Former Selectman to Hold Book Signing on Saturday

Former Exeter Selectman Joe Pace will return to town on Saturday to sign copies of his new book, "Minotaur" at Water Street Bookstore.

Pace, who served as a selectman here for nine years, is now living in Maryland, where he is the director of development at the McLean School, an independent school specializing in students with different learning styles.

"Minotaur," Pace's first book, is a work of science fiction, a genre he has long been a fan of. He said the book took him nearly five years to complete.

"I’ve always written, as far back as I can remember," said Pace, an Exeter High School graduate. "I cringe thinking of some of my earliest efforts, but I’ve always enjoyed telling stories. Some of that comes from my father, a master storyteller. Some of it comes from the joy of creation. I love to tell a great story, but I'm hopeful that my work will also leave the reader thinking about some larger topics as well. It's not allegory, but there are some contemporary issues that readers will encounter."

Pace said it's hard for him to say exactly where the idea for "Minotaur" came from. The book's title comes from the name of the penal station on one of Jupiter's moons.

"I’ve read plenty of science fiction, and it’s common for books to fall to one side or the other of the utopia/dystopia divide," he said. "Either everything is wonderful or everything is terrible. A few years back I found myself wondering what happens to imperfect people in those perfect societies.

"So what if there was a prison, with all sorts of undesirable folks, and what if one of them was ambitious and powerful? And what if he got out? It all kind of began to roll from there. Cadmus is the core of the book, the charismatic demigod who I hope people will equally revile and be drawn to."

Unlike some of the other things he's written, Pace said there's very little of Exeter in "Minotaur."

"Some of the characters share some traits with some of the people I’ve known and worked with over the years, but I think that’s true of any author," he said. "I’ll leave it to the reader to see if they recognize some of their neighbors – or maybe even themselves..."

Pace, who returns to Exeter several times a year to visit friends and family, said he's looking forward to Saturday's book signing.

"Coming back here to celebrate the release of 'Minotaur' is very satisfying and very special to me," he said. "Exeter is my favorite place in the world. Water Street Bookstore is a great independent bookseller, and (owner) Dan Chartrand is an old friend. I’m excited – and not a little nervous – to share my first book with everyone back home.

Joe Pace will sign copies of his new book, "Minotaur," at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 22 at Water Street Bookstore. "Minotaur" is published by Reliquary Press, an independent publishing house in Atlanta. It is available in paperback from Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com and select local book stores.