Bear Me Safely Over

Atmospheric and engaging, Sheri Joseph's remarkably assured debut explores the interior lives of two Georgia families soon to be linked by a marriage. Though Bear Me Safely Over tackles dark themes — the menace of homophobia, the splintering of families, the discordant voice of religious fundamentalism — it is at its core a hopeful portrait of the different and often elusive faces of salvation. Sidra and Curtis, two twenty-somethings who impulsively decide to make their relationship permanent, form an arch that connects their fractured families. Sidra has already lost a sister to the fatal allure of drugs, and now Curtis's young gay stepbrother, Paul, a lonely and defiant outsider, seems to be drifting out of control. By the book's exquisite conclusion, no character is left untouched by the challenge of having to choose between guiding and thwarting troubled souls in their precarious passage to firmer ground. Bear Me Safely Over offers up a kaleidoscopic vision of the common secrets and sorrows at the heart of a community.

"[A] gutsy, realistic and lyrical portrait....[Joseph's] prose can be stiff in places, but the chorus of voices eventually coalesces into an affecting narrative..." Publishers Weekly

"Proceed[s] in understated, cautious prose and without clear purpose....Many small tales, nicely wrought, fail to assume a larger cohesion." Kirkus Reviews

"[A]tmospheric but overwritten....But if the writing doesn't always ring true, this promising first novel will win readers because the characters usually do." John Green, Booklist

"Joseph's prose is never boring. It's a treat to be privy to the intimate thoughts of her colorful characters." Melissa Ludwig, Austin American-Statesman

"[An] engrossing debut novel....Joseph has produced a rich and engaging chorus." LA Advocate

With a distinctive voice, Sheri Joseph's remarkably assured debut explores the interior lives of two Georgia families soon to be linked by a marriage, and though it tackles dark themes -- the menace of homophobia, the splintering of families, the discordant voice of religious fundamentalism -- at its core is a hopeful portrait of the different and often elusive faces of salvation. Sidra and Curtis, two twenty-somethings who impulsively decide to make their relationship permanent, form an arch that connects their fractured families. Sidra has already lost a sister to the fatal allure of drugs, and now Curtis's young gay stepbrother, Paul, a lonely and defiant outsider, seems to be drifting out of control. As Paul tests the boundaries of his world and explores his sexuality, Curtis can hardly control his homophobic rage, while Sidra reacts with an overwhelming need to protect him. By the book's exquisite conclusion, no character is left untouched by the challenge of having to choose between guiding and thwarting troubled souls in their precarious passage toward firmer ground. Sheri Joseph fashions a subtle and affecting exploration of the sacrifices we must make to be our brothers' keepers, and the consequences of refusing to do so.

Sheri Joseph's fiction has been published in numerous literary journals including The Georgia Review, The Kenyon Review, and The Virginia Quarterly Review, and has been a finalist for the National Magazine Award, among other prizes. She lives in Atlanta and teaches in the creative writing program at Georgia State University.

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