In The NoCo

This Colorado author’s new novel asks thorny questions about who owns a story

By In The NoCo,

Erin O'Toole, Brad Turner

Published November 5, 2025 at 5:35 AM MST

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Colorado author R L Mazes, a woman with shoulder-length dark brown hair, wearing a blue shirt and glasses, smiles for the photo as a white cat stands on the back of her chair, with its front paws on her shoulder. — Colorado author R.L. Maizes has released her new novel, A Complete Fiction. The book tells the story of two writers caught in a social media firestorm that has real-life parallels.

A stolen idea for a novel, an angry social media post and an online backlash that engulfs the main characters:

These are the elements of an intriguing new novel by Colorado author R.L. Maizes.

The writer says it draws on some of her own experiences. And the novel raises thorny questions about who gets to own an idea, who has the right to tell a particular story, and the tension of writing a novel in an age of social media tirades.

A Complete Fiction was released earlier this week. Maizes, who lives near Boulder, joined Erin O’Toole to share the real-life challenges of being a writer in our chronically online society.

Maizes will speak about her new book at Boulder Bookstore this Wednesday, and at Old Firehouse Books in Fort Collins on Thursday.

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In The NoCo

KUNC's In The NoCo is a daily slice of stories, news, people and issues. It's a window to the communities along the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The show brings context and insight to the stories of the day, often elevating unheard voices in the process. And because life in Northern Colorado is a balance of work and play, we celebrate the lighter side of things here, too.

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Erin O'Toole

As the host of KUNC’s news program and podcast In The NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation. I love finding the stories and voices that reflect what makes NoCo such an extraordinary place to live.

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Brad Turner

Brad Turner is an executive producer in KUNC's newsroom. He manages the podcast team that makes In The NoCo, which also airs weekdays in Morning Edition and All Things Considered. His work as a podcaster and journalist has appeared on NPR's Weekend Edition, NPR Music, the PBS Newshour, Colorado Public Radio, MTV Online, the Denver Post, Boulder's Daily Camera, and the Longmont Times-Call.

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