Jennifer Moorman
Nationally renowned author, Jennifer Moorman, is coming to the plateau to share some insight into her latest novel, the Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds. She will be present at Hudson Library on April 22 at 12:30 p.m., followed by a visit to the Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library at 3 p.m. on the same day.
“She’ll be speaking specific, presenting and talking about specifically this book,” said Michael Redman, event coordinator for the Albert Carlton-Cashiers Library. “I’m sure that she’s be happy to answer other questions that attendees have about any of her other books.”
According to Redman, the goal of her upcoming visit to the library in Cashiers is to encourage more awareness of the library’s adult programming, which will continue to unravel throughout the year.
“I hope people take away from is both, again, the rich cultural history of the mountains and as well as more awareness of the programs that we do offer at the library,” he said. “Not only the author readings, but our arts and crafts programming, our children’s programming, our film programming, the author events and the lecture series we host.”
The book, which will be available for attendees to purchase the event, centers on 35-year-old widow Josephine Reynolds, the titular protagonist of the story. Her sister convinces her to buy a bungalow, which once served their ancestral home.
However, after the installs the home’s original home, she is magically transported into 1927, where she meets her great-grandmother Alma, who is running an illegal speakeasy in the bungalow’s basement.
“She gets to see what life was like for her great-grandmother and just how resilient the people are. And the women and women didn’t have a lot of rights in the ‘20s,” Moorman said. So, I think what she learned the most is to appreciate all the things we have and where we came from and how we got to where we are.”
Now in the 1920s, Josephine finds herself growing a close bond with Alma, only to realize that her return to the present has been altered. Alma’s life has been tragically cut short and soon Josephine discovers that even her own existence is unraveling. In her quest to save both Alma and herself, Josephine must race against time in a desperate battle for survival.
“It is a fun story. It has a lot of heart. It’s exciting because you don’t know what’s going to happen. As with time travel stories, you know, you don’t know if they’re going to make it, if they’re not going to make it, if they can change what has happened, if they can alter anything,” she said.
Speaking on the inspirations behind the book, Moorman noted the idea was initially conceived from a historical door from the 19th century that she saw at an architectural salvage yard. This ultimately became the catalyst to what would eventually become The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds.
“I just kept that idea with me for a really long time. And then a couple years ago, my agent and my editor asked me if I had ever considered writing a time travel story. And when they mentioned that, I just thought about that door, and I realized that I wanted to put that door on a house. And the story just organically grew from there,” she said.
Moorman will be present at both the Albert Carlton-Cashiers Library and the Highlands Community Library, in which she said she will offer attendees a deep dive into her writing process behind the story.
“I started out my career as a vocalist and I put a band together and I traveled all across the country for many years singing. And then I had a career change. I started writing and you know, this is really where my happy place is. I feel so inspired,” she said.
Alongside leading a discussion about The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds, Moorman also noted that she will briefly talk about some additional stories that she is working on, such as her latest book called The Charmed Library, which is slated to hit shelves next January.
Moorman said she is excited to share her book with the Highlands-Cashiers community, adding that the fun and engaging feel-good story that Josephine embarks on will serve as the perfect palette cleanser for readers in the area.
“If someone has read something that’s really intense, they can pick up Josephine and know that it’s going to be a really good story with a lot of heart, but also fun,” she said.