Hillwilla: A Novel - Hardcover

Forde, Melanie

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0988591979 ISBN 13: 9780988591974

Publisher: Mountain Lake Press, 2014

Synopsis

Beatrice Desmond, 55, lives on a remote farm nestled in a deep hollow in southern West Virginia. A native of Boston and a graduate of an Ivy League college, Beatrice is a fish out of water in Seneca County; although she maintains contact with certain friends and family, too often, Beatrice retreats into her work as a translator and editor, or into the bottle of Jack Daniel’s she maintains nearby. Fate finally intervenes, requiring Beatrice to befriend and shelter Clara, an abused teenager, and accept the job of ghostwriting the memoir of her dashing but enigmatic neighbor, Tanner Fordyce. Gradually, Beatrice finds her resolute independence and crusty reserve soften, her carefully constructed barriers fall, and her guarded and self-protective nature moderates, as she explores the renewed pleasures of emotional involvement. At times sad, at times hilarious, and always quirky, Hillwilla celebrates the glories of nature, the resilience of the human spirit, the healing power derived from genuine connections with others, and the potential for reinventing ourselves—at any age.

About this title

About the Author:

Melanie Forde is a veteran writer, ghosting in diverse formats—from academic white papers to advertising copy. Under her own name, she has published numerous features and commentaries about the natural world. She lives in Hillsboro, West Virginia.

Review:

"A great, heartwarming story . . . . I loved the scenes; I could feel myself right there in the pages. You can’t help getting sucked into the story and keep reading into the late hours wanting to know what is going to happen next." —J. Bronder, jbronderbookreviews.com

About this edition

• Publisher: Mountain Lake Press
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0988591979
• ISBN 13: 9780988591974
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 264