MEET K.B. JENSEN: Danish-American author writes Chicago Murder Mystery Novel entitled ‘Painting with Fire’
The Danish Pioneer Newspaper staff had the honor of meeting Danish-American author K.B. Jensen on Sunday, June 1, 2014, when she hosted a book launch party and reading of her debut novel “Painting With Fire” at “I PAINT MY MIND”, an art gallery in Logan Square at the impressive Green Exchange building at 2545 W. Diversey Avenue in Chicago.
K.B. Jensen’s new book is “Painting with Fire”. (Photo: JonasVandall.dk)
The launch and reading celebrated the release of “Painting With Fire,” an artistic murder mystery, set in Chicago. The book tells the story of Claudia Wilson, a woman who is down on her luck living with an artist who is secretive about his past. The two of them discover a body buried in a snow bank on a street corner. While the police search for the killer, she wonders if she should be searching for a new roommate. “Painting With Fire” is a story of murder in the Windy City, reckless justice and love without trust.
While guests enjoyed drinks and light refreshments in the art gallery, K.B. Jensen shared a chapter from her debut novel as Jensen family friend and professional Danish photographer Jonas Vandall (www.JonasVandall.dk) captured these wonderful pictures of the event that he shared with The Danish Pioneer Newspaper to document the special day for the new Danish-American author.
K.B. Jensen greets visitors at the art gallery and book launch party. (Photo: JonasVandall.dk)
People had the chance to hear K.B. Jensen read one of her favorite chapters and also to check out the art at ‘I Paint My Mind’.
“Art plays a key role in my novel so it’s fun to have the fictional story connected to a real gallery that showcases talented artists,” says K.B. Jensen. “It combines two of my favorite things, art and books.”
K.B. Jensen is a Danish-American author and journalist. As a former newspaper reporter, she has written extensively about crime in the Chicago suburbs. Jensen grew up in Minneapolis and currently lives in Hyde Park, Chicago, with her husband, daughter and rescued border collie/lab mix. In her spare time, she enjoys teaching downhill skiing and traveling the world.
K.B. Jensen’s first novel is a Chicago murder mystery. (Photo: JonasVandall.dk)
Jensen tells The Danish Pioneer Newspaper that her father hails from Copenhagen. “I’ve been visiting Denmark every other year for most of my life and feel like it’s my other home,” Jensen says. “It’s an understatement to say I love the country. My parents didn’t teach me Danish as a kid, which meant I suffered through many a long dinner party in Denmark without being able to understand what was going on, but I learned the language in college at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.”
She adds, “I also did a summer abroad with Denmark’s International Study program. My brother and sister also learned the language as adults and I chat with them in Danish often. My farfar, Torben Jensen, was a supreme court justice, and as a kid I remember going with him to his work and being astonished that he had a key to Christiansborg castle. Growing up, other kids went to Disney World and I went to Tivoli, but I wouldn’t trade that for anything. Both my grandparents, who I loved dearly, have passed away but I still have close friends and relatives in Denmark. I’m currently teaching my daughter Danish.”
For more information about the novel, please visit www.paintingwithfirenovel.com.
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K.B. Jensen reads a favorite chapter from her new book. (Photo: JonasVandall.dk)
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K.B. Jensen autographs her new novel at the book launch. (Photo: JonasVandall.dk)
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