It’s common knowledge that Neanderthals are extinct, vanished from the face of the planet about 30,000 years ago. What remains a mystery is how or why this sudden disappearance occurred. Sometimes, however, common knowledge can be wrong....

Strangers in our midst--I’ve always been intrigued by that idea, whether the strangers were foreigners or aliens or... Neanderthals. What could be more fascinating than a story about ancestors of modern man--primitive by our definition, freely walking among us, escaping detection and thumbing their collective noses at us. Neanderthals are the ultimate underdogs. The very word has become synonymous with crude, boorish, and uncultured. So what would happen if a vulnerable young woman unexpectedly comes in contact with a mysterious tourist? What if she discovers the truth about his secret world? What if she falls in love with a Neanderthal?

As with all my books, I like to include experiences from my life. For COMPETITORS!, I used my background in anthropology; I majored in that subject in college. The setting is in the Bronx, New York, in my old neighborhood, and my apartment, number 17. Max’s cat, Eins, is really my little guy who, from his spot under my desk lamp, would keep me company when I wrote. And if you’re curious, no, I haven’t met any Neanderthals. At least I don’t think I have!

I hope you enjoy Vivianne and Max’s story.

Happy reading,

Susanne Marie Knight

Back to: PRESS CENTER                Back to: MAIN PAGE

 Copyright (c) Susanne Marie Knight