That One Line, a Video, a Book Club Pick, and a Giveaway.
Summer Ends and New Things Coming!
Dearest Readers,
With summer ending, I am writing to you from the North Carolina mountains where I am wrestling a new idea to the page, hiking, and spending time with family and old friends. Today, I’m here with A Video, That One Line, A Giveaway, A Book Club Pick, and as always, The Things That Are Inspiring Me Now. Along with some news!
AND to tell you (BELOW!) about a really amazing event that I’ll be doing in Charleston with Jenna Bush Hager (Yes, THAT Jenna), Octavia Spencer, and more — all to raise money for childhood literacy! BOOK DROP FUNDRAISER LINK HERE!
A VIDEO
I am a bit in love with this video that Atria Simon & Schuster created for my March release! I’ve watched it a few (understatement) times. This novel was inspired by a true literary mystery of an author who disappeared, a created language, and a touch of Beatrix Potter magic, I am so excited to share this VIDEO!
THE STORY SHE LEFT BEHIND: A legendary book, a lost mother, and the woman searching for them both.
THAT ONE LINE
In Frances Mayes’s novel A Great Marriage, there are so many lines that took my breath away. As a poet, Frances has a way with words that cut right to the heart, and one line, in particular, stopped me in my tracks: “The wild in everything.” Just those four words. I had to close the book and let it simmer. That’s the magic of reading, isn’t it? Those moments when a phrase opens your eyes to the world with a touch more wonder, a bit more understanding.
Have you ever read a line that lingered with you, whether in a book or in life? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
Recently, I had the pleasure of joining Frances Mayes in Charleston to celebrate her new novel. What an honor it was!
BOOK CLUB PICK
The amazing Gloss Book Club has chosen THE SECRET BOOK OF FLORA LEA for their September book club pick. I am so thrilled to be joining them online on October 2nd at 7 PM EST. More details to come. CLICK HERE !!
EARLY BUZZ FOR THE STORY SHE LEFT BEHIND
Also, I’m so pleased to have received early endorsements for The Story She Left Behind from two of my literary heroes: William Kent Krueger and Adriana Trigiani.
“Once again, Patti Callahan Henry proves that she is a magician with words. In her newest novel, she conjures a story that is a lovely mix of so many elements sure to please her universe of readers, a magical mosaic of adventure, suspense, romance, mystery, and even a sprinkle of make-believe. Graceful in its telling and so very wise in its insights, The Story She Left Behind is a book that will capture your heart, lift your spirits, and delight your soul.”
—William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author of This Tender Land and the Cork O’Connor series
“The spectacular Patti Callahan Henry is at the height of her literary powers with The Story She Left Behind. Bronwyn's story, steeped in secrets and an unsolved family mystery is emotional and atmospheric. The author paints the dual settings, languid South Carolina in America and the haunting Lake District of England, with color and veracity. This mother daughter story is one for the ages.”
—Adriana Trigiani, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Left Undone
A GIVEAWAY
And it’s that time! With only six months until publication, we begin our giveaways for early reads. Fingers crossed you are a winner!
Atria Books is running a giveaway on GoodReads with 100 advance reader copies up for grabs! ENTER NOW through September 18th!
WHAT’S INSPIRING ME NOW
As always, I am here with some of my favorite things that are inspiring me now.
INTERVIEW: This interview Ron Block did in our Friends & Fiction Endless Stories newsletter with bestselling author William Kent Krueger to celebrate Spirit Crossing, his newest novel in his Cork O’Connor series. This line from the interview means so much to me: “Good stories aim for the heart.” And I could not agree more!
ACTIVITY: Hiking the North Carolina Mountains – I always forget what I know: being in the natural world for hours is completely healing and grounds me back into my body and work and life.
WRITING ADVICE: This interview with AnneLamott on Daily Good with her 12 Truths I Learned from Life and Writing. There is so much good stuff in here, but I love this line: You’re going to feel like hell if you wake up someday and you never wrote the stuff that is tugging on the sleeves of your heart: your stories, memories, visions and songs — your truth, your version of things — in your own voice. That’s really all you have to offer us, and that’s also why you were born.
NEWS
Meanwhile, you can check out all my latest news right HERE! Including…
Beginning today and for three days only, Barnes & Noble is running a pre-order promotion! From September 4th – 6th all B&N Rewards and Premium members can get 25% off when you pre-order The Story She Left Behind in any format by using PREORDER25 at checkout. Pre-order HERE!
This article about my book Once Upon a Wardrobe being chosen as Texas’s 16th Annual 2024 Washington County READ selection and to promote my Tuesday, October 8th Lifetime Learning event at Unity Theatre in Brenham, TX.
EVENTS
Thursday, September 26, 7pm ET—I’m honored to participate in Charleston Library Society’s Book Drop Progressive Inaugural Fundraiser with Jenna Bush Hager, Octavia Spencer, Kathryn Stockett, Tayari Jones, Mary Alice Monroe, and Wiley Cash among others. Attendees will be seated at a table of 6, and joined by one of the honored guests. Information & tickets HERE.
Friday, September 27, 4pm ET — Friends & Fiction Live “Toast to the Ta-Tas” event at High Point Country Club in High Point, NC to benefit Earlier.org. Details & tickets HERE.
Sunday, September 29, 10am ET — Friends & Fiction Live brunch event at the 19th Annual Bookmarks Festival of Books & Authors in Winston-Salem, NC. Tickets HERE.
Wednesday, November 6, 6pm ET — Friends & Fiction Live at the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Orlando, FL for a fundraiser to benefit Florida Cancer Specialists. Tickets HERE.
Thursday, November 7, 12:30pm ET — Friends & Fiction Live luncheon hosted by the Amelia Island Book Festival at The Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island, FL. Details HERE.
Always keep an eye on the EVENTS PAGE on my website for the latest news and visit the TOUR page on the Friends & Fiction website to see what fin group events we have planned together.
FRIENDS & FICTION
We are busy as ever over at Friends and Fiction! Check out our upcoming schedule for this month where I’ll be interviewing TJ Klune, Laura Dave, and Jodi Picoult!
For now, back to planning for the March 2025 release and book tour for The Story She Left Behind—and plotting the book after that!
That’s all for now, my friends.
Love,
PCH
ABOUT PATTI CALLAHAN HENRY
New York Times Bestselling Author and Podcast Host
Patti Callahan Henry is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Globe and Mail bestselling author of seventeen novels and a podcast host. She is the recipient of The Christy Award—A 2019 Winner "Book of the Year”; The Harper Lee Distinguished Writer of the Year for 2020; and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year for 2019.
Patti is the co-host and co-creator of the popular weekly web show, podcast, and online community, Friends & Fiction.
A full-time author, mother of three, and grandmother of two, she lives in Mountain Brook, Alabama, with her husband, Pat Henry. Her newest novel, The Secret Book of Flora Lea, is set outside Oxford in the hamlet of Binsey and was released on May 2nd, 2023, by Atria (Simon & Schuster).
Be sure to follow Patti on social media and visit my website for the latest updates and announcements!
When reading The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon, as a widow of 3 years the following touched and comforted my heart: “We are in the twilight years of a long love affair, and it has recently occurred to me that a day will come when one of us buries the other. But, I remind myself, that is the happy ending to a story like ours. It is a vow made and kept. Till death do us part. It is the only acceptable outcome to a long and happy marriage, and I am determined not to fear that day, whenever it arrives. I am equally determined to soak up all the days in between.”
I loved the trailer for the new book (so excited for you and for us readers!) and the lines from Anne Lamott were helpful and timely. Thanks so much!