Finalist, of the 2021 David J. Langum, Sr. Prize in American Historical Fiction is When Stars Rain Down
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Book Description
Georgia, 1936. Opal Pruitt never imagined almost-adulthood would look like this. Her town of Parsons, Georgia, is hit hard by the drought affecting much of the country. The citizens of this small town are still feeling the ongoing effects of the Great Depression and the residual effects of Reconstruction. Unprovoked beatings and property burnings by the Ku Klux Klan are causing a firestorm of emotions among black and white members of the town, threatening to tear apart the uneasy harmony within the community. Soon Opal herself is affected by the violence, and she finds her heart torn between so many new emotions. Despite these struggles, the town is preparing for its annual Founder’s Day celebration—an event the entire community looks forward to each year. But the underlying tension begins to erupt in the heat, and this summer has the potential to change everything. **************** When Stars Rain Down is a highly acclaimed novel that received a starred review from the Library Journal and glowing reviews from Alabama Public Library, Buzzfeed, Parade Magazine, and Women’s Weekly, just to name a few.
From the Critics… Jackson-Brown (House Repairs) paints a vivid picture of family and community persevering in the pressure cooker of the Deep South. Readers will be drawn to Opal’s intelligent and authentic voice, as the book confronts issues of racism, injustice, and white privilege head-on. This is a powerful Own Voices contribution to the historical fiction genre, joining titles such as Alka Joshi’s The Henna Artist and Kim Michele Richardson’s The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek in their unflinching look at the past. — Starred Review in the Library Journal Along the way, [Jackson-Brown] deals with a series of issues: racism, teenage love, the death of our elders. These issues are not just talked through. Jackson-Brown the dramatist presents them in a series of carefully crafted scenes, almost one-act plays. Once in a while, one reads a novel and can already see the film to be made from it. — Alabama Public Radio From Other Authors… When Stars Rain Down is so powerful, timely, and compelling that sometimes I found myself holding my breath while reading it. Rarely have I been so attached to characters and felt so transported to a time and place. This is an important and beautifully written must-read of a novel. Opal is a character I will never forget. — Silas House, author of SOUTHERNMOST Angela Jackson Brown interrogates race, love and family with empathy and style, making her an author you will want to read again and again. This tale of America’s tragic past is both compelling and cinematic as the Pruitt and Ketchum families struggle in the mire of racism in the 1930s. It’s a moving novel that boldly illuminates the past but also speaks directly to today’s politics and the power of faith. You will fall in love with the book’s resilient protagonist Opal. I certainly did. — Crystal Wilkinson, Kentucky Poet Laureate and author of THE BIRDS OF OPULENCE Included In…
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ON SALE NOW!
I am SO excited to announce that you can order my book, WHEN STARS RAIN DOWN. TODAY!!!!
I am working with a local bookseller, Elysia Lucinda, a former Ball State student in the department where I teach. You can order the book with her, help a young person doing great things in our community at Irvington Vinyl and Books AND as always, support local bookstores. Yes, you can also order it online with all major book vendors, but again, I urge you to order through Irvington Vinyl and Books. Elysia's bookstore can get it to you at the same speed as any other outlet. I want to thank everyone who pre-ordered WHEN STARS RAIN DOWN, so far the responce has been amazing, so I say thank you for your support and love. |