Skip to Main Content

Shooting Out the Lights

A Memoir

Published by She Writes Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

Kim Fairley was twenty-four when she fell in love with and married a man who was fifty-seven. Something about Vern—his quirkiness, his humor, his devilish smile—made her feel an immediate connection with him. She quickly became pregnant, but instead of the idyllic interlude she’d imagined as she settled into married life and planned for their family, their love was soon tested by the ghosts of Vern’s past—a town, a house, a family, a memory.

Shooting Out the Lights is a real-life mystery that explores the challenges faced in a loving marriage, the ongoing, wrenching aftermath of gun violence and the healing that comes with confronting the past.

About The Author

Kim Fairley writes about her wacky family and how life can be filled with countless unexpected surprises, illuminating joys, and sorrowful heartbreaks. She also writes about healing from deep loss and her experience as a competitive swimmer during the early years of Title IX. She grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, attended the University of Southern California, and holds an MFA in Mixed Media from the University of Michigan. Kim lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Product Details

  • Publisher: She Writes Press (July 27, 2021)
  • Length: 304 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781647421359

Browse Related Books

Raves and Reviews

2022 International Book Awards Finalist in Parenting & Family
2022 Independent Press Awards Distinguished Favorite in Memoir


“. . . riveting and absorbing . . .”
—Phillip Lopate, author of A Mother's Tale

“A riveting book that builds ominously.”
—Jerry S. Walden, MD, founder of Physicians for Prevention of Gun Violence

“Fairley scores a bull's-eye with her rich and complex memoir, Shooting Out the Lights. Fairley's gift of mesmerizing storytelling and intimately crafted characters make the reader feel as if they are sitting at her kitchen table. Shooting Out the Lights is a compelling memoir that will have the reader thinking about it long after turning the last page.”
—Renee Hodges, author of Saving Bobby

“At its best, the author's writing is evocative, and her story is both unique and intriguing. . . . this is a book that many readers will find difficult to put down. A captivating family account that delivers compelling, acutely observant writing.”
Kirkus Reviews

Shooting Out the Lights is an exquisite memoir that analyzes what brought a couple together to face loss and their shattered hopes with enduring love.”
Foreword Reviews

Resources and Downloads

High Resolution Images

More books from this author: Kim Fairley