Return to Morgan’s Hat, Tennessee

A family drama set in the fictional small town of Morgan’s Hat, Tennessee, Weary, Come Home follows protagonists Zeal Cooley, the town’s congenial pastor, and the church secretary, Chantilly Bransford, as they try to unravel the mystery of a baby left on the church’s doorstep. The tale is told as a memory to rising star actress Heidi Phillips by her grandmother, Mo Seek. And like so many great Southern yarns, there are plenty of twists, turns, and coincidences that can only be attributed to the hand of God. For, as the great Flannery O’Connor once declared, “…while the South is hardly Christ-centered, it is most certainly Christ-haunted.”

“Eight years ago my first novel was published,” Abby muses. “It was a labor of love, and like most first babies, it took me a while to figure out what I was doing! I’m thrilled that my current publisher, Wordcrafts Press, agreed to re-publish Oh, to Grace, and I’m equally thrilled to announce the release of my new novel, a sequel of sorts, called Weary, Come Home. I love these books, and these characters have become some of my favorite people (even if they do only exist in my head). Both books are written for adults and set in bygone eras in a little, Southern town. With all my heart, I hope you’ll like them, too.”

“I have become a big fan of Abby’s work,” says WordCrafts Press publisher Mike Parker. “Whether she is writing middle grade, young adult, or adult fiction, her stories are always endearing, engaging, laced with good humor and touched with a sweet dollop of Southern charm. Weary, Come Home is certainly no exception. I would love to invite folks to visit Morgan’s Hat. Chances are, you won’t want to leave.”

“Weary, Come Home all started with the notion of someone who is feeling splintered from running up against the sharp edges of life, and all she wants to do is to get home, whatever and wherever that may be. The character of Heidi and her grandmother Mo grew in my heart before I knew that they would be connected to one of my dearest fictional friends from my first novel Oh to Grace—Pastor Zeal Cooley. From there, it was a sweet journey to travel with all the characters, including the exceptional church secretary, Chantilly Bransford, as they looked for what it meant to find a home. In so many ways, this book is speckled by the fingerprints of the many nurturing people who’ve come before me and continue to be my Mo. The priceless souls who could fix so much of what’s ailing you with a listening ear and a grilled cheese sandwich.”

 ***

 Pastor Zeal Cooley lifted the crate and looked in the direction of the wooded area around the side door of the church. He nearly called out, “Anybody there?” But he decided against it. He carried the crate inside, past the pulpit and into the office, and set the wooden box on Tillie’s desk, then waited for her to finish her phone call.

“That was Nadine Henderson,” she told Zeal once she had said goodbye. Tillie was refastening the clip-on earring which resembled a cluster of purple grapes back on her right ear. She used both hands to smooth her hair in the front and repositioned a hair pin at the top of her head to keep an impressive wave of brown hair in place. “Her son has taken up drinking again. So sad. I told her you’d be by tomorrow afternoon.” Tillie wrote the appointment in her date book and turned her plump face so she could look inside the crate. “Now what do we have here, Pastor? A donation for the less fortunate?”

Zeal reached inside the crate and lifted out its contents. “I believe it’s a baby, Mrs. Bransford.”

About the Author

Abby Rosser makes her home in Middle Tennessee with her husband and four kids. When she’s not writing, Abby enjoys reading, watching movies, baking (and eating) desserts and being outside…but not all at the same time. And she loves imagining stories (often when’s she’s doing most of the above).

Visit her online at: abbyrosser.com