Summer of 2000.In the southwest corner of Michigan, where the Hendersons have been stewards of the land for nearly forty years, experiencing the moments of bounty and despair that come with being fruit tree farmers, Wally Henderson decides one day that he’s ready to retire and move to North Carolina and be near his daughter and grandchildren.
And so begins a one-week odyssey that includes the picking up of a young hitchhiker and his eccentric, obese mother to being a witness in a revival and a bystander to a funeral of a dwarf.Along the way, Ava Henderson comes to realize that her husband’s mind is slowly disintegrating.In this unlikely pilgrimage—the Hendersons and their entourage— are forced to realize that the survival of one depends upon family and the help of strangers.Told mostly through the voice of sixty-seven-year Ava Henderson, but, at times, from her husband and her estranged daughter, Geri, A Hold on Time, is about the mystery of life, the bittersweet strength of love, and how the enduring power of memory can be both a form of failing and survival.
Two articles came my way this morning, both of which suggest that the future of publishing - for writers, at least - may be looking brighter than we thought.
On her excellent blog Holt Uncensored, Pat Holt wants editors, not sales & marketing staff, making editorial decisions again. It’s a worthy goal, but as a former [...]
The Network offices will be closed December 24 - January 5. We wish all our members and friends Happy Holidays (whatever holidays you may celebrate) and a Happy New Year.
Here’s some good reading to keep you occupied:
NPR looks at the latest challenges facing the book industry.
Novelist Kevin Baker writes for the Village Voice about An [...]
There have been many, many questions about ghostwriting and collaboration.
Frequently, people ask, “I have a great idea for a book, but I’m not a writer. Where can I find someone to write my story?” or “I would like to collaborate with a writer. I have a great idea for a book, but I really can’t [...]
Hat's Off!
...to Art Taylor for several recent and upcoming publications: the essay "Murder in Black & White: Novels of the Civil Rights Era" in the Fall 2008 issue of *Mystery Scene* magazine; the short story "Shrimp & Grits"
forthcoming in the January-February 2009 issue of *The Rambler*; and the short story "A Voice From the Past" in an upcoming issue of *Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine* (pub. date t.b.d.).
