by Amy Sorrells
David C Cook Distribution Canada
55 Woodslee Avenue, Paris, Ontario, Canada N3L 3E5
David C Cook U.K., Kingsway Communications
Eastbourne, East Sussex BN23 6NT, England
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Luke 2:25–26, 28–32 in chapter 10 and 2 Corinthians 1:6 in chapter 41 are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version©, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com; Psalm 147:3 in chapter 16 is taken from the King James Version of the Bible. (Public Domain.).
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This story is a work of fiction. Characters and events are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is coincidental.
LCCN 2013949575
ISBN 978-1-4347-0544-0
eISBN 978-0-7814-1125-7
© 2014 Amy Sorrells
The Author is represented by and this book is published in association with the literary agency of WordServe Literary Group, Ltd., www.wordserveliterary.com.
The Team: John Blase, Nicci Hubert, Amy Konyndyk, Nick Lee, Tonya Osterhouse, Karen Athen
Cover Design: FaceOut Studios, Tim Green
Cover Photo: Shutterstock
First Edition 2014
Amy K. Sorrells writes words of hope for a hurting world. This debut author is the winner of the 2012 Women of Faith Writing Contest. Her passion for healing is also reflected in her role as a registered nurse. A graduate of DePauw University, Amy lives with her husband, three sons, and a gaggle of golden retrievers in central Indiana.
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What people are saying about …
How Sweet the Sound
“With poetic prose, lyrical descriptions, and sensory details that bring the reader deep into every scene, Amy K. Sorrells has delivered a lush, modern telling of the age-old story of Tamar. But that’s not all. With a full cast of colorful characters and juxtaposed first-person narratives woven throughout, this story dives into the Gulf Coast culture of pecan orchards and debutante balls, exposing layers of family secrets and sins. In the end comes redemption, grace, forgiveness, and faith, but not without a few scars carried by those who manage to survive the wrath of hardened hearts. Bravo!”
Julie Cantrell, New York Times bestselling author of Into the Free and When Mountains Move
“How Sweet the Sound is one of those books you want to savor slowly, like sips of sweet tea on a hot Southern day. Achingly beautiful prose married with honest, raw redemption make this book a perfect selection for your next book club.”
Mary DeMuth, author of fifteen books, including The Muir House
“Meeting these characters and stepping into their worlds forever changed the contour of my heart. Sorrells’s words effortlessly rise from the page with a cadence that is remarkably brave and wildly beautiful.”
Toni Birdsong, author of More than a Bucket List
“Filled with brokenness and redemption, grit and grace, How Sweet the Sound is a heartrending coming-of-age debut about God’s ability to heal the hurting and restore the damaged. Sorrells deftly reminds us that no matter how dark the night, hope is never lost. Not if we have eyes to see.”
Katie Ganshert, author of Wildflowers from Winter and Wishing on Willows
“A stirring tale of loss and redemption. Amy Sorrells will break your heart and piece it back twice its size.”
Billy Coffey,
author of When Mockingbirds Sing
“A daring and enchanted story, Amy K. Sorrells’s How Sweet the Sound beckons readers to a land of pecan groves, bay breezes, and graveyard secrets rising up like the dead on judgment day.”
Karen Spears Zacharias, author of Mother of Rain
“Amy Sorrells weaves an engaging tale of heart-wrenching family tragedy in stunningly beautiful, lyrical prose. If you are a fan of women’s fiction, don’t miss this fresh, new voice.”
Jordyn Redwood,
author of the Bloodline Trilogy
“How Sweet the Sound takes on the hard things of life. Author Amy Sorrells writes with tenderness, grace, and the heartbroken voice of experience.”
Lori Borgman, columnist for McClatchy-Tribune, author of The Death of Common Sense,
and national speaker
“Can love heal the pain and hurt of lies and deep secrets held across generations? This heartwarming and heart-wrenching story by Amy K. Sorrells takes us into the depths of this question as one family fights back from a disaster that shattered hopes and dreams. Amy K. Sorrells takes us on a powerful journey of love and redemption, a journey the reader will not soon forget.”
