SUSAN K. FIELD& Forsythia Press
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Oregon USA -- Award winning author, Susan K. Field, released her debut novel, Eleanor’s Song. A coming of age. A thriller. Above all, a story of redemption and hope.
Inspired by true events, Eleanor’s Song is set amid the backdrop of the Great Depression, World War II, and the western migration, Eleanor Owens learns lessons about the ties that make a family strong, how to endure, and about her own resolve.
“The release of Eleanor’s Song is bittersweet for me,” says Field. “While the book is fiction, it is inspired by pieces of my mother's life. I wanted to give her a finished book, but she passed in the summer of 2023 at the age of ninety-five before I had a chance to. My mother knew I was writing this novel. I interviewed her and researched the era extensively over the years. Thus, this book is dedicated to her and the women who have survived, and the women who haven't. May their stories endure.”
Susan K. Field is an author of stories celebrating women. Before she started writing fiction full-time, Field worked in organizational communications, championing the voices of those who could not advocate for themselves: homeless and abused animals, children with special needs, and victims of domestic violence. Based on these experiences, she felt called to write Eleanor’s Song, her debut novel.
Susan holds a master’s degree in writing. Her nonfiction, poetry, articles, and essays have appeared in literary journals, anthologies, commercial magazines, trade journals, and blogs. An excerpt from Eleanor’s Song, entitled, “A Shadow of a Decision,” won a Kay Snow Writing Award, Short Story category in 2021.
What's the Story About?
A car crash in 1927 finds three-month-old Eleanor Owens wailing on the floorboard of a Ford Model T. Amid the menacing torrents of rain, her mother lies dead along a Washington highway, as the vehicle that caused the accident speeds away, and leaves Eleanor orphaned. Placed in the care of her stern and poverty-stricken grandmother, Eleanor endures the challenge of growing up in small rural towns, yearning for her mother and another life.
By age seventeen, Eleanor devises a plan. She intends to join the US Army Nurse Corps. Get an education. And climb out of poverty. But her brilliant plan crumbles.
In her despair, she impulsively makes a series of calamitous decisions and becomes entrapped in terror, abuse, and homelessness.
What People are Saying
From Jane Kirkpatrick, best-selling and award-winning author of Beneath the Bending Skies
“Susan K. