Bitter Cold, Sweet Debut

While Mother Nature was an enormous tease all day yesterday — and the weatherpeople didn’t help things by wringing their hands and declaring that the big one is on the way! only to find that it wasn’t — the snow is finally falling here in Maryland.  Small, drizzly flakes falling as fast as rain, and coating everything with a powdery white blanket.  School is cancelled, as are most evening events.  And it’s cold.

However, there is someone who is definitely not cold today:  blog pal Jamie Ford, whose debut novel Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet arrives in bookstores today.  And the great reviews are already pouring in.  Here’s Garth Stein, for example, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain:

“Jamie Ford has written a tender and satisfying novel that is tucked into a part of Seattle history we would rather not face. Set in a time and a place lost forever, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet gives us a glimpse of the damage that is caused by war–not the sweeping damage of the battlefield, but the cold, cruel damage to the hearts and humanity of individual people. Especially relevant in today’s world, this is a beautifully written book that will make you think. But, more importantly, it will make you feel.” 

And then there’s the Library Journal, which says:

“Ford expertly nails the sweet innocence of first love, the cruelty of racism, the blindness of patriotism, the astonishing unknowns between parents and their children, and the sadness and satisfaction at the end of a life well lived. The result is a vivid picture of a confusing and critical time in American history. Recommended for all fiction collections.” 

Jamie’s homepage is here, and there’s a really terrific interview with him here. And, of course, you can order his book right here.  And congratulations, Jamie!