Forgiveness for All

Set against the backdrop of Appalachia and the Midwest at the turn of the twentieth century, and drawing inspiration from the author's family lore, this exquisite novel paints an intimately rendered portrait of one resilient farm family's challenges and hard-won triumphs, led by an unforgettable heroine.

Growing up on their hardscrabble farm in rural Kentucky, fifteen-year-old Albertina "Bertie" Winslow has learned a great deal from her mother, Polly. She knows how to lance a boil, make a pie crust, butcher a pig, and tend to every chore that needs doing. However, what she doesn't know, but is forced to confront all too soon, is how to care for children as a mother should.

When Polly succumbs to a long illness, Bertie takes on the responsibility of looking after her four younger siblings and their dissolute, unreliable father. Despite her best efforts to hold the family together, the task proves overwhelming. Nine-year-old Dacia, in particular, is resentful and stubborn, hinting at secrets in their mother's life. Ultimately, Bertie makes the difficult decision to break up the family for its own survival, keeping the girls with her and sending the boys off to their grown brothers, who have long since left home.

Ever the pragmatist, Bertie marries young, grateful to find a husband willing to take on the care of her sisters, and eventually moves to the oil fields of Kansas. But marriage alone cannot resolve the grief and guilt she carries over a long-ago tragedy, nor can it prepare her for the heartaches still to come. Only by confronting the wrenching truths of her past can she open herself to joy and learn how to not only give, but also receive, unfettered love.

Inspired by stories told by the author's mother and aunts, "All the Forgivenesses" is as authentic as it is lyrical – a captivating novel of family loyalty, redemption, and resilience.

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