It's the summer solstice. The day is hot and long in
central Florida, and author Clarissa Burden is stuck for
words. Faced with an impending deadline, she's suffering
from a huge case of writer's block. But that's only the
beginning of her misery. Her photographer husband is
self-absorbed and self-indulgent at best, abusive in a
passive-aggressive manner at worst. Unable to write even a
single word, Clarissa has taken to imagining various death
scenarios for Iggy, a man who dallies with his nude models
in her own backyard. Add to that a fly that won't leave her
alone, odd characters (like the one-armed, dread-locked tree
cutter), and the ghosts of her home's previous inhabitants,
and Clarissa's got her hands full. When a fellow writer and
friend calls, Clarissa is determined to free herself from
the madness if only for one evening. Thus begins her day of
adventure.
I love novels set in familiar places. Connie May Fowler
highlights the steamy, nature-infused environs of central
Florida in HOW CLARISSA BURDEN LEARNED TO FLY-- including
the Gulf Coast, wire grass, sticky heat, and slithering
creatures. At first it's not apparent that the entire novel
will span only a twenty-four hour period, but it becomes
clear as the reader gets pulled into Clarissa's story. It
seems as though her every thought and action over the course
of the day is revealed yet the story keeps moving forward
and the reader begins rooting for Clarissa's release from a
life that is imprisoning her. How will Clarissa Burden free
herself? What will she do about Iggy? The ghosts? Her
unwritten book?
Because so much of what is happening with Clarissa is
introspective, at times I found myself skipping ahead to the
next action sequence. But more often than not, I went back
and read the part I had skipped, because the beauty of
Clarissa Burden lies in her mental wrangling where she
divulges her true self with humor, spunk, and a touch of
panache. I also backpedaled because the language of the
story was just too delicious to pass up. HOW CLARISSA
BURDEN LEARNED TO FLY is a quirky but delightful tale about
a woman who must learn to trust herself and empower herself
to live the life she dreams of.
Set amidst the lush pine forests and rich savannas of
Florida’s Northern Panhandle, HOW CLARISSA BURDEN LEARNED TO
FLY tells the story of one woman whose existence until now
has seemed fairly normal: she is 30-something, married, and
goes about her daily routine as a writer. However, it is
soon discovered that ghosts, an indifferent husband, and a
seemingly terminal case of writer’s block are burdening
Clarissa’s life. She awakes on the summer solstice and,
prodded by her own discontent and one ghost’s righteous need
for truth, commences upon a twenty-four hour journey of
self-discovery.
Her harrowing, funny, and startling adventures lead Clarissa
to a momentous decision: She must find a way to do the
unthinkable. Her life and the well-being of a remarkable
family of blithe spirits hang in the balance. Connie May
Fowler demonstrates her keen abilities as a storyteller in
this remarkably original novel about an unexpected mid-life
awakening. This is an empowering story that will resonate
and be discussed for years to come.
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