Author Jennifer Odom Unveils Down by the Riverbank
WordCrafts Press and author Jennifer Odom are pleased to announce the release of Down by the Riverbank, the highly anticipated thirdvolume in her heartwarming Coral Series. Falling under the category of ContemporaryYoung Adult Christian Fiction, The Coral Series is a coming of age story that began in Under the Mango Trees when Coral was a frightened, lonely young girl, follows her adventures growing into a confident young woman in Along the Forgotten Coast, and now comes to a satisfying conclusion in Down by the Riverbank as Coral embraces her past,her present, her future… and her family.
Fans of the series are showing their approval as Jennifer’s latest novel cracked Amazon.com’s Hot New Releases chart in the Contemporary Christian Fiction category,debuting at Number 71.
“Inspiration comes from many places, experiences, and characters of people we meet along life’s road,” author Jennifer Odom muses. “The Coral Series developed from some of my favorites. An important one was a lady whose husband, a Cuban refugee, came to our country as an older teen and took it upon himself to help the rest of the family get away. There’s the great-aunt with sauce, the poortrailer-raised child, the rough, tough soldier, and so many more. Then there are all the unforgettable places that get seared into my mind—snapshots of sunsets and masts, the drive-by picture of woods or an old, saggy church from a Sunday drive, or a foggy memory of potato salad on the porch from our childhood. Who truly knows all the ingredients that go into the writing of a novel?”
The beauty of Florida’s Forgotten Coast may seem idyllic with its old-world charm, pristine beaches, marshes, and bays. But not so for Coral, who just wants to get to get acquainted with Ralph, her newly discovered father, as nearby Tate’s Hell harbors secrets that threaten to rip things apart.
Meanwhile, Ralph’s new waitress, a blue-haired hussy, seems to have eyes for Coral’s boyfriend. However, Coral’s boyfriend Matt, has his own worries. His ne’er-do-well father, while driving his way from Las Vegas, has lost contact with everyone, as if he’s dropped off the planet.
“If my readers take anything away from this novel, I hope first and foremost, it is redemption,” Jennifer says of the underlying theme of Down by the Riverbank. “To feel guilt where there is none or take on the (imagined or real) condemnation or unkind words put on us by others can waste a whole life. It doesn’t have to be that way, neither does carrying true guilt from our wrong actions when all can be forgiven if we have that relationship with Jesus and go to Him in humility. He really loves us. He’s in Heaven advocating for us. We just have to ask for forgiveness. It’s the devil that’s pointing the finger. And then there’s reconciliation. Too many families are split apart. We’ve all heard the phrase from TV, I love it when a plan comes together. I think God has one that says, I love it when my children come together.”
Then, there is Matt’s grandmother, whose ominous dreams of fires and doves—can’t possibly mean anything other than death.
From the novel
“Man’s name is—or was—Horace Smith,” Ralph said, forming air quotes around the name. “From out in Tate’s Hell,” he added. “Squatters who didn’t own property. Nadine drew out some vague directions at one time. I just hope I can remember.”
“Tate’s Hell? I saw that brochure.” Matt shook his head. “Disturbing place.”
Ralph snorted. “Yeah. And a good place to hide from authorities if you have things to conceal.”
Matt rubbed his chin. “According to the leaflet, they’ve turned it into some kind of state forest or park…”
Ralph cut him off. “Now, listen, when we go out there, if we run across evidence Aunt Allie might not oughtta hear about, like Nadine’s mother’s bones—I’m telling you, Nadine swore he killed her—we’ll keep it to ourselves. Or, God help us, if the old goat’s still alive and kickin’ back there—I’ve got pistols. One for you and one for me.”
“I can shoot.”
“Bottom line is, Aunt Allie’s too old for a shock. And Coral—well, she’s just too young and sweet for one. She don’t need to know that kinda trash about her past.”
About the Author
Jennifer Odom is a 5th generation Floridian. Her love ofthe land and its rich history reach back to the 1860s when her great-great-grandfather migrated to his new homestead in Central Florida near the railroad. Orange groves and farming busied the family while one child and her spouse established the general store and served as station-master for the thriving depot. Reflecting this love of Florida and its people, Jennifer has written human interest stories for the Ocala Star Banner and gardening articles for the Ocala Gazette. Her fiction is published in Splickety and Clubhouse Jr. magazines, as well as Maine Review’s Juxtaposition.
Down by the Riverbank is her sixth novel.
A multi-award winning veteran teacher and writer, Jennifer was selected as Teacher of the Year at her Florida Blue Ribbon School, and Writer of the Year at the Florida Christian Writers Conference. Connect with Jennifer online at jenniferodom.com
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