"Willows, Where It Happened" concerns the coming of age of young Meggie Sullivan, growing up amongst bigotry, greed, and murder in a small Appalachia town during post WW-II. When a fierce storm seizes the town of Willow Branch, a tree is struck by lightening creating the startling image of an 'accusing finger.' When the town prophet steps forward declaring, "God's wrath is upon us" memories soon surface concerning the disappearance of a young girl years earlier. After Reverend Smiles mounts the pulpit warning, 'The 'end times' are at hand, the community becomes enveloped in fear, guilt and deceit. Colorful characters include a colorful aunt and confidant, a l sinister mountain woman, an eccentric Widow, a stout-hearted sheriff, a hypocritical preacher and finally, the wily, "Sin Detector" who admonishes sinners and haunts young Meggie's dreams. From the disclosure of the murderer, the exposure of crooked politics, and Meggie's awareness of bigotry and deceit in the town she once loved, we witness her heartache, healing and blossoming into womanhood. An exciting Epilog provides an exciting closure.
About the Author: Joan McAteer, wife and mother of three sons, and a native West Virginian began writing in her mid forties. Having given birth to a baby boy at the age of 43, Joan's knack for spinning yarns developed from telling her young son bedtime stories. Later, her writing focused on the spiritual, soon spread to humor, and from there to essays and short stories. Her early works were published in Ellery Queen Mysteries, New Covenant and Liguorian magazines. Her series of humorous episodes and articles, published in her local newspaper, lead to her book of essays entitled, What Was I to do? After winning first place in 'Article" category in the Annual WV Writers Competition, Joan considered writing a novel. The opportunity presented itself when a workshop leader challenged the class to complete the sentence: "A long time ago, so and so said . . ." Out of nowhere, Joan's imagination was sparked by the image of a ragged stranger walking down a path. The stranger's name became Mopus Thompson whom she envisioned shouting at a group of children, "Don't go near the tunnel. Don't you never, ever, go near the tunnel!" The warning from the imaginary Mopus plagued Joan's subconscious."Why not go near the tunnel? What's in the tunnel? Not until she sat down and began typing was she able to create a cast of complex characters and delve deeper into the mystery of a tree being struck by lightening during a fierce storm and its branch, resembling an accusing finger, being planted deep into the ground near the spot where a young girl disappeared years earlier. Thus began the beginnings of Joan's first novel, Willows Where it Happened. The story takes place in a small Appalachian town during Post WW-II and features a cast of complex characters. The epilogue provides an exciting ending.