Donna Everhart is a USA Today bestselling author known for vividly evoking the challenges of the heart and the complex heritage of the American South in her acclaimed novels When the Jessamine Grows, The Saints of Swallow Hill, The Moonshiner's Daughter, The Forgiving Kind, The Road to Bittersweet, and The Education of Dixie Dupree. She is the recipient of the prestigious SELA Outstanding Southeastern Author Award from the Southeastern Library Association and her novels have received a SIBA Okra Pick, an Indie Next Pick, and two Publishers Marketplace Buzz Books selections. Born and raised in Raleigh, she has stayed close to her hometown for much of her life and now lives just an hour away in Dunn, North Carolina. Please visit Donna Everhart online at DonnaEverhart.com.
Praise for The Saints of Swallow Hill
“The distinctive setting of the turpentine camps in the South
during the Great Depression will make an imprint on readers, just
as the characters of Rae Lynn and Del do. Fans of Sarah Addison
Allen won't be able to put it down.”
—Booklist
Praise for Donna Everhart's Southern Fiction
"Rousing...movingly explores Jessie's struggle with her eating
disorder, viscerally describing her twin desires for nourishment
and purging in relation to a deep need to define
herself...Everhart's story of self-discovery, rife with colorful
characters and a satisfying twist, will thrill readers."
—Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW for The Moonshiner's
Daughter
"This riveting novel set in the 1960s will have readers, especially
those who enjoy Kaye Gibbons and Anna Jean Mayhew, captivated from
the first page."
—Booklist, STARRED REVIEW for The Moonshiner's Daughter
"Highly engaging and fast-paced with well-drawn out
characters...the glimpse into this landscape and the moonshining
underground is equal parts eye-opening and fascinating. Everhart
handles Jessie's eating disorder with grace and compassion. The
book also explores family loyalty and legacy. There's a lot to
digest, and all of it makes for a compelling reading
experience."
—The Historical Novels Review on The Moonshiner's Daughter
"Reminiscent of the novels of Lee Smith, Kaye Gibbons, and Sandra
Dallas, Everhart builds a firm sense of place, portraying the
tiredness and hope of a dry southern summer and voicing strong
southern women."
—Booklist on The Forgiving Kind
"Set in 1950s North Carolina, this touching and fearless novel is a
coming-of-age story about a young heroine determined to survive and
pursue justice out of love for her family."
—She Reads on The Forgiving Kind
"This story of survival and perseverance is heartbreaking and hard,
but the ways the characters in the book choose family and hope lead
them on paths they would never expect. Laci brings a bright spot to
the family when she uses her fiddle to express her deeper thoughts
and feelings while adding a magical component to the family's
singing group, The Stampers...Everhart creates a signature style by
writing in the voice of the main character, a young Southern girl,
telling the story from her perspective. Her voice remains true
throughout the novel, successfully engaging the reader."
—The Missourian on The Road to Bittersweet
"Everhart is a good storyteller and makes her characters and their
experiences come alive."
—Booklist on The Road to Bittersweet
"An adventure story and coming-of-age story wrapped into one
satisfying package... Donna Everhart skillfully evokes a harsh
landscape and harsh times, squarely placing the reader in
Appalachia right along with the family. Wallis Ann's complicated
relationship with her sister is well explored and serves as a
catalyst for her growth into a mature young woman."
—Historical Novels Review on The Road to Bittersweet
"With gravitas and heart...Donna Everhart does a deft job of
writing about innocence lost."
—Business Insider, Insider Pick for The Education of Dixie
Dupree
"This is a dark, haunting book that will linger with you for days,
but despite the heaviness of the book, Dixie is a witty,
charismatic burst of energy and sunshine who readers will want to
rescue themselves. A remarkable story of the triumph of will, and a
great coming-of-age novel."
—Historical Novels Review on The Education of Dixie Dupree
"[A] harrowing coming-of-age novel set in Alabama...Readers will be
drawn to Dixie, who is full of spunk and grit."
—Booklist on The Education of Dixie Dupree
“Please open your heart to Dixie Dupree. With unflinching honesty
and a voice that rings with authenticity, she survives the
unthinkable. Her story celebrates the resiliency of the human
spirit and the triumph of the imagination. An important novel,
beautifully written, this is a story to cherish.”
—Susan Wiggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author on The Education
of Dixie Dupree
“Young Dixie Dupree is an indomitable spirit in this
coming-of-age novel that is a heartbreaking and honest witness to
the resilience of human nature and the fighting spirit and courage
residing in all of us.”
—The Huffington Post on The Education of Dixie Dupree
“In a powerful coming‑of‑age story that pitches southern charm
against dark family secrets, the voice of 11‑year‑old Dixie Dupree
captivates from the first page to the last.”
—Barbara Claypole White, bestselling author of The Perfect Son on
The Education of Dixie Dupree
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