The Lumby Lines [Mass Market Paperback]

Gail Fraser (Author)

Book Description

Series: Lumby | Publication Date: May 1, 2007

Nestled in the Northwest is a quaint little town that its quirky residents are proud to call home. With charming shops lining its one main thoroughfare, Lumby is home to the oldest apple tree in the county and the smallest bank in the state. And though it's hours from the nearest big city, readers will always find Lumby close to their hearts.

When Mark and Pam Walker, a vacationing couple from the East Coast, decide to restore Lumby's ramshackle Montis Abbey and turn it into an inn, it takes a while for the locals to warm up to them. Especially the irascible William Beezer, owner of The Lumby Lines-the newspaper "worth the paper it's printed on." At every turn, he tries to hinder the Walkers' efforts. But the couple soon learns that for every citizen like William, there are many more willing to lend a hand-and that Lumby isn't just a place, it's a way of life.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"If Fraser's little town of Lumby could escape the confines of her imagination and be put on the proverbial map, I'd move there in a moment. What an agreeable world she's created!" (Lumby on the Air) --Philip Gulley, author Harmony sereis

"A visit to the charming, whimsical town of Lumby is a refreshing change from our fast paced lives.  A delightful read." (Lumby's Bounty)
--Joan Medlicott, author of The Ladies of Covington series

"Fraser carries the reader through a rich venue of storylines and memorable characters set against the backdrop of small town life.  Enjoy!" (Lumby on the Air) --Katherine Valentine, author of the Dorsetville series and the Haunted Rectory

"You will be amazed by the great imagination of the author...The reader is in for a treat. This book is a delight to read and one that you will thoroughly enjoy." --Bestsellersworld

"Readers who have traveled to Mitford with Jan Karon will find the trip to Lumby at least as pleasant and marked with a lot more laughter." --CozyLibrary

From the Author

Although many reviews have compared my novels to those written by Jan Karon, Garrion Keillor and Phil Gulley, I personally try to stay clear of comparing and contrasting one author to another.
    
What I can say, though, is that Lumby, and its valleys, streets and townsfolk, are an escape - a gentle, quirky sanctuary from life's harsher realities - because at the heart of the town I have authored is the decency and honorableness of good people who are carving out the best lives they know how.  It is a town that is reminiscent of yesteryear, a community as it was intended to be - caring, forthright and authentic.  And within that wonderful place, humor is a mainstay and an antidote (as I think it is in life) where the moral compass usually points due north unless someone has dropped it in the PortiPotty at the county fair.  The series also embraces the monastic community of Saint Cross Abbey where some resourceful monks make tremendous rum sauce. 


From Christian Book Previews:  "The Lumby Lines goes straight to the heart. The simplicity, humor, and downright friendliness make reading it a pleasure.  Readers will close the book with a sigh of contentment and a desire to visit Lumby again. The author has faithfully carved out a slice of small-town living and topped it off with a large helping of humor. This reviewer can't wait for her next visit to Lumby! "

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 21 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: NAL Trade (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451221397
• ISBN-13: 978-0451221391
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #550,407 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Prior to changing her life and becoming a novelist in 2004, Gail had a long and successful career in 'corporate America' holding senior executive and upper management positions in several Fortune 500 and start-up corporations. During her career, in addition to living throughout the United States, Gail traveled to 22 countries and had extended stays in Australia, Japan, Brazil and several countries in Europe.

Gail was born and raised in Rye, New York, and attended the Rye High School and then majored in English and received an AA from Colby Sawyer College. After graduating, Gail studied at the University of London and returned to Skidmore College where she earned her BA in English Education. She completed her MBA at the University of Connecticut, with graduate work done at Harvard University.

