Glendy Vanderah worked as an endangered bird specialist in Illinois before she became a writer. Originally from Chicago, she now lives in rural Florida with her husband and as many birds, butterflies, and wildflowers as she can lure to her land. Where the Forest Meets the Stars is her debut novel.
Crow Talk (2024) Eileen Garvin "Bursting with beautifully detailed observations of Pacific Northwest wildlife, Crow Talk will speak to the hearts of nature and bird lovers. Eileen Garvin's story is itself a rich ecosystem that interconnects two women's family histories, traumas, fears, disappointments - and above all, their determination to heal. As biologist Frankie attempts to decipher the language of crows and songwriter Anne tries to understand why her son can't speak, the new friends find themselves muted in multiple ways - unable to pursue their scientific and creative passions, ask for help, set limits, forgive. The crows in the story always know how to speak their minds, and perhaps there are lessons to be learned from their candid communications. This book is a must-read for crow devotees and critics alike!"
A Winter's Rime (2023) Carol Dunbar "Just as every snowflake is shaped by unique environmental conditions, each of us is born into circumstances that intricately pattern our adult behavior. Once determined, can these patterns be changed? That's the provocative question in A Winter's Rime, the poignant story of a young woman who's learning how to trust herself and the people around her in the aftermath of repeated trauma. Set in an atmospheric winter landscape, Dunbar's second novel tenderly demonstrates the healing power of friendship, empathy, and closure."
Sarah Jost "Jost's brilliant debut is a fascinating exploration of how the choices we make affect our relationships, and ultimately our ability to feel good about our lives. Full of hope and heart, this book is a compassionate ode to the beautiful messiness of being human."
Other Birds (2022) Sarah Addison Allen "With a dash of her signature magic, Allen dishes up a touching story that hits the sweet spot between heartache and healing. Set in an atmospheric island town, Other Birds interlaces the disappointments and dreams of a group of creative, lonely people who have more in common than they know. And that's the real magic in this story: the human ability to connect with people and places in meaningful ways that transform our lives."
A Day Like This (2021) Kelley McNeil "When we fantasize about different paths we might have taken, we usually think about how our lives would be better—but how much would we have lost to arrive there? In her gorgeous debut, Kelley McNeil explores the question of ‘what if’ through a brilliant premise that kept me captivated hour after hour. This book is bursting with heartache and love, and with tremendous empathy for its genuine and likable characters—including a beloved house. A Day Like This is smart, poignant, and poetic, the story itself like the main character’s life, a blossom that unfolds in fascinating layers."
Write My Name Across the Sky (2021) Barbara O'Neal "With its themes of creativity and art, Write My Name Across the Sky is itself like a masterfully executed painting. Using refined brushstrokes, O’Neal builds her vivid, complex characters: three independent women in one family who can’t quite come to terms with their fierce feelings of love for one another. O’Neal deftly switches between three points of view, adding layers of family history into this intimate and satisfying study of how women make tough choices between love and creativity and family and freedom."
The Memory Collectors (2021) Kim Neville "In The Memory Collectors, Neville creates a richly imagined world that seamlessly merges the magical with the everyday. Her characters will feel very real to anyone who has sensed the haunting power in objects and places that awaken deep emotions from their past. This inventive debut is a hopeful tale about the possibility of recovery after childhood trauma, and about learning how to trust and forgive--especially oneself. I guarantee you will never feel the same about that box of keepsakes stored in your attic after you read this book."
Hadley and Grace (2021) Suzanne Redfearn "Buckle in tight for the high-speed adventures of Hadley and Grace, the unlikely duo of diaper bag–toting outlaws who will go to harrowing lengths to protect their children. Full of humor, heartbreak, and charming acts of kindness, the twists in Redfearn’s road trip tale will have you dashing through its pages to the unpredictable finale."
