Local author releases new book, ‘The Story That Wouldn’t Die’

Local journalist and author Christina Estes has written a new book titled, “The Story That Wouldn’t Die.”

In the book, a Phoenix reporter isn’t convinced the death of a beloved small business owner was an accident. Her investigation leads to potentially corrupt deals at city hall and powerful people who want to kill the story and maybe her.

Ironically, or perfectly, Estes recently left journalism after more than 20 years working for local radio and TV stations to become Director of Communications for the Vice Mayor of Phoenix, putting Estes inside the very institution she once covered and has now fictionalized.

Estes joined “Arizona Horizon” to tell us more about the release of her new book.

“It was better because I knew that my writing was better,” Estes said, “I also felt the story was better.”

Jolene Garcia, the main character in the book, is a Phoenix TV reporter from the Midwest who “feels like a fish out of water” being in Phoenix.

“She is fictional, but I draw that part from me,” Estes explained, “I remember being a fish out of water when I moved out here from the Midwest so I’m able to recall those feelings in writing her.”

While there are lots of characters and storylines involved in the book, Estes emphasized how vital each character is to the story.

“My brilliant editor told me, ‘You need to remind the reader of why the person is in the story,'” Estes said.

Estes explained lots of the characters and storylines have been inspired by real-life events that occurred in her life or in Arizona. She explained how the opening of the book was inspired by former Mayor Greg Stanton who got stuck in an elevator in city hall.

“I covered city hall for nine years,” Estes explained, “Certainly my experiences and the people I encountered inspired the characters.”