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Carefully Designed Mask
The Pebble in the Pond follows a woman in personal and financial collapse who seeks a fresh start in a tight-knit Virginia town where she uncovers buried family secrets and entrenched social hierarchies. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The novel began as a short story for a flash-fiction challenge, and only featured Miriam and Louise. After sharing the story with an author friend, she suggested it could be a full-length novel, so I was off to the proverbial races. Like Miriam, many of us believe relocating to a new community will enable us to leave the past behind. But what if unknown elements of our past are meant to be discovered, despite the pain they may cause?
My master’s degree is in (American) History, and my focus was race, class, and gender in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Rather unwittingly, these themes found their way into my novel, which begins in 1978 – a time when the “norms” related to race, class, and gender were being challenged and re-imagined (but not without struggle). Then, as now, the tension between “tradition” and “progress” can be polarizing – that’s the backbone of this story.
The title suggests that small actions can have far-reaching consequences. When did that metaphor become central to the story?
My main character, Miriam Llewelyn, and her husband relocate to Stuarts Landing, Virginia, after sustaining financial ruin and personal loss. The move – her grandfather’s deathbed wish – was designed to represent a fresh start, yet Miriam was ill-prepared for the catty and, at times, vicious behavior she encountered from the town’s queen bee, Louise Winston Caldwell. Despite Louise’s repeated efforts to undermine Miriam, who took a job as a grocery store cashier while having the audacity to become a member of the Women’s Auxiliary, Miriam remained true to her core beliefs and character. Her integrity, authenticity, and kindness served as a mirror of sorts for the women in her orbit. Ultimately, she changes the town for the better…just by being herself.
The novel gives women space to be contradictory—generous, petty, controlling, vulnerable. Why was that complexity important to you?
Thank you for that! I’ve read far too many books in which women were treated as stereotypes – caricatures, even. Yet women are complex; what we reveal to the world is often a carefully designed mask hiding deep, painful truths that, if acknowledged and processed, can help us become better versions of ourselves. I’ve taken that journey myself and believe in the power of standing in our full authenticity, flaws and all.
Will this novel be the start of a series, or are you working on a different story?
I am currently working on the prequel, tentatively called Playing With Fire, that begins in 1927. I expect to publish it next year.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
As Miriam settles in, befriending the eccentric, wealthy Webster sisters, she uncovers a decades-old family secret linking her late grandfather to the town’s most powerful household. A tragic fire, hidden adoption, and old betrayals surface, exposing rivalries that have simmered for generations. Miriam’s arrival sets in motion a chain of revelations that threatens to upend both the social order and long-held loyalties.
In a town built on tradition, Miriam must navigate ambition, jealousy, and hidden truths while finding her own place. Only by confronting the past—and choosing forgiveness—can she uncover the life her grandfather envisioned and forge her own path to belonging and peace.
The Pebble in the Pond
The Pebble in the Pond is a work of fiction, and it reads to me like Southern women’s fiction with a strong small-town family drama at its core. It follows Miriam Llewelyn, who arrives in Stuarts Landing, Virginia, after bankruptcy and grief have knocked her life off balance, only to find herself pulled into old local loyalties, class tensions, women’s power struggles, and the long shadow of her grandfather’s past. What begins as a story about starting over gradually opens into something larger: a novel about reputation, memory, belonging, and the way one person’s arrival can unsettle an entire community.
What stayed with me most was the book’s steady interest in women as they actually are, not as symbols. Author Suzanne Groves gives us Miriam, Louise, Emma, Bitsy, Pearl, and the Webster sisters with enough room to be difficult, wounded, funny, controlling, generous, petty, and surprisingly tender. I appreciated that. The writing has an easy, readable flow, and it often feels as if you are being quietly let into the social life of Stuarts Landing rather than formally introduced to it. I also liked how Groves builds tension through everyday moments: a church luncheon, a grocery store encounter, a tense conversation in a parlor. The drama comes from pride, history, and the thousand little ways people test one another. That felt true.
I was especially interested in the author’s choice to center class, status, and female friendship without sanding off the rough edges. Louise, in particular, is written with enough sharpness that she could have become a caricature, but she never quite does. That is one of the book’s strengths. Even when I found her maddening, I could still see the fear and conditioning underneath the polish. Miriam, on the other hand, gives the novel its moral warmth, though I think what makes her work is that she is not naive in a flimsy way. She absorbs a lot, she missteps, she keeps going. The title ends up feeling earned too. The book is interested in ripples, in the way old secrets and fresh acts of courage move outward through a town that pretends it cannot change.
By the end, I felt I had spent time somewhere real, with people I could argue about on the drive home. That is usually a good sign. I would recommend The Pebble in the Pond most strongly to readers who enjoy character-driven fiction, Southern-set novels, and stories about women navigating family history, social pressure, and reinvention. Anyone who likes novels where the emotional stakes matter more than speed, and where a town can feel almost as alive as the cast, will probably find a lot to appreciate here.
Pages: 420 | ASIN : B0GQCNB5VW
True Mental Illness
You’ll See is a raw and poignant memoir that delves into your experiences with narcissistic abuse, survival, and the arduous journey to understanding. What inspired you to share your story with others?
