Synopses & Reviews
Fiction. Catherine Barnes is an unlikely adventurer. An artist and children's book illustrator, she is content with her life as mother to 14-year-old Isaac and wife to Elliot, a professor at a university in Iowa. But when she discovers that Elliot's been doing more than teaching his students, and Isaac nearly flunks out of 8th grade, Catherine finds herself at a crossroads. And so begins author Deborah Clearman's debut novel, Todos Santos. Unsure of what to do with her marriage and where to turn for help with her rebellious son, she travels to Guatemala—Isaac in tow—to spend the summer at the invitation of her fiery sister-in-law, Zelda. Shortly after arriving, Catherine leaves Isaac in Zelda's care and hires a guide to take her to the remote village of Todos Santos, or "All Saints," in order to find inspiration for her next book. It's a village bound by legends of the ancient, vengeful gods of the mountains and fears of black magic, as present today as they were when the village was established thousands of years ago.
Synopsis
“Clearman paints a vivid picture of the gritty and graceful sights of Guatemala as well as of the human heart, while touching upon the universal instinct to protect our children from real and imagined threats.”Holly MacArthur, managing editor of Tin House
Synopsis
For Catherine, an escape to provincial Guatemala galvanizes her as a mother, woman, artist, and survivor.
About the Author
Deborah Clearman's short stories have appeared in The Adirondack Review, Beloit Fiction Journal, Connecticut Review, Green Hills Literary Lantern, Hamilton Stone Review, storySouth, and many other journals, and have been a Glimmer Train award finalist. She wrote and illustrated The Goose's Tale (Whispering Coyote Press) for children. Her paintings and prints have been widely exhibited in galleries and museums. She leads creative writing workshops for women in jail on Rikers Island for NY Writers Coalition and she serves on the PEN Prison Writing Committee. She lives in New York City and Guatemala.