Ann Tatlock

Dear Readers,

Once Beyond a Time by Ann Tatlock won the Christy award last year for Visionary category.  Visionary would be fantasy/sci fi.  Now I had never heard of this book and yet Ann is one of my favorite authors.  So of course I went looking for it and found a different type of book for Ann.  It's a book that I did enjoy. I had to get past the fact that it was Ann and I was used to her writing issue-driven books, usually contemporary or historical.  In Once Beyond a Time, she kind of combines all of those genres together.  This is a book set in the 60’s with parts happening in 1919 and others happening in 2005.  It makes for a very difficult plot line to explain. 

Meg and Sheldon have moved their family to a small town in Black Mountain, NC.  Sheldon has had an affair. It has cost him his job as a pastor and it is almost costing him his family.  His teenage daughter is angry and not afraid to let everyone know it.  His wife is hurt and unable to forgive him for his transgression.  The only one that sees the move as an adventure is his youngest, “Digger.”  Digger loves the new house and acreage they have moved to.  He is also the first to experience what is wrong with their house.  His new friend Mac?  Oh, he lived in the early 1900’s and yet he and Digger hang out together all the time. 

Each member of the family has a ‘ghost’ friend.  One only they can see.  One that they can visit with and talk to about what is going on, even if they do not fully understand why they can see each other.  As Meg and Linda dig deeper into why this is happening they discover an old folk lore that there are places in the Black Mountains where all of time is happening at once and that is why they can meet people from the past or future.   They are told it is God’s gift to them.  But they are not sure why.

Okay, I know that sounds like a very strange plot, but it really does work.  I found myself drawn into each storyline and really enjoying how they interacted with each other.  I also was glad that Ann stayed away from the idea that if those in the past could find something about the future it would make them rich or powerful.  That is an old and very tired plot.  Instead she used those visitors to help in other ways.  They became a sounding board.  They became a close friend that had different experiences but yet could be the one who understood the most. 

I will admit that I was a bit dubious when I first started the book, but I found myself drawn in and wondering how Ann was going to draw this all together.  She does a good job of making sure we understand that time is not the point of the story, but forgiveness.  No matter what time or age you live in, forgiveness and grace are gifts from God and we need to make use of them.

Happy Reading,  

Ann Tatlock

 

Dear Readers,

17 year old Eve and her family are moving from the sanctuary for mobsters, gangsters and bootleggers, St. Paul MN, to the safety of her Uncles Cy’s prosperous lodge in Ohio.  Her father has lost his job, so when his brother offered him a job helping at the lodge the family really didn’t have a choice but to go.

For Eve the move offers a chance to get away from the place where she saw a man gunned down in broad daylight.  For that reason she is more than ready to move away to a place that holds good memories from summer vacations spent on Marryat Island.

So starts Sweet Mercy by Ann Tatlock, a coming of age during the depression, while prohibition is in full swing, where the guy sitting next you in the pew on Sunday could easily be running moonshine the rest of the week, and where the lines of right and wrong sometimes blurred just a bit.

I am amazed at the stuff I learn about in fiction that history classes in school never taught me.  I had no idea that St. Paul was a haven for criminals in the 20’s and 30’s.  I also had no idea that many of the people that were bootleggers were actually driven to do their job because of the depression and it was one of those jobs that was available.  They needed the money for their families to survive.  

Once again Ann writes a sweet story, no pun intended, that can while away the time in such a gentle manner that you may not even notice that several hours have past. 

Ann Tatlock

Dear Readers,

If you are looking for a gentle story that has a powerful story to tell, try anything by Ann Tatlock.  She faces issues head on, but while gently nudging her characters to decisions that may not always be the easiest, but it is where they need to go.

Traveler's Gift is no different.  Jane has loved Seth since they were in school together.  They became engaged and he was sent to Iraq with his National Guard unit.  Jane's only prayer is that he will return to her soon and they can start their life together. 

Seth does return, but only after a sniper's rifle take away any chance of a normal life.  He is paralyzed from the neck down.   He thinks his life is over and that he has no chance at happiness now.    Jane sees it differently and is determined to prove her love to Seth and her willingness to make their life together work in spite of this new obstacle. 

