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The Direction Was Never In Question
Waterbury Winter celebrates the restorative value of art and the joy to be found in keeping promises. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
My husband and I were visiting family for the holidays one snowy December. The day after Christmas, we stopped by a drug store. No one was there except for my husband and me, and the middle-aged attendant at the checkout counter asked us how our Christmas was. “Fine,” we said, “and how was yours?” His reply: “I was here, and my car broke down.” Holidays are not easy for everyone, we thought. And so Barnaby Brown came to life, as a lonely middle-aged man who didn’t celebrate Christmas and whose old car broke down.
Did you plan the tone and direction of the novel before writing or did it come out organically as you were writing?
The tone of the novel evolved naturally once I had established Barnaby as a likeable character who had lost his way. I knew I needed to write about how he would overcome his longstanding bad habits and restart his failed artistic career. He had many obstacles to overcome: debts, drinking, depression, along with anti-social behavior, so the story progressed slowly. The direction was never in question because I wanted him to succeed.
Was there anything from your own life that you put into the characters in your novel?
Really only my interest in art and the creative process and my belief in their healing powers.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m working on a novel set in England in World War II, scheduled for publication in spring 2024.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
A heart-warming novel about ordinary people reclaiming their dormant potential, Waterbury Winter celebrates the restorative value of art and the joy to be found in keeping promises.
Waterbury Winter
Waterbury Winter by Linda Stewart Henley is the story that introduces us to Barnaby Brown. Barnaby is a man living a stagnant life and happens to be an alcoholic. His wife Anna died of cancer years ago, and he finds life without her lonely and dreary. He lives with his parrot, Popsicle, and she’s his only source of joy besides the bottle. He wants to change, but it’s hard. Julia Morgan, another protagonist, finds that turning forty and being single is not what she had in mind when she was younger. One day, Barnaby is invited to a party at a neighbor’s house, and there he meets an old friend, Julia Morgan. What ensues is a story of hope, strength, love, and believing in yourself.
Barnaby is a flawed character, but you’ll find yourself rooting for him throughout the story. He’s likable and sweet. Barnaby finds himself in an interesting love triangle that you’ll find yourself intrigued by. Julia is another character that you’ll come to like. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and is excellent at her job. The two characters have you wondering if it’s possible to start over and make your life better. And if it’s possible to get a second chance at love.
Henley has created a story full of angst and hope that readers will enjoy and perhaps even identify with. There’s even a dash of mystery to keep readers entertained and wondering if they will find the answers they seek.
Waterbury Winter is a heartwarming story that will captivate you until the very end with its romance, mystery, and characters that readers will want to watch grow and develop. Readers will enjoy a tale that has you believing in finding the strength to better yourself and realize that your life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful.
Pages: 264 | ASIN : B09CCSJM6H
LITERARY TITAN 