The Bakersfield Californian
May 6, 2008 Tuesday
Local radio show moderator to discuss his murder-mystery
by Louis Medina, The Bakersfield Californian
May 6–Local National Public Radio listeners will easily recognize the
name Terry Phillips: He is the moderator of "Quality of Life," a
weekly hourlong interview/call-in show airing at 9 a.m. Tuesdays on
KPRX 89.1 FM.
What regular listeners to the Central Valley issues-focused show may
not know is that Phillips has written a book — and a historical
murder mystery novel at that — called "Murder at the Altar."
Based on the actual stabbing death of the head of the Armenian Church
in America in front of his New York congregation around Christmas
1933, the book explores the themes of human likeness and separateness
often exacerbated by political conflict, that can make even oppressed
peoples and families enemies of each other. Readers will wonder who
killed the archbishop: the KGB? terrorists? dissatisfied nationalists?
If that brief description of the novel doesn’t get fans excited, maybe
this will: Phillips will be holding a discussion followed by a signing
of his book Saturday at the Beale Memorial Library downtown.
"Terry Phillips is a staple of our community and we all know him from
his program, but this is the first novel he has written and it’s a
murder mystery," said librarian Susan Berumen. "It will be pretty
exciting to talk to him and find out why he did it. He’s done
everything: He’s been a war correspondent, a commentator, and now he’s
gone into fiction."
One reason Phillips, a Bakersfield local, chose to write the book lies
in his roots: His mother’s family is Armenian and some of his
relatives actually attended the church where the murder he writes
about took place, he said.
"It’s so important for me to be able to communicate with my neighbors
about a subject that is not only important to me but I think important
to us all," Phillips said. "This is a story that is very little known
or understood today, but that is a defining story for people
everywhere. Particularly at a time when we are told to worry about
terrorism, this is a very current story with ancient roots."
He said the first time he read from the book in a public setting was
to a group of middle-school students who were mostly of Mexican origin
and they could relate to it.
Phillips said he grew up seeing how Armenians — many of whom settled
throughout California, including the Central Valley — remain divided
to this day about issues related to their troubled history before the
tragic focal event of his book took place.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
