Sandusky author's new mystery novel set in Antarctica

FREMONT — Adam Hoss is a Cleveland native who lives in Sandusky and teaches English at Terra Community College in Fremont.But his mind isn't always on northern Ohio. He has studied rare languages from the African desert, and his new mystery novel has a setting near the South Pole."One Hundred Below," just out from publisher Black Rose Writing, is set at a scientific research station in Antarctica."Professor Ariel Zwicky, a longtime station glaciologist, is found murdered after her unauthorized dig sites off station come to light," Hoss said. "The story follows Dylan Alvarez, a staff supervisor, as he attempts, initially, to clear the name of one of his employees, and then later, to clear his own name when he becomes suspect number one.""The story is really a metaphor for mental illness, and how trauma can manifest itself long after a wounding event," Hoss said. "Many years ago, Dylan had left home for Sputnik Station in an attempt to escape the lingering aftermath from a traumatic event. I've always been fascinated by the psychology of people living in isolated or extreme environments."Last month's book launch featured a unique promotion. "My book is officially out today. Buy now and I will mail you one (1) complimentary chocolate chip cookie via UPS," Hoss wrote on Twitter on Feb. 14.He added, however, "While supplies last, which won't be long, because I'm eating them."Hoss is an assistant professor of English at Terra State. He said he tells his students that it's important to rework their writing to make it better."Getting college students to understand the importance of revising can be an uphill struggle," he said.Hoss can tell his students that he practices what he preaches."The project took me about a year to complete. I hammered out the first draft in about a month, then spent the next 11 months revising," he wrote in an email to the Register."One Hundred Below" is Hoss' second published novel. "Infinity Point," also published by Black Rose Writing, came out in 2017."It tells the story of a struggling actress who is contacted by a mysterious organization and ends up going on a journey with her estranged sister in search of their mother, who may have been involved in a secretive cult," Hoss said.Hoss literary and linguistic interests are wide-ranging. A self-described "voracious reader" and a book collector, Hoss says, "I love (and collect) the classics, specifically early American modernists like Faulkner and Steinbeck. Among contemporary writers, I admire James Lee Burke, Margaret Atwood and Don DeLillo."Hoss studied English at Kent State but also has a master's degree in linguistics from the City of University of New York. He has worked to preserve two endangered African languages, Zagawha and Masalit, from the Darfur region in western Sudan.Hoss is currently at work on a new series of mystery novels.The hero will be a rare book collector who travels around the world, looking for lost books and rare first editions, Hoss said.Author and English professor Adam Hoss.