Fiction: literary and general non-genre

Book SynopsisApproaching forty, unemployed but well-off, talented but unknown, functional but depressed, former musical actress Cecilia Morrison reluctantly starts therapy, hoping for a change in her life, but ultimately it's a runaway teenager who cons her out of sixty bucks, not therapy, that gives her the inspiration she's looking for.Trade Review“Reed’s charming novel stars a neurotic singer with mother issues who has been avoiding auditions and attending frustrating therapy sessions instead. When Cecilia meets a homeless boy on the streets, however, her life takes a risky new direction. A well-written, endearing book that surprises . . . ” —Kirkus Reviews “Reed engages the reader from page to page toward a satisfyingly cozy niche for all ofher characters, never losing s—Barbara Scott, founder of A Woman’s Write “To read Warming Up is to enter a story that keeps you eager to know what evercompelling twist is just beyond the next page.” —Lucia Blinn, author of We Called It “The Country” “Only an ingenious writer gifted with imagination, heart, and courage could bring together the characters in this book, with the result that the reader cannot turn pages fast enough to be rewarded with basic truth—that caring for someone else and accepting yourself, even when your own life is forcing harsh truths on you, can break the bonds of fear and allow love to thrive.” —Enid Powe ll, author of To Tell You The Truth and Other Fictions “As in her first novel, Courting Kathleen Hannigan, Reed draws you into a compelling story and immerses you in a fulfilling and heart-warming experience.” —Marjie Rynears on, author of Gentle Vignettes and Elements of Story Structure

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Book SynopsisFreddie was raised on faith. It’s in her blood. Yet rather than seeking solace from the Almighty when she loses her husband of many years, she enters a state of quiet contemplation—until her daughter, and then her sister, each come home with a host of problems of their own, and her solitude is brought to an end. As Freddie helps her daughter and sister deal with their troubles, her own painful past—a wretched childhood at the hands of an unbalanced, pious mother—begins to occupy her thoughts more than ever, as does Anna, the grandmother she’s always wished she’d known better. Freddie feels that she and Anna are connected, not just through blood but through the raising of difficult daughters, and it’s a kinship that makes her wonder what unseen forces have shaped her life. With all that to hand, a new family crisis rears its head—and it forces Freddie to confront the questions she’s asked so many times: What does it mean to believe in God? And does God even care?Trade Review“Anne Leigh Parrish’s fine debut novel, What Is Found, What Is Lost, is a moving and graceful tale that delves deeply into the histories of two sisters, Freddie and Holly. The women reinvent their lives and fortunes as adults, but despite new identities, find they must learn to navigate the complex network of family ties and family lies that bind them together. Parrish, in clear, deft prose, explores the meaning of motherhood, faith, loyalty, and tenderness; effortless, she carries her readers through four generations of one family’s checkered history of love.” —Mary Akers, author of Bones Of An Inland Sea “In What Is Found, What Is Lost, Anne Leigh Parrish ruminates on faith and lack of, as well as family and love. With writing akin to the comfort of a conversation over a familiar kitchen table, she takes us on a journey through the years—both skeptical and believing, both hard and bright—to get at the hearts of these women, marriages, mothers and daughters, these relationships. Parrish isn’t afraid to let us drift to the darkness, but we can trust that we will find her on her hands and knees, looking for the lost flashlight to guide our way. What Is Found, What Is Lost, is a deft novel full of rich characters and even richer emotions that will leave a pleasant ache in your bones.” —Leesa Cross-Smith, author of Every Kiss A War

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Book SynopsisFirst published in 1980, Crossing Over is hybrid prose-poetry and flash fiction about one young man’s journey through the Vietnam War. Adapted for the stage and praised by antiwar activist Daniel Berrigan, these vignettes from the war-torn jungles changed the way America saw the Vietnam Era. The material in Crossing Over formed the basis of Currey’s 1988 novel Fatal Light, cited by Tim O’Brien as “one of the very best works of fiction to emerge from the Vietnam War.”

