiration from Elmore Leonard’s “Fire in the Hole” book, which formed the basis for the popular FX television series “Justified.”
“I miss that show and the vibe that it presented,” she noted. “So I thought it would be really fun to create a story with that similar feeling, so the book is going to be set in the mountains of southeastern Kentucky.”
She wishes she had more time to finish all of her projects.
“There is definitely an abundance of ideas,” she said.
Mumby supports fellow authors, too. She serves as a moderator for book talks held at Fizz & Fiction.
“I love the way they champion local voices and try to get newer authors out to the community,” she said. “I read the books before I moderate because I want to make sure I’m discussing their stories in a way that gets as much information out to the people attending as possible.”
She will have paperback and hardcover copies of her book available to purchase at the Gilman library talk. Her special edition copies sport “sprayed edges” designed with stencils and vivid colors. Those are available at bookstores and through her personally, while supplies last. Her books are also available on Amazon and Kindle+.
“And then with Semi-Charmed I’m going a step further and not only doing the edges, but doing a diamond coating on the front that will be raised and glossy,” she said of this future edition.
For book news and giveaways, visit: tiktok.com/@rhonda.mumby and rhondamumby.com.