Alumna returning for her first book signing

Alexandra Hamlet, a University of Richmond graduate and Richmond, Va., native, will be returning to campus to sign copies of her first book, "The Right Guard," from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on April 5 in the Brown-Alley Room in Weinstein Hall.

The book, which the author describes on her website as "a military-intelligence thriller," is the first of a planned trilogy, Hamlet said.

Hamlet graduated in 1972 with degrees in journalism and psychology. She also earned a graduate degree in social and cultural anthropology from Harvard University, she said. She gained a wealth of experience for her book during her time with the U.S. Department of Defense, where she worked for more than 15 years as a cultural anthropologist, she said.

Hamlet had wanted to be a writer long before she came to Richmond. When she was in the sixth grade, Hamlet wrote a seven-page novel, she said. She had originally written the framework for her current novel in 1978, but had put it on hold, she said.

Hamlet said her education at Richmond both prepared her for success and provided challenges early in her writing career.

"[In the beginning], I was writing as a journalist, giving away the red herrings too early," she said. "I had to learn to tease the reader."

She also had to adapt her writing style to incorporate the realism of her jobs and experiences, while also arranging and emphasizing particular points to make them consistently interesting for the readers, she said.

"At the Department of Defense, we had a saying that working there is '99 percent boredom and 1 percent sheer terror,'" she said. "I had to find a balance between the two."

Hamlet believes she may have found that balance because people within the military-intelligence community said her novel had been one of the most realistic they had ever read, she said.

The author said that the book was not a romance novel, but a suspense thriller, and that being a female writing in this genre made her stand out. Her book has had a large male following so far, she said.

Hamlet credited the coordinate college system and Westhampton College for preparing her to succeed in all fields, male-dominated or otherwise.

"Westhampton College was unique," she said. "It had an ability to train women to be leaders, a certain strength and honesty."

Hamlet said that she had known of many other women from her class who were currently leaders in other fields. She enjoyed having classes with the men of Richmond College and developed a friendly rivalry with them, feeling as though she had to try harder to prove herself as a woman, she said.

"Richmond was realistic. ... It launched us into real-world experience," she said. "The only other place I've experienced [the same atmosphere] was at Harvard."

Hamlet said that she had been very pleased with the response to "The Right Guard," which was published in January. Since then, she has gotten hits on her website from 256 cities in 30 countries.

With future plans to come to the city of Richmond for a signing, Hamlet said she had gotten into touch with the university staff about coming back to campus. The discussion led to Thursday's event.

Hamlet's other local signing will be Saturday, April 7, at the Barnes and Noble on Libbie Avenue, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Contact reporter Casey Glick at casey.glick@richmond.edu