Tor/Forge
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Forge Books (July 21, 2020)
Language: English
On Sale: 07/21/2020
ISBN: 9781250198563
Blue Bishop has a knack for finding lost things. While growing up in charming small-town Buttonwood, Alabama, she’s happened across lost wallets, jewelry, pets, her wandering neighbor, and sometimes, trouble. No one is more surprised than Blue, however, when she comes across an abandoned newborn baby in the woods, just south of a very special buttonwood tree.
Sarah Grace Landreneau Fulton is at a crossroads. She has always tried so hard to do the right thing, but her own mother would disown her if she ever learned half of Sarah Grace’s secrets.
The unexpected discovery of the newborn baby girl will alter Blue’s and Sarah Grace’s lives forever. Both women must fight for what they truly want in life and for who they love. In doing so, they uncover long-held secrets that reveal exactly who they really are–and what they’re willing to sacrifice in the name of family.
Interview with Heather Webber
- How do you approach worldbuilding?
Worldbuilding can be overwhelming. When I was writing magical mysteries (as Heather Blake), it was a lot harder, because the magic had to be explained and there were so many rules to remember. One of the things that I love most about magical realism is that the magic just is. Its origin is rarely questioned. I do try to give a little insight into its existence (for example, the Celtic folklore from Midnight at the Blackbird Café and Delphine from South of the Buttonwood Tree), but I love how perfectly normal it is to everyone in town that there’s a tree that gives advice on wooden buttons.
- What did you like most about writing South of the Buttonwood Tree?
I love writing books in the South, especially magical books, because as a character in this book mentions, “This is the South after all, where there’s always a touch of magic in the air.” I also love writing books about fractured families and helping them find their way back to each other.
- Who’s your favorite character in this novel? And why?
This is a hard question. I love different characters for different reasons. I’ll go with Blue, because she’s just so darn lovable, but Moe is a close second, and I also like Oleta, because villains are fun to write.
- What advice would you give to someone who’s just starting to write?
To be patient, persistent, and always keep learning the craft—even after you’re published.
- What kind of reader do you think will enjoy South of the Buttonwood Tree?
I think anyone who wants to escape from reality for a while into a heartwarming book full of secrets, family, love, forgiveness, and cookies will enjoy South of the Buttonwood Tree.
HEATHER WEBBER is the national bestselling author of more than thirty novels–including Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe, the Lucy Valentine novels, and the Nina Quinn Mysteries–and has been twice nominated for an Agatha Award. She loves to spend time with her family, read, drink too much coffee and tea, birdwatch, crochet, watch cooking competition and home improvement shows, crochet, and bake. Heather lives in southwestern Ohio and is hard at work on her next book.
Praise for Heather Webber’s MIDNIGHT AT THE BLACKBIRD CAFE
“Full of family secrets, undeniable charm and that particular touch of magic so often found in the South, MIDNIGHT AT THE BLACKBIRD CAFE is a heartfelt and redemptive tale of a daughter looking to move forward in the place her mother couldn’t wait to leave behind. Heather Webber creates a town as dynamic and real as her characters—and a story so compelling that it will stay on readers’ minds long after the final page. I savored every word.” —Kristy Woodson Harvey, national bestselling author of Slightly South of Simple
“Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe is an enchanting gem of a novel, brimming with charming characters, heartwarming connections, old secrets, and a southern setting that makes you want to move there. As refreshing as a glass of blackberry tea, this is truly magical realism at its best!” —Karen White, New York Times bestselling author
“Family, fate, and magic intertwine in this endearing Southern tale of long-held secrets, homemade pie, and building one’s future from the remains of the past. A tantalizing, delicious delight, through and through. Heather Webber writes with so much detail and imagination that I’ll be craving some Blackbird Cafe pie—and the comfort that comes with it—for a long time to come.” —Kristin Harmel, international bestselling author of The Room on Rue Amélie and The Sweetness of Forgetting
