Novelist Adele Myers gave us the inside scoop on her debut novel at Story & Song Center for Arts & Culture’s literary luncheon yesterday. The delicious lunch and stimulating conversation were so enjoyable. Meeting friendly locals in Fernandina Beach, Florida, my new hometown, was another plus.
Adele’s debut novel, The Tobacco Wives, has exceeded expectations. Many authors only dream of such success. She shared how the book’s plot grew from her childhood in Winston-Salem and family stories. Her father and other relatives worked or interacted with the executives of the tobacco firm R.J. Reynolds headquartered there. Her novel weaves historical events through fictional characters. The author’s note at the back of the book provides more specifics.
The story takes place in 1946, set in the imaginary Bright Leaf, North Carolina, a stand-in for Winston-Salem. Many books on this topic dive into the sins and legacy of Big Tobacco from a male perspective. But this novel focuses on a group of women as told by Maddie, a 16-year-old girl. Since the book is summarized so well on the back cover, and I haven’t read it yet, here it is.
Initially, Adele wrote the seed for this novel as a short story in a creative writing class twenty years ago. She was encouraged to expand and develop it, but as often occurs, life got in the way with a full-time job, husband, and child. But she couldn’t ignore her childhood wish to write a novel.
Eight years ago, she began building her short story into a novel while juggling a full-time job and family. She gradually wrote chapters, printed them, and carted them around to review and revise in her free time. The creative side of our brains can mull over fictional situations and suggest solutions. And from personal experience, it’s incredible how often this happens.
Her path to publishing wasn’t immediate, though. Many agents turned her down, including the ones she had contacted through friends. But once she landed an agent, she addressed their suggestions. She switched the focus from young Maddie to the group of women characters, made Maddie older, and changed some characters. Adele embraced the revisions and believed that they improved her story. Her book’s success has allowed her to quit her advertising job to focus full-time on writing.
I got a chance to speak briefly with Adele, and she is warm and friendly, appreciating her success. Even though it was a gray, rainy day, Adele wants to return to Amelia Island and Song & Story to discuss her next book, and I hope she does. Her next novel is in development, with an official announcement still pending from her publisher. But Adele shared a bit. Her next book focuses on a true-life Southern coverup that isn’t well known. This book will also have strong women characters overcoming adversity.
As part of the luncheon, we got a signed paperback, which will go into my signed book collection. I look forward to experiencing life in North Carolina during the 1940s through her story magic in The Tobacco Wives.
Other author events are on her calendar. If you can attend one, I highly recommend it! Link to the event schedule on her website: https://www.adelemyersauthor.com/events
Still undecided on The Tobacco Wives? Check out the free look inside feature on Amazon and read some pages.
Song & Story has a busy schedule of events juggling music, food, and literature. Now that Covid is finally on the downswing, check what events are offered at your local bookstore or join a book club. I’ve been able to do both at Song & Story. Even though we read books alone, sharing insights and chatting about the book with others is fun and often gives you a different perspective.
But if you can support your local bookstore, try to buy there and help them stay in business. And if you’re on a budget, there’s always your local library. Here’s a link to the book on Song & Story’s website with shipping options: https://storyandsong.handseller.com/home/bookdetailsin/0063082942
Have you attended any online or in-person author events that you enjoyed? If so, please add a comment to this blog. Thanks for sharing, and happy reading!
Here’s my new home library in Florida with so many books patiently waiting. All it takes is a bookshelf to start your own.
Karen Stensgaard is the author of three novels and is busy editing her fourth, Project Pepper, which is longer than the others. To avoid deleting all the good bits, it may become her epic! Karen hasn’t blogged lately with the move from Philly, but now she’s settled in as an official Amelia Islander. She has many fascinating library blogs to post, including a recent tour inside NYC’s Gracie Mansion. Yesterday’s literary lunch at Song & Story and sharing Adele’s success story was a great motivator!
KAREN STENSGAARD 