I’m
very excited to welcome back, award-winning Steven Manchester, author of the
The Rockin’Chair, which is a sensitively wrought and deeply moving story of love and
forgiveness. I
hope you will take the time to read my review of this fantastically written
novel.
For
this event, Steven is giving away an ebook copy of The Rockin’ Chair to one lucky
commenter. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below.
By
Steven Manchester
Women’s
Fiction
Publisher: The Story Plant
Release Date: June 18, 2013
Length: 272 Pages
Memories are the ultimate contradiction. They can warm us on
our coldest days – or they can freeze a loved one out of our lives forever. The
McCarthy family has a trove of warm memories. Of innocent first kisses. Of
sumptuous family meals. Of wondrous lessons learned at the foot of a rocking
chair. But they also have had their share of icy ones. Of words that can never
be unsaid. Of choices that can never be unmade. Of actions that can never be
undone.
Following the death of his beloved wife, John McCarthy – Grandpa John – calls
his family back home. It is time for them to face the memories they have made,
both warm and cold. Only then can they move beyond them and into the future.
A rich portrait of a family at a crossroad, THE ROCKIN' CHAIR is Steven
Manchester’s most heartfelt and emotionally engaging novel to date. If family
matters to you, it is a story you must read.
~~~Buy
Links~~~
~~~Excerpt~~~
Alice
could feel the sun on her eyelids before she dared opening them. Beginning with
a squint, she was blinded by the light that engulfed the room. Taking a second
to adjust, she shook off the two quilts that restrained her, and then grabbed
for her flowered housecoat at the foot of the massive bed. Throwing it on, she
steadied her tiny feet into a pair of worn moccasins, all-the-while wondering, Why didn’t Ma let me sleep in? It don’t make
no sense. It’s Saturday…with no responsibilities to school or church. She
felt tired, more exhausted than usual, but waking to a fire burning into her
pupils was certainly not the way to start such a pretty day. Making the mental
note, I’ll have to talk to Ma about the
rude awakening, she stumbled and had to brace herself at the doorway. Her
mind had sent some message that her body could not interpret. Brushing it off
as fatigue, she started again toward the kitchen, thinking, Maybe Ma will let me help with breakfast?
Grabbing
the dented copper kettle off the stove, she turned to the sink and let the
water flow like one of the fresh mountain springs that ran out in the backyard.
She lit all four burners, placed the kettle back on the stove and began humming
a childish tune. The last embers in the wood stove made her nostrils flare at
the distinct scent of burnt oak. Smells
like the remnants of a late night’s chill, she thought, one of my chores to remove. But she
couldn’t recall bringing in the wood, or lighting a fire. Shrugging it off, she
snugged down on the robe’s cotton belt, folded her arms across her chest and
continued to hum.
She
wandered toward the kitchen window and, though she could not have fought it
off, nor even detected it, her mind was suddenly exposed to a different
reality. Like a child discovering a new world through ancient eyes, she peered
out the window and her jaw went slack.
A
stranger was busy at work and the sight of him made Alice’s mouth go dry. Her
heart began to race and her breathing became shallow. Yet, though the man’s
presence absolutely terrified her, his every movement was hypnotizing.
Trembling, she stood paralyzed and watched.
He was
a large fellow, maybe six feet or better, with shoulders as broad as his smile.
In his fists, he held cracked corn, scattering it in a pattern so that every
chicken had its fair chance. He was an old-timer, his face wrinkled and
weathered like his callused hands. In the middle of that chiseled face sat the
biggest nose. Curiously—as if she’d thought it a million times before—she
decided that it showed great character. For a cruel second, he turned toward
the window, making her squirm with anxiety. She relaxed, though, when she was
sure that his liquid blue eyes had not found her. He returned to working slow,
his every move filled with purpose and kindness.
But
that moment of peace only lasted one single sigh of relief. As if caught in an
inescapable nightmare, she watched the man’s three-legged dog limp straight to
the window, glance up and tilt his head—cynically. Though she could not manage
the words from her constricted throat, her eyes begged for the animal’s
silence. Please don’t, she pleaded in
her mind.
