Tulsa's jazz past meets the present in an issue-oriented tale from Stewart (Chasing Lilacs). Mitzi Steiner has enjoyed a 60-year marriage and successful singing partnership with her husband, Gabe. In their later years, Gabe lives in the twilight of Alzheimer's. Volunteering as a "Pink Lady" at a hospital to keep herself busy, Mitzi is deeply affected when Brooke Woodson arrives in the ER, bearing signs of domestic abuse, signs Mitzi recognizes from her childhood. The former jazz singer and the young woman, a paralegal engaged to an ambitious lawyer with an explosive temper, form a bond as each shares her story. Mitzi's tale, narrated in flashback, works. Her past is filled with color, and her present is poignant. Brooke's story is less persuasive; as she moves from battered passivity to strength, characters in the abuse plot thread—her fiancé's aunt, her father—are less than credible. The fresher story is grounded in history and in Alzheimer's, a tough subject in life and fiction. In her sophomore novel, Stewart stumbles with the contemporary elements; she should concentrate on her strength with history. (June)
"Chasing Lilacs is the kind of coming of age story that sticks to you beyond the last page. Unforgettable characters, surprising plot twists, and a setting so southern you'll fall in love with Texas. Carla Stewart is a new talent to watch!"--Mary E. DeMuth, author of Daisy Chain and A Slow Burn Broken Wings is told with Carla Stewart's poignancy and skill in storytelling."--Alice Wisler, author of Rain Song (Christy Finalist 2009), How Sweet It Is (Christy Finalist 2010), and Hatteras Girl Tina Ann Forkner, author of Ruby Among Us and Rose House Susan Meissner, author of The Shape of Mercy Broken Wings is no exception. I couldn't put it down."--Susan May Warren, award-winning, best-selling author of Nightingale Broken Wings . Those of us who have been abused can cheer for Brooke, who stands up and fights with what she has: friendship and the love of God. Keep writing Carla. We need the voice of hope.--Shelley Adina, author of the All About Us series Lisa Wingate, National Bestselling Author of Larkspur Cove and Dandelion Summer Patti Lacy, author of An Irishwoman's Tale, 2008 Forward Magazine Book of the Year Finalist, and What the Bayou Saw, on Chasing Lilacs Publishers Weekly on Chasing Lilacs Romatic Times Christina Berry, award-winning author of The Familiar Stranger
"While the story is heartbreaking, there is much more to this book. The lives of Mitzi and Brooke are told both in present time and with flashbacks, weaving together love, loss, tragedy and friendship. Stewart skillfully entertains and engages the reader with each character's private pain and survival skills."
"Chasing Lilacs is the kind of coming of age story that sticks to you beyond the last page. Unforgettable characters, surprising plot twists, and a setting so southern you'll fall in love with Texas. Carla Stewart is a new talent to watch!"
author of Daisy Chain and A Slow Burn Mary E. DeMuth
"A gripping tale of friendship under turbulent circumstances, Broken Wings is told with Carla Stewart's poignancy and skill in storytelling."
"I smiled through my tears as I read Broken Wings . Those of us who have been abused can cheer for Brooke, who stands up and fights with what she has: friendship and the love of God. Keep writing Carla. We need the voice of hope.
"With apt descriptions and artful prose, Stewart delves in the vibrant, jazzy 1940s, at the same time creating a true-to-life present. Moving between the two time periods, readers discover what everlasting love is, and how strong a woman must be to recognize it."
"A relevant story that explores the beauty of friendship as well as the heartache of abuse. Carla Stewart is an engaging storyteller."
"A memorable story, beautifully written. Set against the backdrop of Tulsa's intriguing jazz culture, Carla Stewart's Broken Wings is a captivating intergenerational tale of friendship, love, and music that surpasses the boundaries of age and time."
"Journey along as an unlikely meeting begets a sisterhood of the heart that unlocks the secrets of the past and ends in the purchase of one amazing red dress. Carla Stewart's fine tale will make you want to spread your wings and fly!"
"Carla Stewart writes powerful, beautiful, emotionally evocative stories that touch my heart. Broken Wings is no exception. I couldn't put it down."
"Prepare to laugh, cry, and pray as you inhale each poignant word of this stunning debut novel. Simply unforgettable!"
