Fiction. A novel of crime, transport, and sex, I-5 tells the bleak and brutal story of Anya and her eponymous journey north from Los Angeles to Oakland on the interstate that bisects the Central Valley of California. "In I-5, Summer Brenner deals with the onerous and gruesome subject of sex trafficking calmly and forcefully, making the reader feel the pain of its victims. The trick to forging a successful narrative is always in the details, and I-5 provides them in abundance. This book bleeds truth—after you finish it, the blood will be on your hands"—Barry Gifford.

Author Hometown: BERKELEY, CA USA



About the author: Summer Brenner is the author of a dozen works of poetry and fiction, including critically-acclaimed I-5, a crime novel that explores sex trafficking; and Richmond Tales, Lost Secrets of the Iron Triangle, a novel for youth, which received a 2010 Richmond Historic Preservation award. Her writings have appeared in dozens of anthologies and literary magazines. Performances of her work include The Missing Lover, a one-act play with staged readings directed by Peter Glazer; and poetry and musical extravaganza, Arundo (Summer Brenner, Andy Dinsmoor, Bob Ernst, Hal Hughes, and GP Skratz). She has given scores of readings in the US, France, and Japan. Currently, she works on literacy projects in Richmond, California. Grant awards for this work include the California Arts Council, Creative Work Fund, and in partnership with Community Works, The Christensen Fund and Lesher Foundation. She was raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and is a longtime resident of Berkeley, California. She is mother of Felix Brenner and Joanna Bean Martin.

Reviews:
author site
Megan Burns @ Gently Read Literature
audio [mp3]: reading @ Moe's Books in Berkeley, CA