A Thousand Valleys

The Piedmont: Book One

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Pub Date 11 Oct 2021 | Archive Date 24 Mar 2022
Treerise Press | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles

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Description

From Ken Fulmer comes a novel about overcoming generational abuse, deciding for ourselves who we are, and forgiving those who’ve hurt us.

"Fulmer boldly mingles characters’ strengths with their flaws, creating convincing, complex people..."
Booklife by Publishers Weekly

"A skillfully written family tale...Fulmer's prose is taut and always a bit ominous."
Kirkus Reviews

North Carolina, 1977. Divorce and the near death of her son left Sara Taylor a mournful and erratic mother. When she loses her job as a nurse, she moves her son to Raleigh, where they will live closer to her parents.

Jimmy will do anything for his mother, even become the man of the house at seven. Fifty-six-year-old Phil Soderlind, caught between his daughter’s intensifying depression and his grandson’s need for a parent, must step in, daring to believe in his own strength and intelligence to mend his family’s deepening wounds.

In a boisterous, detached recess of her mind, Sara discovers a hamlet of ascendant voices. Their scornful accusations and jealous petitions speed up Sara’s descent into the chasm.

As Christmas approaches, and a rival sister arrives, Sara’s brittle psyche threatens to rupture. For Jimmy, the uncertainties of the external world pale when measured against unrelenting family torments. In his grandparents’ home, surrounded by the trappings of a festive holiday, Jimmy learns the dreadful truth: he alone must stand.

From Ken Fulmer comes a novel about overcoming generational abuse, deciding for ourselves who we are, and forgiving those who’ve hurt us.

"Fulmer boldly mingles characters’ strengths with their flaws...


A Note From the Publisher

9781955323000 - Hardcover


9781955323024 - eBook

9781955323000 - Hardcover


9781955323024 - eBook


Advance Praise

“Mesmeric…This gripping, empathetic family drama finds a young boy in a crumbling family facing powerful problems.”
—Booklife by Publishers Weekly

“Mesmeric…This gripping, empathetic family drama finds a young boy in a crumbling family facing powerful problems.”
—Booklife by Publishers Weekly


Available Editions

EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9781955323017
PRICE US$17.99 (USD)

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Send to Kindle (EPUB)

Average rating from 6 members


Featured Reviews

This book broke my heart into a thousand pieces. This story felt very personal to me in so many ways. It's 1977 and both Jimmy and his friend Troy come from divorced families. I too had to deal with my parents split in 1977 and I felt much the same way as these characters do. I am a girl and I was twelve not eight but I still clicked with these young lads. The pop culture references of the time were also dear to my heart...The very popular space movie with toy actions figures, The Bionic Man and Scooby-Doo cartoons to name but a few.

I also clicked with Jimmy's mother, Sarah. She is struggling to work nights as nurse, look after her son and hold her mental health in check. As I was a single mom to two boys, at one time working three part-time jobs just to feed and clothe them...I can relate 100%. Sarah is lucky Troy's mother, Judy, is across the road to help out when she is working nights. But one day she isn't at the hospital when is should be, looking after her landlords wife, and the poor woman passes away. Now the landlord wants to sell all the homes he owns so Sarah and Jimmy move to Raleigh.

This isn't a book with big fancy words, it isn't lyrical nor does it have prose like poetry. It is, however, excellent storytelling, very sad and deals with a lot of issues many of us can relate to. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants an absorbing plot, good writing and a little nostalgia of times past. All. The. Stars.

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