Genre: Adult, Christian, Contemporary, Fiction
Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas
Publication date: September 8, 2017
When her beloved grandmother requests one last summer at Still Waters, the family cottage on Edisto Beach, Cora Anne returns to a place that haunts her with loss and tempts her with forgiveness.
Peace means reconciling her family and her Edisto memories. But acceptance may mean loving the man determined to preserve a past she'd rather forget.
Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas
Publication date: September 8, 2017
When her beloved grandmother requests one last summer at Still Waters, the family cottage on Edisto Beach, Cora Anne returns to a place that haunts her with loss and tempts her with forgiveness.
Peace means reconciling her family and her Edisto memories. But acceptance may mean loving the man determined to preserve a past she'd rather forget.
Award-winning writer Lindsey P. Brackett once taught middle grades literature, but now she writes her
own works in the midst of motherhood. A blogger since 2010, she has published articles and short stories in a variety of print and online publications including Thriving Family, Country Extra, HomeLife, Northeast Georgia Living, Splickety Prime, Splickety Love, and Southern Writers Magazine Best Short Fiction 2015. Lindsey serves as Editor of Web Content for the Splickety Publishing Group, and she writes a popular column for several North Georgia newspapers.
As a mother of four chaotic kids, her home is always full of wet towels, lost library books, and strong coffee. Her love of family ties and southern places prompted her debut novel, Still Waters, inspired by her own love of Edisto summers and peach ice cream. Connect with her at http://www.lindseypbrackett.com.
1. What or whom inspired you to become an author?I have wanted to be an author ever since I read The Little House series. My parents gave them to me one by one starting when I was about eight years old. I’ve always been a voracious reader but those were my gateway books—from that point on I was a reader and I was a writer. I wanted to tell stories about my world, like Laura did, though I was an adult before I realized exactly what that meant. Other than Laura, I’d have to say books with a strong influence on my writing life were To Kill a Mockingbird and Madeline L’Engle’s memoir, Walking on Water.
2. What did you want to be when you grew up? Did becoming and author ever cross your mind?Guess you can tell it did from that first answer! I always wanted to be a writer but I struggled (and still do) a lot with self-confidence. I’m pretty good at a lot of things, and the problem with that is, it was easy to do the things that didn’t require me to be personally hurt if I didn’t succeed, such as theater, where I found a lot of joy in directing and working behind the scenes as well as on-stage. It’s much easier to be a part of someone else’s story than it is to write your own. I also had a great love for a classroom, so becoming a teacher was a natural, safe step. I’m so grateful for my years as a middle grades language arts teacher because it’s made me the writer I am today. And I just genuinely love teenagers. They are so much fun to be around and have such amazing insight into the world if you’ll just listen.
3. Who are some of your favorite authors? Do they inspire your own writing?
So obviously, Harper Lee and Madeline L’Engle, who really couldn’t be more different. I write southern fiction, so Lee is a natural choice, but in that canon I have a lot of strong influence from Terry Kay, Joshilyn Jackson, and Beth Webb Hart. Not because I write like them but because I love the way they write about the world I know. The South is an interesting dichotomy, and I don’t know that you can understand it unless you’ve lived it—and even then, my very small town, rural raising is completely different from someone raised in Atlanta or Charleston.
In CBA, Francine Rivers has long been a favorite, and my own editor, Eva Marie Everson. Eva’s Cedar Key novels struck a chord with me unlike any CBA book had ever done and for the first time, I thought my work may actually fit in this industry.
4. What is your current WIP? What can you share with us about this project?
Well, I have several projects going, including a Christmas novella that gives Hannah and Ben (Still Watersminor characters) a story. I’ve also got a sequel for Still Waters in the works. But an agent gave me some valuable advice to pursue a completely different project because of its strong hook and sale-ability. The new project is more Southern Gothic, really strong narrative drive, teenage protagonist, and all the drama and conflict of a small community split down the county line by a tragedy. There’s football and fried chicken and country music and references to Friday Night Lights and Footloose. It’s really different from Still Waters—not nearly as lyrical—but I’m enjoying the process of creating a completely different world. It’s set in the North Georgia mountains, which is where I’m from, so that’s been fun to make people see what this culture is like, because Appalachia is not the same as the Lowcountry.
5. What inspired the idea for Still Waters?
This novel really started with a place—Edisto Beach, where my family spent most summers of my childhood. When I first decided maybe I could actually do this, write a book, all I knew was I wanted a story set on Edisto. From there I began to build characters and to discover what brings them back or makes them stay away. As I grew as a writer, and began to understand how little I knew about novel structure, the plot changed many times, but ultimately it has always been a story of homecoming, relying on the power of family that ties us to a place.