I began writing my book shortly after both of my parents died – within two months of one another. I was trying to make sense of all I had experienced with my father and, to a degree, my mother, and the only way I could do it was to pour everything onto paper…I guess, it was my way of trying to determine if I was really crazy, or if these things really happened to me. With every remembered vignette I described, I began to see a pattern that my therapist helped me understand was my father’s narcissistic personality disorder. I grew up thinking everything was my fault, that nothing I did would ever be good enough…it was an emotional torture chamber that still haunts me. I realized if this was my experience, surely, it was other people’s experience, too…and I decided that giving voice to one’s truth is one of the bravest things a person can do. I want to normalize discussions about narcissistic abuse, among other things, so those of us who were manipulated into believing false narratives can actually rehabilitate ourselves and recover…eventually.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
Thank you…I decided if I was going to tell my story, I was going to tell ALL of it. As an adult with a grown child, I ached for “Little Suzanne”…the innocent, curious, sweet-natured child who only wanted to be Daddy’s girl and was rebuffed at every turn. The hardest part of writing this memoir was first, coming directly to terms with how my father put himself and his desires above his own family, and second, recounting the agonizing years of watching my mother succumb to Alzheimer’s disease while my father continued his dalliances.
What is a common misconception you feel people have about living with narcissistic abuse and getting away from it?
First, narcissistic abuse is just that: abuse, and it definitely leaves deep emotional scars that can affect every other relationship in the victim’s life. Second, the narcissist’s family becomes another tool for the narcissist to display their superiority to the outside world…our job is to make the narcissist look good, no matter what. That means you don’t air the family’s dirty laundry, as it were…and because the narcissist insists their way is the only way, you become conditioned to that…to protect the family image. To do anything else and you’d be labeled as “crazy” or “melodramatic.” I believe there’s a semblance of Stockholm Syndrome at work, too…you feel you must align yourself to your captors as a form of survival. Finally, it’s easy for people to say, “Establish some boundaries! Cut off the relationship!” and the like, but it’s not that easy because especially with a narcissistic parent, you’ve been conditioned your whole life to believe YOU have the problem, and YOU are at fault. It took a really long time (and years of therapy) for me to see that I never deserved any of the treatment I received and that I was dealing with someone with a true mental illness.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
I think they key takeaway I tried to impart in my memoir is that narcissistic abuse is real AND it’s insidious…the narcissist will make you think YOU’RE the one with the problem and over time, you become scarred with feelings of inadequacy, worthlessness, and longing for a relationship you’ll never be able to fix. Being able to give voice to these feelings, telling your stories to someone you trust, is absolutely the first step to taking charge of your life and defining boundaries to protect yourself. Resilience comes at a high price because it means you had to suffer along the way, but it also means you survived it, and that’s what counts.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Learning that the threats came from within-that the threats were in the form of his personality disorder and addiction-came long after I had been damaged. Make no mistake-I never lacked for food, clothing, or shelter. We took family vacations. I received a wonderful education. I enjoyed numerous achievements, academically, professionally, and personally.
To an outsider, my life probably looked normal, even privileged.
The truth is the permanent scars resulting from narcissistic abuse are every bit as devastating and traumatic as those borne from physical and sexual abuse. Narcissistic abuse is insidious and challenging to survive. And the effects can outlive the abuser, almost in perpetuity. This is my story… possibly yours.
You’ll See: A Story of Narcissistic Abuse, Survival, and My Journey to Understand
You’ll See, by Suzanne Groves, is a raw and poignant memoir that delves into the author’s experiences with narcissistic abuse, survival, and the arduous journey to understanding. Centered around Groves’ tumultuous relationship with her narcissistic and addict father, the book intricately explores the psychological and emotional toll of growing up in an environment dominated by manipulation and emotional neglect. Through vivid storytelling and heartfelt reflections, Groves chronicles her path to healing and self-discovery, ultimately finding strength and resilience amidst her struggles.
One of the most striking aspects is Groves’ unflinching honesty. She doesn’t shy away from the painful realities of her past, instead laying them bare for the reader to see. This candid approach not only lends authenticity to her narrative but also fosters a deep connection with the reader. For instance, the chapter where she describes her father’s callous disregard for her mother’s wellbeing while she lay incapacitated is both heartbreaking and infuriating. Groves’ ability to convey the depth of her pain and confusion during these moments is profoundly moving.
Groves’ writing style is engaging and accessible, making the book hard to put down despite its heavy subject matter. She balances the recounting of traumatic events with moments of introspection and even humor, providing a well-rounded narrative that feels both genuine and relatable. Her reflection on her mother’s tough love approach, especially in the scene where she is nearly sent away as a child, showcases her ability to understand and convey complex emotional dynamics. This nuanced perspective adds depth to her storytelling, making it clear that she has spent a considerable amount of time processing and understanding her experiences. The epilogue, where Groves gets a tattoo in honor of her mother’s loving words, offers a glimpse of this resolution.
You’ll See is a powerful memoir that will resonate deeply with anyone who has experienced narcissistic abuse or emotional trauma. Suzanne Groves’ raw and honest storytelling not only sheds light on the painful realities of living with a narcissistic parent but also highlights the incredible resilience of the human spirit. This book is particularly suited for readers who appreciate candid memoirs and those seeking solace and understanding from similar experiences. Groves’ journey is a testament to the strength required to confront one’s past and the possibility of finding hope and healing on the other side.
Pages: 373 | ASIN : B0CSDZBTK5
