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Book signing celebrates student’s writing success

UTM English Department and bookstore help Stephen Outten celebrate the release of his first novel


On May 16, The Shadows Whisper hit retailers such as Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. While most people might give it a glance and pick it up to leaf through it, many will never know the incredible story behind it.

The author is a college student.

And not just any college student. He’s Stephen Outten, an English major here at UTM.

Perhaps one of the most remarkable things about this is the fact that, like most of us, Outten has class and schoolwork to worry about. Where did he find the time to write a full-length novel?

“I wrote The Shadows Whisper mostly over the summer of 2005, although I was working roughly 40 hours a week as a cashier at Wal-Mart,” says Outten. “I would daydream about the story as I rang up customers, then as soon as I got home, I would sit at the computer for hours on end until my mind and fingers were exhausted. I think that because Wal-Mart was my job, and writing was my escape, the writing became a mental release, and that facilitated its quick completion.”

And though it hasn’t been out for that long, The Shadows Whisper isn’t a book that’s destined to get shoved behind the other books at the rack and forgotten.

“The Shadows Whisper has done well,” says Outten. “In fact, based on book sales, customer interest and reader reviews, it earned PublishAmerica’s “Book of the Week” after it had only been out for a week.”

To celebrate the release of the book, the UTM English Department sponsored a book signing at the UTM Bookstore, where you can pick up a copy of the novel. Outten opened the day by reading from the novel, and then spent the rest of the time signing copies for both students and faculty alike.

The Shadows Whisper tells the story of Colin Lockner, a young writer who keeps dreaming of a beautiful woman encouraging him to find her. Colin later discovers that he is the reincarnated soul of a man who, along with his lover, was killed on the verge of the Civil War. While his soul moved on, the woman’s soul stayed behind and is now trying to reach him.

“The Shadows Whisper was my first attempt to successfully tell a novel-length story, so I’m very proud I was able to accomplish this feat,” says Outten.

Of course, every good story has to come from somewhere. And for Outten, it stemmed from his love of classic literature and suspense novels. “One night I decided I wanted to tell an original love story that incorporated many of the elements from my Literature classes, a tale that was unlike anything I had ever read,” says Outten. “The Shadows Whisper was my attempt to reconcile the academic world with the mainstream world and to tell a story that was not defined by a specific genre. The Shadows Whisper does not follow a formula---it has a heart. And at its heart, it is a love story. A refreshingly original love story.

“Anyone who likes The Notebook or Moulin Rouge will enjoy it,” continues Outten. “I also incorporated suspense and intrigue, so if you’re a fan of mystery, this novel also has something to offer. Finally, I used skills in literary analysis to incorporate a deep level of philosophical thought, one that doesn’t dictate the story, but one that enriches it.

At the moment, Outten is working on his second book, with much encouragement from his girlfriend, Holly. “The second book is still in the developmental stage,” says Outten. “I’ve written a few short stories to kick around the premise and get to know the characters, but it’s shaping up to be an exciting project. My next book isn’t going to be a sequel, but I can’t rule out a follow-up in the future.” Outten also has advice to give to anyone who has dreams of writing their own novel.

“Write,” he says. “Do it everyday. Writing isn’t about the finished product, it’s about getting there and enjoying the ride. Let the writing guide you. I promise it will enrich you.”

And with all of the success that Outten has had, he has no plans of slowing down anytime soon.

“Writing for me isn’t really a hobby, it’s a way of life,” Outten says. I write poetry and nonfiction as well as fiction, but someday I’d love to publish a nonfiction book about my grandmother’s incredible life, and I’d love to publish a book of poems someday, too. As long as there are stories to tell---and there are a lot of them---I’ll be writing.”

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LAURA HARBER/The Pacer

Stephen Outten signs a copy of his book The Shadows Whisper for Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Tom Rakes at his book signing.