6. What do you want readers to take away from reading Still Waters?
Cora Anne has a strong need to make things perfect, to control outcomes because so much of her young life was out of her control. She really struggles with grace and with forgiveness because she’s got that legalistic mindset—if I do this, then this should happen. I really hope, as readers experience her journey, they’ll recognize if they have any of these characteristics themselves. And I hope they’ll be inspired to let, as Emily Freeman puts it, “grace for the good girl” pervade. It’s my joy, also, to hear readers tell me they can’t wait to visit Edisto now. It’s a really special place, a rare find in a world of over development, and it’s a place that encourages us to live a little slower. I hope, even though everyone can’t get there, my readers will bring some of the Edisto pace into their own lives.
2. What did you want to be when you grew up? Did becoming and author ever cross your mind?Guess you can tell it did from that first answer! I always wanted to be a writer but I struggled (and still do) a lot with self-confidence. I’m pretty good at a lot of things, and the problem with that is, it was easy to do the things that didn’t require me to be personally hurt if I didn’t succeed, such as theater, where I found a lot of joy in directing and working behind the scenes as well as on-stage. It’s much easier to be a part of someone else’s story than it is to write your own. I also had a great love for a classroom, so becoming a teacher was a natural, safe step. I’m so grateful for my years as a middle grades language arts teacher because it’s made me the writer I am today. And I just genuinely love teenagers. They are so much fun to be around and have such amazing insight into the world if you’ll just listen.
3. Who are some of your favorite authors? Do they inspire your own writing?
So obviously, Harper Lee and Madeline L’Engle, who really couldn’t be more different. I write southern fiction, so Lee is a natural choice, but in that canon I have a lot of strong influence from Terry Kay, Joshilyn Jackson, and Beth Webb Hart. Not because I write like them but because I love the way they write about the world I know. The South is an interesting dichotomy, and I don’t know that you can understand it unless you’ve lived it—and even then, my very small town, rural raising is completely different from someone raised in Atlanta or Charleston.
In CBA, Francine Rivers has long been a favorite, and my own editor, Eva Marie Everson. Eva’s Cedar Key novels struck a chord with me unlike any CBA book had ever done and for the first time, I thought my work may actually fit in this industry.
4. What is your current WIP? What can you share with us about this project?
Well, I have several projects going, including a Christmas novella that gives Hannah and Ben (Still Watersminor characters) a story. I’ve also got a sequel for Still Waters in the works. But an agent gave me some valuable advice to pursue a completely different project because of its strong hook and sale-ability. The new project is more Southern Gothic, really strong narrative drive, teenage protagonist, and all the drama and conflict of a small community split down the county line by a tragedy. There’s football and fried chicken and country music and references to Friday Night Lights and Footloose. It’s really different from Still Waters—not nearly as lyrical—but I’m enjoying the process of creating a completely different world. It’s set in the North Georgia mountains, which is where I’m from, so that’s been fun to make people see what this culture is like, because Appalachia is not the same as the Lowcountry.
5. What inspired the idea for Still Waters?
This novel really started with a place—Edisto Beach, where my family spent most summers of my childhood. When I first decided maybe I could actually do this, write a book, all I knew was I wanted a story set on Edisto. From there I began to build characters and to discover what brings them back or makes them stay away. As I grew as a writer, and began to understand how little I knew about novel structure, the plot changed many times, but ultimately it has always been a story of homecoming, relying on the power of family that ties us to a place.
6. What do you want readers to take away from reading Still Waters?
Cora Anne has a strong need to make things perfect, to control outcomes because so much of her young life was out of her control. She really struggles with grace and with forgiveness because she’s got that legalistic mindset—if I do this, then this should happen. I really hope, as readers experience her journey, they’ll recognize if they have any of these characteristics themselves. And I hope they’ll be inspired to let, as Emily Freeman puts it, “grace for the good girl” pervade. It’s my joy, also, to hear readers tell me they can’t wait to visit Edisto now. It’s a really special place, a rare find in a world of over development, and it’s a place that encourages us to live a little slower. I hope, even though everyone can’t get there, my readers will bring some of the Edisto pace into their own lives.
- My grandparents actually met on a back road in Colleton County in the 1940’s. She was lost and he was bundling pine straw to sell. So that story inside the story is true.
