From one pebble...a thousand ripples
About the author
Rebecca is a fun-loving grandma who'll tussle on the floor with the grandkids. She’ll shell peas for them in the garden and take them on adventures to find pretty stones and mushrooms on the Michigan centennial farm where she and her husband reside. A passionate angler, she likes nothing better than a day on the water and a fish on the line. She also loves good food, good wine, and dark chocolate. A retired registered nurse, her three years in a wheelchair gave her a perspective on suffering and a deep gratitude for the abilities she now enjoys.
Rebecca believes all stories begin with two words: what if? She began writing with a mind to the same two words—what if there were well-crafted books without the baggage of graphic content? What if there were books that portrayed real-life conflict and characters that were so well portrayed that it seemed they were friends? With empathy toward human failings and triumphs, she writes to take a reader to a place where time drifts and the only thing important is what happens next.
The Leavings (debut fall 2023)
Summer, 1970. The Vietnam War rages and the Beatles have broken up. Huntley Bannister is a reclusive auto mechanic who reads Shakespeare. Margot Lederer is the daughter of wealthy Chicagoans who spends her summers on Lake Michigan near the village of Fairwater. The two meet when Margot's car breaks down and Huntley stops to render aid, never suspecting his life is about to be upended.
Over warnings from friends and family, they become lovers. The affair ends when Margot abruptly returns to Chicago during a family crisis and cuts off communication. Not long after, she marries a man Huntley knows she doesn’t love.
While in Fairwater eight years later, Huntley rounds a corner and nearly collides with Margot. In one shocking moment, Huntley realizes the little girl beside her is his daughter. Margot forbids Huntley from further contact, again walking out of his life. Bereft and lonely, Huntley writes his daughter letters, having no assurance she will read what he pens.
Then social media is born and Huntley is faced with a choice; find his daughter and risk rejection or live out his days unfulfilled and lonely.
Evoking The Great Gatsby, The Leavings will make you laugh, cry, and root for Huntley.
(Temporary cover)
About The Leavings
What happens to the people we've left behind? This is the question that led to an award-winning short story and turned into a novel. Several themes emerge in The Leavings. The overarching theme is how decisions, good or bad, have lasting impacts. Another is the ruinous expectations of social class. A third element is the contrast between hope (as exhibited by Huntley's best friend, Lane) and the self-defeatism Huntley wallows in until he learns it is preventing him from having a fulfilled life. Ultimately, The Leavings is a story of redemption and the bond between father and daughter.
I sincerely hope you enjoy this literary work which I offer as a labor of love and an homage to the people who have contributed so richly to my life. Thank you, each and every one of you.
Coming Events
There are no planned events at this time. However, upcoming happenings include:
*Book cover reveal
*Endorsements
*Book Launch Team activity
*Book Launch Party invitations
*Book release date and availability information
I will also be offering a chance to participate on my launch team in the near future. The success of The Leavings depends on a smashing kick off to which a first-rate launch team is indispensable. In exchange for a few hours of brainstorming and reaching out to your contacts, you'll have access to exclusive content including insights on the novel and short stories! If you're interested, use the contact form below and let me know.
As they say on TV,
STAY TUNED FOR MORE!