(MMD Newswire) -- The closure of Penn Square Bank followed by the collapse of the oil industry devastated Oklahoma's economy in the 1980s. Thousands lost fortunes overnight, geologist Gary Pittenger no exception. Caught up in this economic maelstrom, he lost in weeks what had taken him years to attain.

"Anger and frustration compelled me to write," said Pittenger. "I wanted to tell the story of this debacle."

With no experience as a writer other than composing geologic reports, he wrote his first novel in 1983--a thinly-veiled account of the circumstances that had bankrupted his company. Though the book was never published, the experience of penning it awakened his passion for writing and storytelling. While continuing to work as a consultant in the oil industry, he wrote three more novels, though his search for an agent to help him sell his work to a traditional publisher proved unsuccessful.

Undaunted, the native of Louisiana adopted the pen name Eric Wilder and continued writing. Big Easy, the first novel in his new mystery series, marked the emergence of French Quarter sleuth Wyatt Thomas and his business partner, voodoo mambo Mama Mulate.

With the eBook revolution opening new opportunities for writers, Pittenger published Big Easy as an eBook through Smashwords (an eBook distributor) and Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing program. The book was a success, topping Amazon's charts for a while as its bestselling hardboiled mystery, and continuing to win new fans..

"The eBook revolution has changed the face of publishing," said Pittenger. "The next Hemingway or Faulkner will be downloaded; not printed."

While Gary Pittenger continues to work as a geologist, Eric Wilder has penned the sequel to Big Easy. City of Spirits is scheduled for release in April, 2012, and Gary/Eric hopes it will satisfy his many new fans clamoring for more French Quarter mystery and intrigue.

For more information contact:
Gary Pittenger
1800 Canyon Park Circle, Suite 401
Edmond, OK 73013
V: 405.341.0076
E: wilderinok@yahoo.com

https://www.ericwilder.com/wilder_17_008.htm

https://www.facebook.com/louisianamysterywriter