Author Ray unveils first novel at Bing tonight

It's not often that a first-time novelist earns words of praise such as the following: It "fuses tragedy into rebirth, covering a timeline of nearly four decades in a narrative as natural, pure, and clear as water flowing from a snow-covered peak."

That is what Kirkus Reviews has to say about "American Copper," a novel written by Shann Ray. "American Copper" will be the focus of a release party at 7 tonight at the Bing Crosby Theater; Ray will appear with another well-known author with regional credentials, Sherman Alexie. Click here for more information.

Actually, calling Shann Ray a "first-time novelist" is a bit of a misnomer. Ray, a licensed clinical psychologist who teaches at Gonzaga University, has written short stories, poetry and nonfiction. So, writing a novel seems like a logical next step.

Logical next steps, though, don't always qualify for sterling reviews.