Please…please…please… But it was not to be. The
crippled mutt barked out his wailing alarm, calling his master’s attention to
her. In an instant, she felt her knees buckle, as the room spun slowly—in a
cruel sort of way. She tried desperately to hold on, but the last thing she saw
was a red cap and green overcoat rushing for the house.
“Oh
God...no!” she screamed, but the stranger kept coming. He’s comin’ to get me, she feared, and though her mind pleaded for
her legs to flee, they would not budge. She collapsed to the cold linoleum
floor and awaited the worse.
With no
more than a stern look, Three Speed lay down on the porch, the storm door slamming
in his silver-haired face. John raced through the parlor and could hear the
teakettle screaming for help. Breaking the kitchen threshold, his worried eyes
caught Alice lying near the bottom cupboard. Her frail body was rolled up in
the fetal position and her thumb was stuck in her mouth. As if he were
approaching a wounded bird, he slowly kneeled down beside her and held out his
hand. She swayed back and forth, humming louder with each movement. For what
seemed a lifetime, she avoided his stare. And then finally, courageously, she
glanced into his eyes. For a moment, she looked as if she was going to accept
his hand but, in the last glimmer of such a hope, she pulled back, retreating
deeper into her tortured mind.
“It’s
me, darlin’,” John whispered. “It’s John…your husband.”
“You do
look some familiar,” she mumbled. But still, her eyes betrayed her lack of
trust.
Again,
he whispered, “Come on, Alice. I’m not gonna hurt ya. You’re just sick, ol’
girl.” He opened his hand even wider and watched as her horrified eyes
gradually registered his words as truth.
Like an
abandoned child who had lost all hope only to find that her parents had not
meant to leave her behind, Alice raised her arms and began to weep mournfully.
“I’m sorry…” she whimpered.
In one
easy motion, John scooped his tiny wife into his arms and kissed her frightened
face. Turning off all four burners—the majority that did nothing but lick at
air—he carried Alice like an infant to their bedroom. All the way, he could
taste the salt of her tears on his tongue. It was a bitter taste and he hated
it, yet he knew all-too-well that it was only a small taste of what was still
to come.
~~~My
Review~~~
The Rockin’ Chair
is a well-written, powerful portrayal of a family in crisis. Steven Manchester
demonstrates his exceptional talent with words as he creates this emotionally
rich tale that touches the heart. He takes the sensitive subjects of illness
and family dysfunction and handles them with finesse and great insight.
John ‘Grandpa
John’ McCarthy has been taking care of his wife Alice, who has advanced
Alzheimer’s Disease. When his wife’s disease worsens, he calls the family home
to right the wrongs of their lives. Grandpa John takes responsibility for the hurt
and damages he’s caused his family, and approaches each member with care and
love as he helps them come to terms with their own demons.
This is a story
that examines the interactions of a family and the love that is hidden
deep inside each one of its members. As it takes a long, hard look at the
problems the family faces, it offers the hope and forgiveness that is necessary
for healing.
Having experienced
the dreaded disease of Alzheimer’s first hand from the viewpoint of a child,
Steven’s novel helped me realize that the other members of a family have
totally different perspectives. Alice’s viewpoint of the disease and the
feelings it brought forth, was one aspect that I never considered. Steven’s
brilliant depiction was extremely enlightening and poignant.
Even though this book
touches on adversity, misunderstanding, and tragedy, its focus is on hope,
forgiveness, memories and love. It’s sensitively wrought, deeply moving, and
contains well-drawn characters. This is a book that grabbed my attention from
the first page and had me reading well into the night. I highly recommend that
everyone reads this story and follows the career of this incredibly talented
author.
Steven
Manchester is the published author of the #1 best seller, Twelve Months,
as well as A Christmas Wish (the holiday prequel to Goodnight,
Brian) and Goodnight, Brian. He is also the author of PressedPennies, The Unexpected Storm: The Gulf War Legacy and Jacob Evans, as well as several books under the pseudonym, Steven Herberts.
His work has appeared on NBC's Today Show, CBS's The Early
Show, CNN’s American Morning and BET’s Nightly
News. Recently, three of his short stories were selected "101
Best" for Chicken Soup for the Soul series.
~~~Follow
Steven Manchester~~~
~~~Giveaway~~~
Steven
is giving away an ebook copy of The Rockin’ Chair to one lucky commenter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
