|
|
|
1.
|
|
Birdie Wainwright, 72, isn’t concerned about seeing things that others can’t. For a woman who still climbs mountains with her dog (Miss Bee Haven) and likes to tango, the impractical visions brought on by macular degeneration are just another gift from God, adding more adventure to life. But when a tumble down the stairs breaks her ankle and leads back to her son’s home in Denver where she must convalesce, Birdie’s imagination really takes flight. Following a conversation with her grandson about The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, she begins to see and speak with the unkempt literary character himself on a regular basis. As the line between reality and whimsy turns brittle, faith is tested among friends and loved ones, and hope is reborn. Seeing Things is a story about family, reconciliation, and hearing from God in unexpected ways. Endorsements:Seeing Things is a delight for the senses. Patti Hill is gifted with the ability to provide a colorful illusion with words, in which I could see better through the eyes of an older woman with macular degeneration than I can see through my own eyes. The story is honest about family struggles, filled with realistic characters and gentle humor--a literary treat. Hannah Alexander, author of A Killing Frost and the Hideaway series What a joyful adventure this was! In Seeing Things, Patti Hill has created the most wonderful traveling companion: Birdie Wainwright, a plucky, funny, deliciously foolish, wondrously wise grandmother with macular degeneration and hallucinations of Huckleberry Finn. Mix her in with a well-meaning dog, a lovesick pharmacist, and a family much too uppity for its britches, and you've got a tender, soul-stirring novel that will make you smile long after you turn the last page. ~ Kathleen Popa, author of To Dance in the Desert and The Feast of Saint Bertie "Patti Hill has created a quirky bunch of characters and dropped them into a fascinating story world where nothing is too far-fetched, in her delightful novel Seeing Things. Thoroughly engaging from start to finish." Sharon K. Souza, author of Lying on Sunday ...
|
|
2.
|
|
En route to college in the summer of 1975, sensible seventeen-year-old Amy gets stuck in smalltown Colorado when the 1958 Pontiac Bonneville Sports Coupe driven by her insufferable tiara-toting mom, Francie—former Queen of the Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, Corn Festival—surrenders to a mortally wounded transmission. It doesn’t take long to realize that thirty-three-year-old Francie is out of money and in no hurry to let go of her daughter, so the two unpack indefinitely. Amy finds work at a funeral home, a place where her unlikely Christian faith can work itself out among the town’s young and old, geeks and jocks, hippies and clergy alike. Trying not to judge her mom’s serial boyfriend escapades, Amy ends up in a tragic love triangle herself which gives both mother and daughter the chance to do some real growing up. But in a surprise twist, their road to healing still has many miles to go in 2008 as they travel back to Sleepy Eye in that old ’58 coupe.
Endorsements:
“The Queen of Sleepy Eye is written with exquisite depth of character . . . a fantastic story.”
—Hannah Alexander, author of the Hideaway series
“Few stories are able to balance both the crushing cost of sin and the transforming power of grace. The Queen of Sleepy Eye succeeds brilliantly. The author invites us on a journey with complex characters so real that we cry when they fail and rejoice when they reveal brilliant glimpses of God at work in their hearts. Patti Hill crafts each word with beauty and artistry, enhancing this poignant tale of regret and redemption.”
—Sharon Hinck, author of Symphony of Secrets and Renovating Becky Miller
“This book captured me from the first page! In every way, it’s a keeper—from the eloquent writing to the rich cast of characters that breathe life into this coming-of-age tale. But it’s more than just a story about growing up; it’s about life and loss, love and forgiveness, and discovering that there is more to the world than what we see. You’ll love The Queen of Sleepy Eye!”
—Susan May Warren, author of Taming Rafe
“Quirky yet powerfully emotional. Amy’s mother is outrageous, but it is also poignant how her daughter strives to understand her. This novel is a gem for all women's fiction lovers!”
—Camy Tang, author of Only Uni and Single Sashimi ...
|
|