Gail and her husband, nationally renowned folk artist Art Poulin (www.lazygoosestudios.com), have built their own 'Lumby' at Lazy Goose Farm in rural upstate New York. Featured in several magazines, newspapers and on television, Lazy Goose is a 40-acre gentleman's farm that is demarcated by a 200-year old stone wall, and has views of the Catskills, Adirondack and Vermont mountains. Gail is also an avid stoneware potter, an heirloom gardener and a cook and enjoys tending to their orchard and bee hives most every morning.

Gail and Art's story and respective talents are featured in their first collaborative effort, a non-fiction illustrated hardcover entitled "Finding Happiness in Simplicity: Everyday Joys for Simple Living Throughout the Year" (Globe Pequot 3/2012).

Please visit her at www.lumbybooks.com
www.findingsimplicitybooks.com
www.lazygoosestudios.com
www.lazygooseretreat.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lumby Lines goes straight to the heart!, January 3, 2006

By 

Christian Book Previews "Christian Book Previews" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Lumby Lines (Paperback)

The simplicity, humor, and downright friendliness of this book make reading it a pleasure.

Lumby, a small town in the Northwest, has its share of offbeat residents and innocuous incidents. In plain English, that means that Lumby is a place where nothing ever happens, but every day is an adventure. The Lumby series begins with this book, and, in a most appropriate manner, these pages center around the arrival of newcomers Pam and Mark Walker. As they meet the townspeople and learn more about their new home, readers get in on the introductions as well.

And what is life like in Lumby? Well, imagine fresh air, rolling hills, and the sounds of birds at daybreak. Then, add a flying pig, goats chewing money, and a dog that runs for mayor. Okay, it's not a typical place, but it sure is terrific to read about!

These pages cover a variety of small town issues, which spiral off the main story line of the Walker's project of restoring the abandoned abbey. There is a wonderful blending of mystery and romance as the pages turn. As plans for the abbey get underway, the past is uncovered and the truth concerning a long-standing issue is finally revealed. Readers will close this book with a sigh of contentment and a desire to visit Lumby again.

The author has faithfully carved out a slice of small town living and topped if off with a large helping of humor. This reviewer can't wait for her next visit to Lumby! -- Joyce Handzo, Christian Book Previews.com

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Book that will make you Smile, August 19, 2005

By 

Bibliophile "Fitzpatrick" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lumby Lines (Paperback)

The first in a new series, this book is a great gentle read for a relaxing afternoon. Lumby takes readers by the hand and invites them to live in the quirky Northwest town of Lumby. Characters that are sometimes clique in their quirkiness are hard not to embrace. This was a book that was hard to leave, readers will grow so accustomed to Lumby that it will be like falling out of touch with close friends by book's end. But the next installment is due out this spring. Book recommended for lovers of light fiction and those who love to smile while reading.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Relaxing Read, September 4, 2007

By 

Gayla Collins (Sheridan, WYOMING USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lumby Lines (Mass Market Paperback)

Somtimes when you have watched terror accounts, brutal murders, acts of nature's wrath, and wars out of control, it is good to find a smart cozy read. The Lumby Lines fits the bill. Mark and Pam Walker have lived in the fast lane so long their engines are dropping; their marriage is failing, their health is tenuous, and their attitudes need serious adjustment. On a vacation they come across a lush spot in Northern Washington state. It is an abandoned old Abbey on grounds with apple, peach and plum orchards. Both decide it could be a lovely country inn that would also be supported by the refurbished orchards. After much soul-searching and account emptying, they decide to live their dream.

The townsfolk are quirky and some don't like "newcomers." Someone keeps causing little accidents to occur that might stop the Inn from opening. One old man plans to sue them and make their dream die. But rather than angst, Mark and Pam build on. For amusement they read the "Lumby Lines." The police report alone keeps them in stitches....."moose loose with a tricycle in it's antlers," "lady reports that all her car air bags were deployed during the night. She suspects aliens." The book is about enjoyment of life and is written with quick humor and crisp dialogue. The characters, though quirky, are enjoyable. Luckily, sequels will allow the exhausted reader to drop in often and rest in this oasis of wit and coziness.