ASHES IN A COCONUT
By Bo Kearns
Publication date: May 15, 2019
Moonshine Cove Publishing; Fiction/first novel; ISBN: 9781945181504; 6.14” x 9.21”; Trade paperback, 269 pages, $14.99; Ebook: $6.99
DESCRIPTION:
To save her marriage, Laura Harrison accompanies her husband Jack to Indonesia where he is to take over as president of troubled bank; but when her premonitions become reality, events spin out of control.
Laura expects their new home in Jakarta to be a romantic hideaway like something out of a classic Bogart movie. Instead she walks into a house of horrors. White sheets cover Gothic furnishings, and black garments hang in the closets. It’s as if the former occupants had fled from some danger. Despite feelings of doom, Laura is determined to make things work. At the local market she’s appalled to see a baby orangutan for sale, its mother having been killer by loggers. She resolves to save the endangered primates and their rainforest habitat. As Laura attempts to grow closer to her husband, they become at odds over his shady business dealings. And when his secrets and life of lies are revealed, Laura finds herself alone and responsible for her own destiny.
PRAISE:
"...an intriguing page-turner."—Kirkus Reviews
“…Ashes in a Coconut weaves a tale of corruption, betrayal, and ultimately redemption that had me marveling at the resiliency of the characters to the very last page. A wonderful debut!”—Reyna Marder Gentin, author of Unreasonable Doubts
“A colorful and exotic novel, this [is] a taut thriller with a plot steeped in betrayal and corruption….perfectly suited to those who love thrillers and stories of travel. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.”—Readers Favorite, 5 stars
“Whet your appetite for the dazzling palette of colors and aromas, the bustling mysterious world of Indonesia…described by author, Bo Kearns, a talented wordsmith and a keen observer….what he paints is the transformation of heart and mind and spirit, an inspiring and sometimes terrifying rebirth. Ashes in a Coconut should be on the top of the list for any reader who cares about the planet or the people who inhabit it.”
—Daniel Coshnear, Willa Cather Fiction Award winner and author of Jobs & Other Preoccupations and Occupy & Other Love Stories
“I enjoyed spending time with Jack and Laura as they attempt to mend their marriage and make their way through the Jakarta of 1983, a glamorous and dangerous place of Singapore Slings, shady bankers, mysterious curses, seductive servants, damaged rain forests, magnificent Buddhist temples, and orphaned orangutans.”
—Molly Giles, author of Rough Translations, winner of The Flannery O’Connor Prize, the Boston Globe Award, and The Bay Area Book Reviewers’ Award
“Ashes in a Coconut fascinated me from the first house on fire to the final coconut. In 1990s Indonesia, a banker fights to save his company and his honor while a strong woman works to overcome American expat stereotypes. Both deal with clashing cultures, political upheaval, and corruption in government and international banking undermining the love they are trying to repair. Kudos to Bo on his debut novel.”–Eric Witchey, Award-winning author of Bull's Labyrinth and Littlest Death
Bo Kearns, journalist and writer of fiction, is the author of Ashes in a Coconut, a suspense novel set in Indonesia, where he lived for three years. He is a feature writer with NorthBay biz magazine and the Sonoma Index-Tribune newspaper. His short stories have won awards—First Prize- Napa Valley writing contest, Honorable Mention-Glimmer Train Fiction Open competition, Finalist- Redwood Writers On the Edge genre competition. Other works have been published in the annual California Writers Club Literary Review, Napa Valley Writers First Press, The Red Wheelbarrow Literary Magazine and Sonoma: Stories of a Region and Its People. He is a UC Naturalist, beekeeper, avid hiker and active supporter of conservation causes. He lives in the wine country of Sonoma with his wife and rescue dog Jake.
BUY LINKS:
No comments:
Post a Comment