2009 Christy Award Winner
In the small town of Dogwood, West Virginia, Karin has buried her shattered dreams by settling for a faithful husband whose emotional distance from her deep passions and conflicts leaves her isolated. Loaded with guilt, she tries to raise three small children and "do life" the best she can. Will returns to Dogwood intent on pursuing the only woman he has ever loved—only to find there is far more standing in his way than lost years in prison. The secrets of Will and Karin's past begin to emerge through Danny Boyd, a young boy who wishes he hadn't survived the tragedy that knit those two together as well as tore them apart. The trigger that will lay their pain bare and force them to face it rather than flee is the unlikely figure of Ruthie Bowles, a withered, wiry old woman who leads Karin so deep into her anger against God that it forces unexpected consequences.
Chris Fabry introduces readers to the fictional town of Dogwood, West Virginia, in his first novel for adults, Dogwood. The book released in August 2008 and was awarded the 2009 Christy Award in the Contemporary Standalone category. Visit the Christy Award Archives for a list of the 2009 winners and finalists.
I wrote a story about the small town I'm from in West Virginia, changing the name to Dogwood. There are some really great people in small towns. But small towns have long memories and in this locale, the people have a hard time forgiving Will Hatfield for what he did. Still he returns, intent on pursuing the only woman he has ever loved—only to find there is far more standing in his way than lost years in prison.
Karin has buried her shattered dreams by settling for a faithful husband whose emotional distance leaves her isolated. Loaded with guilt, she tries to raise three children and survive the best she can.
The secrets of Will and Karin's past begin to emerge through Danny Boyd, a young boy who wishes he hadn't survived the tragedy that knit those two together as well as tore them apart. But the trigger that will lay bare their past and force them to face it is the unlikely figure of Ruthie Bowles, a withered, wiry old woman whose prying and persistence forces unexpected consequences.
I really love the story of Dogwood and hope you will as well.
Download the first chapter of Dogwood here:
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"The rural South comes to life, with themes of forgiveness and second chances as highlights. The characters are both deeply flawed and immensely relatable, making this another hit for Fabry."
— LIBRARY JOURNAL on A Piece of the Moon
"Fabry has a true gift for prose, and [Almost Heaven] is amazing. You'll most definitely want to move this to the top of your 'to buy' list."
— ROMANTIC TIMES, 4½-Star Top Pick Review
"A conflicted, memorable main character. . . . While the mystery at its core is compelling, it's Wiley's inner conflict that's truly engrossing. Down to its final pages, [Not in the Heart] is a gripping read."
— CROSSWALK.COM
"Every Waking Moment has depth and beauty. I really don't think I could say enough good things about this novel. It's thrilling. It's poignant. It's touching. It's deep. It's beautiful. And it should be read."
— LIFEISSTORY.COM
"This absorbing novel should further boost Fabry's reputation as one of the most talented authors in Christian fiction."
— CBA RETAILERS + RESOURCES on Not in the Heart
"A captivating story. . . ."
— CHRISTIANBOOKPREVIEWS.COM on June Bug
"This riveting, no-punches-pulled coming-of-age tale is reminiscent of Richard Bachman's (Stephen King) short story 'The Body,' which was made into the movie Stand by Me."
— BOOKLIST on The Promise of Jesse Woods
"Dogwood will captivate you from cover to cover."
— READERVIEWS.COM
"Few authors can weave such unique stories with such perfect language. . . . Fabry is an artist with words. All I can say is: Read his novels."
— EXAMINER.COM on June Bug
"Fabry has built a rewarding story; it's hard to imagine inspirational fiction done better than this."
— WORLD MAGAZINE on Not in the Heart
"A tale of secrecy, sacrifice and family . . . This poignant story is worth the heartache: Complex and layered, The Promise of Jesse Woods goes beyond a youthful promise to center on a bond renewed by a desire for truth."
— BOOKPAGE