Hannah Blackwell has led a dull and dutiful life. Widowed young, she moved back to her childhood home to care for her ailing parents, and somehow never left. As she approaches her seventh decade, she often struggles to find reasons to get out of the house.
That all changes the day she receives a registered letter, informing her that she has inherited a five-acre parcel on an unpaved road, complete with rundown shack and unmanageable weeds, in the Sierra Nevada foothills. The inheritance, from a renegade brother she hadn’t seen in 30 years, forces Hannah out of her well-worn routines, and into a world of rugged and unfamiliar possibilities.
Hoping to find clues to her brother’s life, she visits the property, finding herself tantalized by its harsh landscape, and drawn to the odd assortment of neighbors who surround her. As Hannah’s connection to the land and the neighbors deepens, she uncovers fragments of her brother’s life, as well as the many ways in which she has abandoned her own life.
Blind Shady Bend tells the story of ordinary people whose lives can change radically and passionately, no matter how stuck they may feel, no matter their age.
Praise for Blind Shady Bend
“Gently and poetically, Sara takes us on a journey into rural America where lives twine together in unexpected ways. Her characters are as rich as the landscape she so beautifully describes.” —Beverly Olevin, author, The Good Side of Bad, Winner Kirkus Discoveries Best Fiction 2010
“The more we read, the more the mystery deepens…like a mirage that keeps the same distance even when you stride toward it. Sara has a knack for unfolding essential truths with a few compact words. Her handling of multiple viewpoints is pitch perfect.” —Dennis Kaplan, author, editor, The Workplace Anthology, www.workplaceanthology.com
“This debut novel draws deep into the lives of a fascinating cast of characters. Sara’s honest and lyrical voice delivers life lessons by way of pure old-fashioned reading pleasure.” —Joy Maulitz, award-winning author, host of KWMR-FM’s “Waves of Joy”