Gone to Green
October 22nd, 2010. Filed under: This & That.
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Publication Date: 08/2009
Binding: Paperback
ISBN-13: 9781426700248
Retail Price: $13.99
Author:
In Gone to Green, Lois goes from being a corporate journalist at a large paper in the Midwest to the owner of The Green News-Item, a small twice-weekly newspaper in rural North Louisiana. The paper was an unexpected inheritance from a close colleague, and Lois must keep it for at least a year, bringing a host of challenges, lessons, and blessings into her life.
When Lois pulls into Green on New Year’s Day, she expects a charming little town full of smiling people. She quickly realizes her mistake. After settling into a loaned house out on Route 2, she finds herself battling town prejudices and inner doubts and making friends with the most surprising people: troubled teenager Katy, good-looking catfish farmer Chris, wise and feisty Aunt Helen, and a female African-American physician named Kevin.
Whether fighting a greedy, deceitful politician or rescuing a dog she fears, Lois notices the headlines in her life have definitely improved. She learns how to provide small-town news in a big-hearted way and realizes that life is full of newsworthy moments. When she encounters racial prejudice and financial corruption, Lois also discovers more about the goodness of real people and the importance of being part of a community.
While secretly preparing the paper for a sale, Lois begins to realize that God might indeed have a plan for her life and that perhaps the allure of city life and career ambition are not what she wants after all.
ISLAND BREEZES
Gone where? Why? This starts out a bit like the theme song from that old TV series, Green Acres. Lois’s friend, Ed, resonates to “Farm livin’ is the life for me.” Lois is dragged along to Ed’s dream while lamenting “Good bye, city life.”
Newcomer Lois is definitely not impressed with the small burg bump in the road named Green, Louisiana. Who ever heard of naming a town a color, especially Dullsville, USA, where everyone Lois runs into is trying to turn her into a church attendee.
She’s stuck for a year in an old house in the boonies after being ordered to be in town New Year’s day for closing on the business. She’s new. She’s scared. She has no idea how she’s going to be able to hold on an entire year before heading back to city life.
Along the way she manages to make friends and adapt to Green while at the same time turning it on it’s ear on a regular basis. Ever heard the phrase, “That’s not how we’ve always done it”? Well, it’s not in this book, but it’s pretty much what Lois is up against.
How does a 36 year old, single lady from the big city adapt to rural living? Does she make any hard and fast friends she’ll miss when she leaves town? Is there actually a possibility of romance? With a country bumpkin?
Okay, folks. Confession time. Gone to Green made this small town girl who turned into big city dweller and world traveler actually wish she could live somewhere like Green again. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series, Goodness Gracious Green. It debuted last month, so I’ll be haunting the library.
***Thanks to Judy Christie for providing a review copy***
Judy Christie, after working as a journalist for twenty-five years, left the daily news business to open a consulting firm that works with individuals, businesses, and churches on strategies for meaningful life and work, including goal-setting, living fully, and balancing personal and professional lives. She is the author of Gone to Green, the first in a six-part fiction series, Hurry Less, Worry Less; Hurry Less, Worry Less at Christmastime; and co-author of Awesome Altars. Judy and her husband live in northwest Louisiana. You can learn more about her at: www.judychristie.com
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