Tonya Blessing is a Colorado resident, a Weld County teacher who, for months of any given year lives in rural South Africa where she and her husband, Chris, work with protecting and providing for tribal women and children in their non-profit organization, Strong Cross Ministries.

Tonya has written a fascinating fiction book entitled The Whispering of the Willows. The story takes place in the Appalachians, a place she visited often as a child on holidays. The story is a heart-wrenching tale of troubled times of poverty after the Great War, the experience of a variety of intimate relationships, and redemption through the faithful and ingenious activity of Appalachian folk. Life in the 1920’s world of Big Creek, West Virginia, is revealed through the eyes of fourteen-year-old Emerald Ashby. This brave young girl takes on a difficult journey towards hope and healing in the companionship of both friends and foe.

I was immediately pulled into the lives of the Ashby family, who struggle to survive as hog farmers. Emerald’s father is disabled, a tragic result of the war, and the burden of maintaining the farm is left to his wife and the children. Emerald’s life morphs from a child to a young adult due to complex circumstances, causing her to cling to an extended family member, her brother, a classmate, and her faith.

The beautiful imagery and believable, colloquial dialog in a touching plot all come together to make Tonya’s book a wonderful read. This book is recommended for older teens and adults.

It’s a page-turner, and it is available from Amazon for approximately $18.