Step into the captivating world of storytelling with Jen’s Jewels, your go-to destination for intimate author interviews and behind-the-scenes insights into the latest must-read books. This week, bestselling author Patti Callahan Henry takes us on a mesmerizing journey through THE STORY SHE LEFT BEHIND, a novel woven with mystery, love, and the power of words. Inspired by the real-life disappearance of literary prodigy Barbara Newhall Follett, Patti masterfully crafts a tale of a daughter’s search for truth hidden within an invented language and the remnants of a mother’s past. Don’t miss this exclusive conversation where we uncover the magic behind her storytelling, the historical threads that shape her characters, and the surprises that emerged along the way!
Jennifer Vido: What inspired you to weave a story around a legendary book and a mother’s disappearance? Was there a particular moment or idea that sparked your creativity?
Patti Callahan Henry: For me, stories begin with a curiosity, a question that won’t let me go. For THE STORY SHE LEFT BEHIND, that question was: What happened to Barbara Newhall Follett and her language? I was captivated by the real-life mystery of this child prodigy who published a fantasy novel at twelve years old, invented a language, and then vanished without a trace at twenty-five. I knew I would fictionalize her so I started imagining a daughter left behind by a mother’s disappearance (the real Barbara never had a child), and a book that daughter could not decipher as it was written in her mother’s made-up language. The more I thought about it, the more I knew—this wasn’t just a story about a missing woman, it was a story about how we find ourselves in the things left behind.
Jen: Clara Harrington’s journey is so emotional and relatable. How did you approach developing her character and her relationship with her mother throughout the story?
Patti; Clara’s story is about longing—longing for answers, for connection, for a mother who left without a trace. There is a book called, “Mother Hunger” by Kelly McDaniel, and this feeling is the prevailing emotion Clara carried all her life. I wanted Clara’s journey to feel deeply personal, because who among us hasn’t wondered about the secrets of the people we love? In crafting her character, I focused on that push and pull of wanting to understand someone who remains just out of reach. Her relationship with her mother, Bronwyn, unfolds in layers—through memory, through the stories left behind, through the ways Clara tries to reconstruct her mother’s life. I also developed her by having her relationship with her own daughter, Wynnie, be close and deep, a healing love.
Jen: The invented language created by Bronwyn adds such a unique element to the narrative. What was your process for crafting that language, and how did you envision it fitting into the story?
Patti: The idea of an invented language felt like the perfect metaphor for Bronwyn’s life—a woman who spoke in a way the world didn’t always understand, a mother whose words became a puzzle for her daughter to decipher, a woman who needed words that didn’t exist for her feelings and deeply held wounds. When creating the language, I researched linguistic structures, but I also wanted it to feel organic, something born out of imagination rather than strict rules. I played with sounds, meanings, and patterns, making sure it felt personal to Bronwyn—an extension of how she saw the world. I researched the words that the real Barbara created and played off of those. The language became not just a backdrop but a key to the mystery, a way for Clara to connect with her mother long after she was gone.
Jen: Balancing the historical context of the 1920s and 1950s with your characters’ emotions must have been a challenge. How did you navigate that while writing?
Patti: It’s always a dance—bringing history to life while keeping the emotional core of the story front and center. I approached it by thinking about how the past isn’t just dates and events—it’s people, emotions, choices, regrets. I immersed myself in the details of the 1920s and 1950s, but I always asked – How does this world shape my character? What were the views of women and creativity? What was going on in the wider world both politically and socially? For Bronwyn, the 1920s were full of artistic possibility, but also constraints. For Clara in the 1950s, societal expectations weighed on her, even as she fought to carve her own path. I let history guide them but never define them. The Great Smog of 1952 plays an integral part of their journey, both externally and emotionally, so setting that up brought London to life.
Jen: Can you share any memorable moments or surprises that came up while writing THE STORY SHE LEFT BEHIND?
Patti: There were so many surprises! One that stands out was a moment in the writing process when I realized why Bronwyn disappeared. I thought I knew the answer when I started, but as I got deeper into her story, I had to follow her. And suddenly, it clicked in a way that gave me chills. Another surprise was how much Clara’s journey ended up mirroring my own experience as a writer—chasing stories, searching for hidden truths, longing to bring something lost back to life. Sometimes, the story reveals itself to you in ways you never expect.
Jen: What themes do you think resonate most with readers in Clara's journey, and what do you hope they take away from it?
Patti: I never want to tell any reader what to take away. Stories are living things and mean different thing for various readers, but I can say that for me, at its heart, this is a story about the search for understanding—between mother and daughter, between past and present, between what is known and what remains a mystery. It is about accepting that you are loved and whole even without the answers you think you need. I think readers will connect with the idea that sometimes the people we love remain unknowable. It’s also about the power of stories—how they shape us, how they carry us forward, how they leave echoes long after they are written. It’s also about one of my favorite subjects, and one that appears over and over in my work: the line between imagination and logic, between the so-called real world and the unseen. I hope readers walk away with a sense of wonder, a reminder that the past is never really lost, and that the stories we tell about ourselves matter.
