Wood, Ann 1970–

PERSONAL: Born 1970; children: Sam. Education: Attended Bennington College.

ADDRESSES: Home—Cape Cod, MA. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Leapfrog Press, P.O. Box 1495, Well-fleet, MA 02667.

CAREER: Writer. Currently a newspaper staff reporter.

AWARDS, HONORS: Award for arts and entertainment reporting, New England Press Association.

WRITINGS:

Bolt Risk (novel), Leapfrog Press (St. Paul, MN), 2005.

SIDELIGHTS: In a 2005 interview with Jillian Weise in the Provincetown Banner, author Ann Wood commented on contemporary fiction: "I think everybody is getting too academic and worried about pretty sentences instead of telling a good story…. I'm jealous of the pretty sentence guys,… but I don't write that way."

In a Kirkus Reviews critique of Wood's debut novel, Bolt Risk, a contributor described the author's writing style as "almost hypnotically spare prose." Written in the first person, the story begins with the narrator quitting her job as a personal assistant for a mediocre actress. She takes a job as an exotic dancer and meets Adam, a member of the rock band Z. After a short romance, they marry in the church of Satan, and Adam goes on tour, leaving the narrator alone to drink, smoke, dabble in drugs, and look for casual-sex partners. Eventually, the narrator's destructive behavior leads her to a mental institution, where she gains some introspection.

In Publishers Weekly, a reviewer acknowledged that the book contains "a genuine sentiment that speaks to alienated teenagers, world-weary hipsters and cynical survivors." Regarding the narrator of Bolt Risk, Wood acknowledged in the Provincetown Banner interview that "the difference between this and other girl books, is that she's angry like the guys are angry. And most girls want some kind of pity, want you to feel sorry for them, but she doesn't."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2005, review of Bolt Risk, p. 942.

Provincetown Banner (Provincetown, MA), November 10, 2005, Jillian Weise, "Up and Coming Writer Gets Down and Dirty," interview with Ann Wood.

Publishers Weekly, August 29, 2005, review of Bolt Risk, p. 29.