And Then I Found You by Patti Callahan Henry is She Reads' April selection of the month. Join us at She Reads where we will be talking, blogging, and having some great giveaways this month as we discuss And Then I Found You.
A Patti Callahan Henry novel is like having dinner with a
good friend. You laugh, you cry, and you get caught up in the story.
Patti Callahan Henry’s latest
novel, And Then I Found You begins
with thirteen-year-old Katie Vaughn on the first day of spring, a day of new
beginnings, the day that will change her life. Every year, Kate continues to
celebrate spring by doing something new. And every year, Kate receives a letter
from Jack, her first love, the boy who gave her that first kiss on the first
day of spring.
Now
at thirty-five, Kate runs a successful boutique. She’s found an engagement ring
hidden in her boyfriend, Rowan’s bedside table. She should be elated, but she’s
scared. Kate has a secret that her boyfriend doesn’t know. Maybe if she can see
Jack once more, she can finally move on.
The
story is revealed through two point of views and follows Katie from her youth
at thirteen through 2010, where the reader finds an adult Kate still grappling
with the effects from a decision she made in her youth.
I
met Patti last year at the SC Writer’s Conference, where she was the keynote
speaker. I was lucky enough to have dinner with her. She shared with us the
plot of her forthcoming book. The idea for the book originated with her
family’s past. Her sister had a baby she put up for adoption. Through the
wonders of social media, mother and daughter were reunited many years later.
And
this is where the idea for the story began. I think all writers begin with some
thread of the truth that evolves as they answer the question, what if?
If you want to know more about the story behind the story, Friend Request is available on Kindle.
Connie,
ReplyDeleteI really like the dinner analogy, picking up these tidbits from other in the She Reads Book Club is half the fun. I think I liked this book even more when I just read about this being a slice from her life.
A friend told me she really loves a story that is entertaining and leaves you feeling enlightened at the end. The focus should always be on story and I think Patti does this beautifully. Thanks for the compliment on the dinner analogy.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to check out Friend Request. I have so many questions after reading the novel. How true are the characters? Did this or that "really" happen? I think this month's author chat w PCH will be really good.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Patti, the story is based on her true family story, but as authors do, you tend to start with a thread of the truth and then work from there. After reading both Friend Request and And Then I Found You, I could definitely see where some of the inspiration came from. I am really looking forward to the author chat this month too.
ReplyDelete