- McConkey’s Jungle Shack—and they’re not kidding about the shack part—really does have the best fish tacos on the coast.
- Late in the book I reference a story about soldiers mistaking a loggerhead turtle for an enemy when the beach was being used as a lookout during WWII. This really happened and you can read about it in Nell Graydon’s Tales of Edisto, which I used for both reference and inspiration.
- We drive a blue minivan and it’s kind of well-known because the paint job was bad (thanks Honda) and we’ve never spend the money to fix it. So my best friend begged me to put the blue van in the story. It’s there, when Cora Anne and Nan stop at King’s Market, complete with a passel of kids. (I have four of those.)
- King’s Market has the best key lime pie. For real.
- My cousin Heather and I were born 18 hours apart, and our moms are sisters. Yes, she inspired Hannah. We spent (and still do sometimes) many weeks on Edisto with her family growing up. Our favorite thing was to hunt for sharks teeth and snail shells so we could make necklaces with our grandmother.
- The book is set in 2006 because I wanted a time period before social media’s invasion and before BiLo bought out the Piggly Wiggly. Edistonians are not coming around. They still call their only grocery store The Pig.
- The Edisto Island Open Land Trust is a gem I stumbled upon while researching what made the most sense for Tennessee’s philanthropic spirit. The EIOLT was the perfect fit since it’s all about preservation of the Island’s natural beauty, while empowering home owners to still be able to afford family property that’s been passed down for generations. The executive director, John, drank coffee with me one morning at the Edisto Coffee Shop and told me so much valuable information.
- Botany Bay (and that’s the Botany sentinel tree on my cover) was nearly destroyed by Hurricane Matthew in 2016. Edisto took the brunt of the storm’s hit and the eye passed over the island. The entire first row of houses were left standing in water since the beach was pushed inland. But the community there is strong and resilient. They’ve been rebuilding and regrouping. The beaches will never look the same, but as my mama says, “That’s nature. And life. Storms come and you have to deal with the aftermath.” Or, as Tennessee puts it in the story, “Sometimes a storm’s what clears out the junk…”
- Edisto Beach still has a video store, probably the last one left in the country. It’s also one of two places in the town to get ice cream—unless you’re sitting on your own porch enjoying the ocean breeze and listening for the churn to slow down.
"Still Waters" by Lindsey Brackett is one of those books that is really a good book but is really filled with too much reality. I am going to include my Facebook post I posted about this book, "Ok, I am so ready to quit reading, yes you read that right, books are getting to be more realistic and not an escape anymore, means they are full of cancer, death and all the real issues of life, maybe it wouldn't be so bad if all these things weren't in one book but the book I am reading now has it all, cancer and fears and death and even having a grandfather dying from a massive heart attack and one of the main characters is named Lou and one named Hannah, just too much reality lately". Ok I have too say I have only read 71% of the book and the book is great, but once again #toomuchreality " I have finished the book and again I say it is good but all these issues have hit home. This book made me miss my own grandma more than I already do. And no, I am not going to stop reading, that was just a fleeting thought.
I am giving the book five stars, I know it might seem weird with the above statement but the book was really written well and some of the story is history based.
There were a couple of scenes that I laughed out loud while reading such as when Cora Ann was talking about her brothers getting into her black fingernail polish because they were Indians.
The book is about Cora Ann learning to forgive her self.
Even with the too much reality I would still recommend this book with the warning , have tissue available because you will need them. I was surprised at the ending, It really didn't end how I was excepting it too, but I am not going to say if I liked it or not. You will need to read the book and then we can discuss if you agreed with my opinion or not.
I was given a complimentary copy by the author and these opinions are my own. Definitely five stars.
September 14--Beyond the Lake
September 15--Christian BookaholicSeptember 16--Debbie's Dusty Deliberations
September 17--
September 18--Soulfully Romantic
September 19--Reading Is My SuperPower
September 20--Singing Librarian Books
September 21--Remembrancy
September 22--Reader's Cozy Corner
September 23--
September 24--Christy's Cozy Corners
September 25--
September 26--Pause for Tales
I absolutely loved your review. It was honest, hit key topics in the story and made me want to read the book. I know through your review there are some heartbreaking things, but it seems like the author wrote a book that does dig deep and lets emotions come out. It is hard to read books with tragedy but sometimes it also helps heal wounds. Great review!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Deana!
DeleteYes, it was a great review. Thank you, Debbie. I love your honesty. Deana, I hope you enjoy Still Waters and let me know your thoughts as well.
Delete