The Days Between the Years [Hardcover]

Sherry Austin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2007

A heartwarming story of a widow who rediscovers her distant past, this historical novel centers on Trixie Goforth as she revisits her former life. Trixie and her family are decorating the Christmas tree when she stumbles upon an old ornament and is reminded of a forgotten history. Through her memories, she reveals the sacrifices and compromises she made as a young woman to please her family, and her children discover she had a wild and reckless romantic nature that she had kept hidden for years. In the midst of the Great Depression and World War II, Trixie found warmth, family, and a first love; these cherished memories rewarm her present life, as she learns she may be celebrating her last Christmas.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A winner of a book with heart and soul, and with a revelation that carries its heroine homeward in joy."  —Dot Jackson, former prizewinning reporter and columnist, Charlotte Observer, and author, Refuge

About the Author

Sherry Austin is the author of Mariah of the Spirits and Where the Woodbine Twines and the winner of two literary fellowships from the North Carolina Arts Council. She lives in Flat Rock, North Carolina.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: Overmountain Press (November 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570723249
• ISBN-13: 978-1570723247
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,005,828 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I write fantasy and supernatural fiction and nonfiction, most of it based on recurring patterns in folklore and myth.

Much of my life I've studied the role ghosts play in religion, mythology and literature.

Like many writers and thinkers who are agnostic about the supernatural, I love a good ghost story. I contend that belief in ghosts is evidence of our hunger for the infinite, one of the tools our species uses to adapt to our awareness of our mortality. And I believe that it is worthy of note for that reason.

I HATE haunted shows on TV, and I do not care at all for the kinds of anecdotal stories you find in local collections of "true" ghost stories. That's another thing altogether.

I am most interested in the literary ghost story, a genre most people don't really know about. I like my ghosts presented with thoughtful language. I like something beneath the superficial story. In my stories I work to evoke sense of place.

At its best, supernatural literature gives us "entrance to immortal countries."

My books are: MARIAH OF THE SPIRITS; WHERE THE WOODBINE TWINES; THE DAYS BETWEEN THE YEARS. "Stardust: A Reflection on the Resurrection of the Dead," is an essay for which I won a fellowship in literary nonfiction from the NC Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. That's the one on Kindle.

I'm a member of Southern Artistry, a multi-disciplinary showcase of outstanding Southern Artists.

I believe in and promote critical thinking and science education. I write for PBS Nova's online series, "The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers." http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/secretlife/profiles/sherry_austin/.

Visit my main website: www.sherryaustin.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Days Between the Years by Sherry Austin, January 25, 2008

By 

Martha O'Quinn (Hendersonville, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Days Between the Years (Hardcover)

Sherry Austin's latest book, "The Days Between the Years," is a charming read for any age. A poignant journey through her aging process finds Trixie Goforth resisting her children's efforts to keep her safe by threatening to put her in a home unless she adheres to their rules for remaining in her own home. She learns that she must face her own mortality sooner than later and in doing so makes peace with her past. Her parentless childhood, an unrequited love and her determination to be the proper wife and mother makes this book a must read. It summons a range of emotions - guilt from disobedience as both a child and an adult, the thrill of adventure, disappointment in romance, and cleansing through laughter and tears. If you're old enough, you may recognize a page or two from your past; if not, you may come face-to-face with a few lessons and words of wisdom with which to face your journey with aging and mortality.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Days between the Years" captures the heart, November 24, 2007

By 

Beverly A. Williams (North Carolina) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Days Between the Years (Hardcover)

"Days between the Years" is a poignant story that captures all the elements of fine southern literature: a sense of family, of duty, of connection with home, and that universal search for hope and for the essence of human heart. You will find yourself recalling events, places, and desires in your own life as you meet Mrs. Trixie Goforth, an elderly lady wrestling to keep her independence. You will experience snow in the North Carolina mountains, the glamour of the railroad in its early days, an old Inn, the longing for love and adventure in a young girls heart, and vivid descriptions that make everyday objects and events seem not so common. A hand carved wooden ornament and an interview about her life in World War II take Trixie back to a magical time in her youth-- a time that has been treasured in her heart all these years, but kept secret while all the hustle and bustle of husband and children and household duties filled her years. In "The Days between the Years" we remember that "The most fragmentary memories of people you barely knew can sometimes be the most precious." (Days p. 194) I was very touched by this novel and finished it with teary eyes and lump in the throat--not in a sad fashion, but in one of awe and wow! Sherry Austin captures the true human spirit of hope and desire in this novel. I highly recommend this book. People who are fans of Lee Smith, Silas House, and other more recognized southern authors will love this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Less than a day to read, May 24, 2008

By 

Elaine L. Orr "E. Orr" (IN) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Days Between the Years (Hardcover)

This book flows easily and gets you involved. You can see every scene. It's also a reminder of how much earlier generations did not share all their memories, even with those they were close to.