Jen: After this release, do you have any new projects or ideas that you’re excited to dive into next?
Patti: Oh, always! I’m in the early stages of a new novel, which means I’m deep in research and discovery mode—the most magical (and sometimes maddening) part of the process. This one is set in the North Carolina mountains where a young girl has accidentally been left behind on a youth group camping trip in the 1970s. And that’s all I can really say about it right now except I am following its trails!
Jen: What’s on your current TBR stack, and do you have a preference between physical books, audiobooks, or eBooks for enjoying stories?
Patti: I always have a towering stack of books by my bed! Right now, I’m reading Playworld by Adama Ross – it is stunning, a coming-of-age novel set in the 1970s in New York. I’ve been an evangelist for The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon, and a few research books for my next novel. As for format, I love them all! Physical books are my forever favorite—I love the weight of them, the feel of the pages—but I also adore audiobooks for when I’m walking or traveling. And I always keep a few eBooks on my tablet for those unexpected moments of reading time.
Jen: What’s the best way for readers to stay connected with you on social media and through your website?
Patti: I love staying connected with readers! You can find me on Instagram and Facebook, where I share behind-the-scenes stories, book recommendations, and updates on new projects. My website is also a great place to sign up for my newsletter, where I share exclusive content, upcoming events, and the occasional peek at what I’m working on next. I will be on tour for the next month and would love to meet everyone on the road, so check my cities and come see me!
Jen: Thank you, Patti, for giving us a sneak peek into THE STORY SHE LEFT BEHIND! It’s been a pleasure getting to know you and learning about your creative process. Your enchanting storytelling always leaves us wanting more!
Patti: Thank you so much! It’s been a joy to chat with you. I love talking about the magic of stories, and I can’t wait for readers to step into this one.
A Novel
Inspired by a true literary mystery, New York Times bestselling author of the mesmerizing The Secret Book of Flora Lea returns with the sweeping story of a legendary book, a lost mother, and a daughter’s search for them both.
In 1927, eight-year-old Clara Harrington’s magical childhood shatters when her mother, renowned author, Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham, disappears off the coast of South Carolina. Bronwyn stunned the world with a book written in an invented language that became a national sensation when she was just twelve years old. Her departure leaves behind not only a devoted husband and heartbroken daughter, but also the hope of ever translating the sequel to her landmark work. As the headlines focus on the missing author, Clara yearns for something far deeper and more insatiable: her beautiful mother.
By 1952, Clara is an illustrator raising her own daughter, Wynnie. When a stranger named Charlie Jameson contacts her from London claiming to have discovered a handwritten dictionary of her mother’s lost language. Clara is skeptical. Compelled by the tragedy of her mother’s vanishing, she crosses the Atlantic with Wynnie only to arrive during one of London’s most deadly natural disasters—the Great Smog. With asthmatic Wynnie in peril, they escape the city with Charlie and find refuge in the Jameson’s family retreat nestled in the Lake District. It is there that Clara must find the courage to uncover the truth about her mother and the story she left behind.
Told in Patti Callahan Henry’s lyrical, enchanting prose, The Story She Left Behind is a captivating novel of mystery and family legacy that captures the profound longing for a mother and the evergreen allure of secrets.
Women's Fiction Historical [Atria, On Sale: March 18, 2025, Hardcover / e-Book , ISBN: 9781668011874 / eISBN: 9781668011898]
Patti Callahan Henry is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of several novels, including The Secret Book of Flora Lea, Surviving Savannah, and Becoming Mrs. Lewis. She is the recipient of the Christy Award, the Harper Lee Award for Alabama’s Distinguished Writer of the Year Award, and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year. She is the cohost and cocreator of the popular weekly online live web show and podcast Friends and Fiction. A full-time author and mother of three, she lives in Alabama and South Carolina with her family.
Jennifer Vido writes sweet romances set in the Lowcountry, earning acclaim as the award-winning author of the Gull Island series. Her debut novel, "Serendipity by the Sea," secured the prestigious Best First Book award from the New Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf Contest. In 2024, Vido's talent garnered further accolades, with Baltimore Magazine readers naming her Best Local Author in their annual Best of Baltimore poll, while the Baltimore Sun acknowledged her with an Honorable Mention in their Best of 2024 Author category. When not writing fiction, she interviews authors for her weekly Jen’s Jewels column, leads water exercise classes, and directs a legal nonprofit. Currently residing in Maryland, she and her husband are proud parents to two grown sons and a rescue dog named Fripp.
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