novels
Two in the morning—Saint Joe, Missouri:
Insects buzz in the heavy air, and sitting in her '85
Ford, saleswoman Maggie Black can barely
breathe. Glancing at the little boy asleep behind
her, she prays the van will start. Dirty, beat, and
shaking with fear, she thrusts the key in and twists
hard, frantically pumping the gas.
Homeless and on the run, she lands in Lincoln,
Nebraska—hoping to earn some money. Pitching
her wares door-to-door as dusk falls, she's stopped
by the police. Before escorting her out of town, the
sergeant offers advice—booming casinos in
Deadwood need workers. A dream catches fire in
her heart, but she strands 240 miles short, at a city
campground in Scottsbluff. Broke, her son ill, she
accepts the help of a lonely park ranger—only to
become torn between his love, her dreams, and
the stark reality of her past.
A prairie town, dramatic bluff and historic river form
the crucible in this visceral portrayal of survival,
redemption and love.
For the latest news about this novel, see my
Blog Posts # 11 - 15
Cover design by Streetlight Graphics
Cover portrait photo by Artofphoto/CanstockPhoto
See Petote's interview with BooksGoSocial
See Blog Post 17 for an introduction to my upcoming novel,
The Angel of Pleiku.
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