Andy Vogt may best be known as the beleaguered voice of liberalism on “Feedback,” a round-table radio talk show moderated by Tom Mitchell that airs on WGTK 970 AM, Sundays at 6 p.m. But Vogt is also an accomplished author with two novels to her credit, three blogs that cover a variety of subjects, and more projects on the drawing board. “I’ve always been up for a challenge,” she explains.
Vogt, who grew up near Hamburg, Germany, came to Ft. Knox, Ky., with her husband under the “GI Plan.” But her marriage didn’t survive the trans-Atlantic flight. On her own and in a foreign country, Vogt liked the “small town character” of Louisville and stayed to become a professional massage therapist.
Massage relieves stress, and it wasn’t unusual for clients to unburden their troubles as well. So after years of writing blogs, she began turning her workday experiences and imagination into the novel “Secrets of a Massage Therapist.” Vogt describes it as a “sultry and humorous” story that follows the ups and downs of a love affair woven around stories from the massage table. A little romance, a dollop of humor, a pinch of lust and a sprinkling of mystery make for a read that one observer described as “great for a day at the beach.”
“Growing up, I probably read every one of Agatha Christie’s novels,” says Vogt. So it doesn’t take a sleuth to guess that her new e-book is a murder mystery – albeit one with a twist. “Path to Murder” is told from two points of view: a young woman on vacation who investigates a murder; and the dead woman, who was the abusive mother of the young woman’s new boyfriend. While one character searches for truth, the other has hidden from truth all her life. Suspicions and dark secrets keep the plot line turning. “It was very interesting writing from the perspective of a woman who enjoyed hurting others and was a borderline schizophrenic,” says the author.
Vogt likes stories that move quickly. She brings that quality to a writing style she describes as “crisp, funny, fast-paced and plot driven.” Like most mystery writers, she hopes her next book will introduce a character that is complex enough to support a series of books. Vogt is also writing a heart-felt inspirational book based in part on her father, who refused to let confinement to a wheelchair and a sixth-grade education crimp his thirst for life.
“Secrets of a Massage Therapist” is available in paperback and as an e-book from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other online retailers. The book is also available in paperback in brick-and-mortar bookstores, including the Tiny Bookshop. “Path to Murder” is available, for now, only as an e-book from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other online retailers. Vogt’s website, www.andyvogtbooks.com, has links for ordering and excerpts from both books.
Vogt can be heard Sunday evenings on WGTK, holding her ground alongside conservative opponents as they thrash out the news events of the week in a format that falls somewhere between impassioned debate and political mud-wrestling. But Vogt cheerfully admits she enjoys it. After all, it’s another challenge.
Eric George operates the Tiny Bookshop in YesterNook, at 1041 Goss Ave. His writing has appeared in over 20 Louisville-based publications since 1967. Contact him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .