When Light Breaks

a cognizant original v5 release october 08 2010

Table of Contents

 

 

Praise for the Novels of Patti Callahan Henry

When Light Breaks

“Not just a beautiful story, but an important one as well. It’s about all the things that make us worthy as human beings—integrity, honesty, and living the life you are meant to live. And perhaps most importantly, it shows us what brings genuine happiness.
When Light Breaks
is a triumph!”

—Dorothea Benton Frank,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Pawleys Island

 

“A passionate, unforgettable novel of self-discovery, regret, and the illuminating power of love. Patti Callahan Henry’s writing is as lush and magical as the Lowcountry she loves. Once caught in the emotional currents of her story, you’ll not be released until the last, satisfying page.”

—Mary Alice Monroe,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Sweetgrass

 

 

Where the River Runs

 

“Books about the journey to self-realization often make us contemplate our own lives and choices. You travel with the character through joy, heartache, and redemption, and when it’s over, you have laughed and cried. This book proves no exception….Descriptive language, paired with heartfelt characters, accentuates the story, which is peppered with Lowcountry culture and customs....After reading this tale, cherishing family and home becomes the reader’s own mantra.”—
Southern Living
magazine

 

“Quietly reflective and softly compelling, this tale of a Lowcountry woman’s reblossoming will touch your heart and make you wonder about long-forgotten possibilities waiting to be rediscovered in your own family and soul.”—
The Charleston Post and Courier
(SC)

“A melodious, encouraging tale that upholds memories, friendship, and family.”—
Atlanta Woman Magazine

 

“
Where the River Runs
is an expression of love between author and story. Readers will instantly fall for Patti Callahan Henry’s unique voice and lyrical writing style in this satisfying story of a secret revealed.”

—
Topsail Magazine

 

“A poignant tale. . . . Fans of Anne Rivers Siddons will want to read Patti Callahan Henry’s deep character study.”—The Best Reviews

 

“As in Henry’s debut,
Losing the Moon,
and this beautifully written story, the sheer lyricism of the author’s voice transports the reader. Fans of such books as Mary Alice Monroe’s
Skyward,
also about the Gullah, and Patricia Gaffney’s
Flight Lessons
will add this book to their list of favorites.”

—
Booklist

 

“
Where the River Runs
is a novel not so much about what you do as who you are. Which seems just about right for a day of doing nothing much.”

—
Creative Loafing
(Atlanta)

 

“This poignant story of a woman reclaiming her life touched me in a way a book hasn’t in quite a long time. The powerful message is translated through Meridy’s eyes and has an added impact being written in the first person. . . . With exceptional storytelling skills, newcomer Patti Callahan Henry conveys pure, potent emotions sure to reach out to every reader.”

—The Romance Readers Connection

 

“Well crafted . . .
Where the River Runs
is the perfect pick for an easygoing sunny day on a Lowcountry beach—and a good substitute for chocolate.”

—
The Beaufort Gazette
(SC)

 

“A plot [that] would make a great country-and-western hit.”

—
The Knoxville News-Sentinel

 

“Patti Callahan Henry writes this story from her heart and creates characters who reach out to us as we read. . . . Southern writers have a sweet melancholy inside them. It permeates every story they tell. Terry Kay has it. Anne Rivers Siddons has it. Pat Conroy definitely has it. It has become the defining trait of the great Southern storytellers. Patti Callahan Henry has it. . . . Meridy’s story will affect you and entertain you. It will touch your heart with its sweet melancholy, and it may just hold up a mirror to your own forgotten used-to-be you.”—
Rockdale Citizen
(GA.)

 

 

Losing the Moon

 

“Henry’s beautifully written debut romance is meant to be savored, with its poetic descriptions and settings deftly mirroring the emotions of the characters. Readers who enjoy the lyrical voices of Patricia Gaffney and Mary Alice Monroe will also be drawn to this talented newcomer.”

—
Booklist
(starred review)

 

“Patti Callahan Henry joins the ranks of Anne Rivers Siddons and Pat Conroy with this debut novel.
Losing the Moon
is lyrical, sensual, and as delicate as a seashell. Lovely and poignant.”

—
New York Times
bestselling author Deborah Smith

 

“I loved
Losing the Moon
! Patti Callahan Henry’s engaging story and compelling characters captured my heart from page one, and stayed with me long after the final, satisfying conclusion. Don’t miss this wonderful book.”

—
New York Times
bestselling author Haywood Smith

 

“A dazzling example of the new style of fiction writing to come out of the South. Chosen as the first book in the Margaret Mitchell House and Museum’s Emerging Writers’ program, Henry has been hailed as being included first in the ranks of important Southern writers such as Pat Conroy and Anne Rivers Siddons. If this debut novel is any indication of what we can expect from Patti Callahan Henry, we can look forward to many years of reading enjoyment to come.”—
Chance Times Record News
(TX)

ALSO BY PATTI CALLAHAN HENRY

NAL Accent
Published by New American Library, a division of
Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street,
New York, New York 10014, USA
Penguin Group (Canada), 10 Alcorn Avenue, Toronto,
Ontario M4V 3B2, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)
Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
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Auckland 1310, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.)
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Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa

 

Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices:
80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

 

First published by NAL Accent, an imprint of New American Library,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

 

First Printing, May 2006

Copyright © Patti Callahan Henry, 2006

Conversation Guide copyright © Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 2006
All rights reserved

REGISTERED TRADEMARK—MARCA REGISTRADA

 

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA:

 

Henry, Patti Callahan.
When light breaks/Patti Callahan Henry.
p. cm.

eISBN : 978-1-101-11805-4

1. Older women—Fiction. 2. Golfers—Fiction. 3. Reminiscing in old
age—Fiction. 4. Southern States—Fiction. 5. Marriage—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3608.E578W46 2006
813’.6—dc22 2005030147

 

 

 

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

 

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

 

The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

I dedicate this book to my sweet Meagan.
I thought of you as I wrote every page of this novel,
and I pray that you will always hear
God’s still, small whisper in your heart.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I had always hoped that I would bring something of worth to the writing, but I soon discovered that it was the other way around—writing has enriched my world in many ways, and one of the most beautiful of these ways is the heart-expanding friendships I’ve discovered along this journey of publication. This story is more complete because of many friends, family members and colleagues, and I am indebted to every single one of them.

First I must express my gratitude to those integral in the formation of this novel. Kimberly Whalen is beyond an agent. She is a genius in storytelling and thematic structure; this novel is richer, deeper and cleaner because of her understanding of the story’s heart. Ellen Edwards is an editor of such immense patience, acuity and thoughtful, cohesive editing that I express my esteem with a humble heart. I want to thank Laura Zidar of the PGA TOUR for her expertise and kindness while answering my numerous questions about the golf tour; if I have made any mistakes describing the tour, they are my fault alone. I am, as always, grateful to Sandee O for being willing to share her expert knowledge about cameras and photography.

I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to those who have entered my life through this wonderful world of writing, and therefore enriched my writing with their friendship and insight. To Mary Alice Monroe, lyrical, gentle in spirit and wisdom—I am honored to call you friend; to Marjory Heath Wentworth, South Carolina Poet Laureate, who can light a room with her very presence; to Dorothea Benton Frank, a wild Irish soul whose very words can lift a spirit to greater heights; to Annabelle Robertson, whose wit and genuine warmth has brought raucous laughter to many a dreary day; to Jackie K. Cooper whose generosity and authentic heart know no bounds; to Gracie Bergeron at the Margaret Mitchell House, I am grateful for your joy in life, even in the harder times—you are an example of a courageous woman; to Mary Kay Andrews, who makes me laugh—and what is better than that?; to Haywood Smith who always, above all things, has an awe-inspiring faith. All of you encourage and inspire me.