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Book SynopsisLondinium is burning. Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, newly appointed governor of Roman Britain, is charged by an increasingly unstable Emperor Nero with a difficult task—the untamed island on the fringes of the empire must earn a profit. To do so, Suetonius pursues the last of the Druids into Wales and, along the way, subdues the fractious Celtic chieftains who sit atop a fortune in gold and rare metals. Meanwhile, in the provincial capital of Londinium, war is brewing. As Nero’s corrupt tax officials strip the British tribes of their wealth and dignity, an unlikely leader arises—Queen Boudicca, chieftain of the Iceni, who unites the tribes of Britain and leads them on a furious and bloody quest for vengeance and liberty. A novel told in the form of a memoir, Imperial Governor is a compelling and impeccably researched portrait of Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, Roman general and first-century Governor of Britannia, who unexpectedly found himself facing one of the bloodiest rebellions against Roman rule. Shipway’s masterful military adventure has long been considered one of the most accomplished works of historical fiction set in the Roman Era, providing fascinating detail of life in Roman Britain and within the Roman Legions—and a riveting saga of uprisings, war, and conquest in the ancient world.Trade Review"Required reading for fans of ancient Britain and Rome, and for anyone who loves immersive historical fiction." Alan Smale, Sidewise Award-winning author of the 'Clash of Eagles' trilogy

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Book SynopsisMelanie Henderson's life is a lie. The scandal of her birth and the identity of her true parents is kept from her family's small, conservative Colorado town. Not even she knows the truth: that her birth mother was just 14 and unmarried to her father, a local boy who drowned when he tried to take a shortcut across an icy river. Thirty-five years later, in Denver, Melanie dabbles in affairs with married men while clinging to a corporate job that gives her life order even as her tenuous relationships fall apart. She still hasn't learned that the woman who raised her is actually her aunt—or that her birth mother visits her almost every day. This fiercely-guarded secret bonds the two most important women in her life, who hatched a plan to trade places and give Melanie a life unmarred by shame. Yet, as a forest fire rages through the Rocky Mountains and a car accident shakes the family, Melanie finds herself at the center of an unraveling tangle of tragedy and heartbreak. If the Ice Had Held speaks with a natural lyricism, and presents a cast of characters who quietly struggle through complicated lives.Trade Review"A kind of suspense is built into the very structure of If the Ice Had Held . I became more and more invested in each character and storyline and more and more eager to see how they would intersectI found it nearly impossible to put the book down." Small Press Picks" IF THE ICE HAD HELD , at its heart a story about second chances, is both haunting and luminous. I was captivated by how, in the aftershock of tragedy, these memorable characters try to find their way toward some brighter place. Expertly shifting back and forth in time, Fox has crafted an intricate mosaic shimmering with gorgeous prose." Heather Bell Adams, author of Maranatha Road"Fox delivers finely observed, lyrical, storytelling, persuasive in its depiction of everyday unions and choices... this is eloquent tale-spinning lit by unshowy portraiture. A small world, but a perceptible talent." Kirkus"Throughout, Fox pivots seamlessly among the perspectives of these key players, crafting a poignant story that questions fate and free will." arianna rebolini, Buzzfeed"I marveled at the kaleidoscopic effect that Fox gives readers of the connections across time, across families, across life... Fox's writing is cool, serene and stripped clean of sentimentality. She is a dry-eyed documentarian with a keen eye and a terrific ear." MARK H. STEVENS, Pank"...incisive, marrow-chilling...Fox brings to the family saga a poet's eye...and she inscribes it in vivid prose that lingers...like the beautiful ache of the cold." Patrick Thomas Henry, Necessary Fiction"A terrific novel [that] weaves several different stories, across a span of time, and it all culminates in one of the best final chapters I've read in a novel in a long time." David Abrams, Founder, The Quivering Pen. Author, Brave Deeds"The issues Fox examines and the relationships she draws between her characters speak to the human experience, causing If the Ice Had Held to be innovative and effective." Hannah Jackson, Heavy Feather Review

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