Henry McLaughlin, award-winning author of Journey to Riverbend
“Amy K. Sorrells has a lyrical voice that immediately draws you into the complex lives of captivating characters and a powerful tale that will leave you breathless. This is one of those stories that will continue to live on in a reader’s mind long after turning the last page. It is hard to believe that How Sweet the Sound is a debut novel.”
Tina Ann Forkner, author of Rose House
“What a powerful story. This book reveals and heals through the power of love. I’m a better person for having read this tender-but-truthful coming-of-age tale.”
Janalyn Voigt, literary judge and author of DawnSinger
“How Sweet the Sound brings to light the wrecking torment of a sin-filled past and the aftermath of fear that paralyzes a family’s ability to cope with the present. Through the lives of a Southern family, we see how deeply hurt people hurt even those they love. While it’s a story of one family, it’s also a look at the world in which we live. Sorrells vividly exposes sin’s path to destruction, but leaves us with a beautiful reminder of how hope is restored when grace arrives to cover the brokenness.”
Tami Heim, president and CEO of Christian Leadership Alliance
“Sorrells has created a story of hope and redemption set in an Alabaman pecan orchard. Rich with Scripture, folk music, Creole phrases, pecan orchards, and Southern ways, Sorrells weaves a tale of generational sex abuse. I’ve never see a fiction book depict the devastation and healing process for survivors in such a candid and accurate way.”
Lucille Zimmerman, counselor, teacher, and author of Renewed
“Evocative, brutal, yet redemptive, How Sweet the Sound forces you to think long and hard about difficult subjects and pain, but it leaves you with the hope of grace and mercy. Thanks, Amy, for taking me there.”
Dave Rodriguez, senior pastor of Grace Church, Noblesville, IN
“Amy Sorrells reminds us of the pain that many families face when some of the members want to keep secrets so the family name will be protected. Hurricane Frederic, pecan harvesting, jubilees, and cotillions reminded us of both the painful and enjoyable times we’ve had growing together as a successful farm family. We pray Amy’s book will help those who have experienced similar pain.”
Mona Barfield and Sandra Bishop, B&B Pecan Company, Fairhope, AL, since 1956
“A colorful, compelling novel—just what you’d expect a story of the South to be. It is alternatively explosive and introspect
ive, but always engaging.”
Richard J. Roth, senior associate dean of Northwestern University in Qatar
“A beautiful story of God’s redeeming power to make all things new! Amy Sorrells takes her readers on a journey confronting the spiraling darkness of generational sin and experiencing healing and freedom when the light of Truth shines.”
Carmen D’Arcy Stanczykiewicz, worship arts and programming pastor at Traders Point Christian Church
“I have been a voracious reader ever since I learned to read and have enjoyed many memorable books for many different reasons. How Sweet the Sound reads with the sweetest honesty and unpretentious beauty. The word unsophisticated comes to mind, and I mean that in the best possible way—sophistication is a veneer we hide behind. I’m not sure I can find the words right now to express all this book has made me feel, because even though I am done with it, I don’t think it is nearly done with me.”
Carolyn O’Brien, Page & Palette Bookstore, Fairhope, AL
“This beautifully well-written book offers hope and healing from tragedy and brokenness. The believable characters come alive in this remarkable book.”
Birdie Gunyon Meyer, RN, MA, coordinator of the Perinatal Mood Disorders Program at Indiana University Health
“There are certain books you enjoy reading until the last page, place them back on the bookshelf, and move on with your life. Then there are those you want to savor—with storylines and characters that work their way into your heart and hold fast. How Sweet the Sound is a book in the latter category. You’ll catch yourself wondering how Anniston, Comfort, and the others are getting on in life long after you’ve turned the last page, and you’ll find yourself hoping you’ll meet them again soon. Amy Sorrells’s debut novel exceeded all my expectations. I can’t wait to see what she has in store next.”
Kathy “Katdish” Richards, blogger, humorist, and Internet tornado
“How Sweet the Sound offers a glimpse into the trauma and devastation of incest and abuse that impacts so many lives. Amy Sorrells’s insight brings the reader into a front-row seat to reveal the far-reaching effect that sexual abuse has on not just the victim, but the family and the community. This is a poignant story that will captivate and enlighten.”
Anita M. Carpenter, CEO of Indiana Coalition against Sexual Assualt, national speaker, and advocate for social justice