Where the Woodbine Twines

Nan never forgets the troubled child she desperately tried to befriend. When eleven-year-old Catherine Wiley stumbles into Nan's thirteen-year-old life, an imprint is left forever. This chilling encounter even affects Nan's adult life! Nan is 'haunted' by Catherine's memory and yearns to know if she's still alive, and if so, what happened to the misunderstood girl. Until adulthood, Nan never learns of Catherine's tragic secret, explaining the young Wiley girl's odd behavior. Nan wonders if she had been told such a huge secret at a young age, would she have tried to help, or made Catherine's life more miserable? Sherry Austin writes realistic characters with very human stories that will break your heart. This story also highlights how cruel childhood can be, especially for children who are 'different'. It was a pleasure to meet Sherry Austin at the Heritage Festival. She's a very talented writer and a 'down to earth' individual. I look forward to reading more of her books. Chrissy K. McVay Author of 'Souls of the North Wind'

Narrated by a 9-year-old girl in the deep south in the 1960s, this book is full of evocative mystery. While the ending is weak and some bits require a bit of extra suspension of disbelief, the story holds together well, and you will love the realistic down-to-earth narration of the narrator who has critical thinking skills far beyond her years. This is a simple, fun, fast read which brilliantly melts southern folklore with the realities of growing up a military brat in the 1960s. Readers will love the blend of pure fantasy with the realistic edge of childhood memories.

This reads like a mystery. I couldn't put it down- either time I read it! I was looking for clues and trying to put together pieces that didn't connect until the end. The descriptions of the Myrtle Beach of the past are so powerful that i'm sure they will stir memories for many. The old pavilion comes alive with all its sights, tastes, and smells. And the whole thing is driven by interesting characters. The narrator who is trying to come to terms with her own life and make peace with her memories. The unlikeable Catherine Wiley who is bitter because she cannot be what the world insists that she be. Her poor old grandmother who is doing the best she can for Catherine. I could feel for them all because they are so human and so screwed up. I found myself getting sucked into their individual trials- Old Mr. Wiley said, "Life's a disease and death is the cure". Amen! And I kept thinking to myself, as I sypathized with young Catherine at the end, why do we have to be like this? Why are we cruel to people who are different? And the sad answer is clearly, that human nature is a cruel, ugly thing. The novel made me think of the misfits I remember from life and hope that they made it, that they found a place to fit in, or that there really is a place where it will all be better, where the woodbine twines.

Sherry Austin is unparalled in her ability to write stories as multi-layered as baklava, that draw you into the Twilight Zone and evoke the atmosphere of a time and place. In the case of WHERE THE WOODBINE TWINES, that place is the eerie South Carolina low country and the strange carnival setting of Myrtle Beach's famous and now defunct Pavillion. Anyone who has ever felt different--and haven't we all at one time or another?--will find much to savor in this delicious, mysterious tale. It wasn't until I read her blog that I began to have an idea of what this strange story has to offer. You'll have not trouble getting into this novel. Get to page two where the words "she haunts me" appear, and you won't put it down until you're finished.

Austin is a good writer and storyteller. She always weaves a tapestry of unforgettable characters and Where the Woodbine Twines is no exception. You will recall the names of Wanda, Nan and Catherine and the imagery she paints of them long after you finish the last page. Very enjoyable!