What would you do if this happened to you?   Is it an easy answer for you?  Do you stay or do you run the other direction?  Jane receives lots and lots of advice from several different sources.   Some try to tell her what to do and some just try to help her make a decision on her own, by pointing out all the challenges she would face.  I honestly couldn’t answer the question for myself.  One of the conversations points out that the answer maybe be different when you are engaged or if you were married.  I thought that was an interesting point to the story.  Either way I really don’t think there is a right or wrong answer here.  I can’t of course tell you what happens as that would give the whole story away, but I found this entire book fascinating for the thoughts and questions it raised. 

Here is a small side note, not long ago I had a conversation with someone about something close to this.  This person is engaged and said that they would not stay if they were not married.  I will tell you straight out, that answer really bothered me.   Our conversation at the time did not involve a person who was paralyzed, but it was an illness.   So some things were different, but I did find it a bit ironic that I had just talked to someone about this. 

Happy Reading

P.S. This book is available at Baker Book House or online by request at bakerbookstore.com

Ann Tatlock

Dear Readers, 

Adulthood is hard enough for an adult to understand let alone an 11 year old girl.  Roz knows that her daddy is not a good daddy, but all she wants is for him to be able to live with them again.  She doesn't understand why they had to leave even though he promised that he would change.

 

Promise to Keep by Ann Tatlock takes on this topic.  I love Ann's books. She writes these books that take on topics from completely different perspectives.  As I read about Roz I kept thinking that she should see her Dad for what he really is, but from an 11 year olds perspective he isn't a terrible man.  No matter what he has done.

 

Roz and her family move to the quiet little town of Mills River.  It is the wonderful town where even though the turbulent 60's are going on in America, not much has changed in Mills River.  Kids are still free to roam on their own and neighbors gladly show up on your doorstep with a casserole in hand during times of trouble.  It has the soda fountian resturant and a library that Roz and her friend Mara visit often.  It reminded me of Mayberry.

 

I don't want to say too much more about the book as it is one of those journeys you need to take with Roz and her family.  You need to meet them and understand where they are coming from and where they are trying to get to.  You need to meet Tillie and understand why she believes that the house that she lived in is still hers, even though Roz's grandfather bought it for them to live in.  But Roz's family needs Tillie and she needs them.

 

This is a growing up book, but not in the perfect way that most of us wish our childhoods were.  It is about not letting what happens to you in childhood define you the rest of your life. It is about learning and growing in ways that I pray most of us never will or have experienced.  It is the story of family and how sometimes you are family even when you are not related by blood.

Happy Reading

Ann Tatlock

Dear Readers,

Ann Tatlock's book The Returning is very different. Ann's story telling is a quiet way of facing major issues that families are facing. It doesn't mean that all families are facing them, but it does happen.

John has been apart from his family for 5 years. He is returning today. Andrea is excited and yet not sure if she is ready to have him come live with them. He was in jail because of an drunk driving accident. She is worried about fitting him back into their family and routine. Billy is excited, Rebekah is indifferent and Phoebe never met her father outside of the prison visiting room.

This is a story of adjustment and forgiveness. It is a look at someone who is trying to turn his life around. John had a drinking problem before he left and his family doesn't really believe him when he says he has been changed. Especially his teenage daughter doesn't believe in his prison conversion. This is a major adjustment to the entire family.

I personally don't know any families that deal with the issue of a parent returning to the family after a prison stay, but I do know several families that have dealt with a few of the other issues that are dealt with. I don't want to talk too much about it as I don't want to give too much away. What I really found very interesting is the only one in the family who goes to church at all is Billy. He goes to the little church just down the street. It makes for an interesting dynamic that not many christian books take on. What if the family isn't Christian? What if the one that is Christan is the one that caused the problems to begin with? What if he or she isn't perfect as the family seems to think he should be? All points that make for a story that is a bit different than the "normal" story.

I am going to admit, I had a hard time liking or trusting John. I am sure Ann writes him that way on purpose, but for me it made the story harder to read, but no less real. Just because someone says they have changed, doesn't mean they have. When all was said and done it made for a better story with a "hero" that is more believable.

I have a read a couple different books by Ann. I have liked everyone I have read of hers. My favorite is still Every Secret Thing. It is the only one besides The Returning that is still in print. She tells a good story and makes it easy to read

Happy Reading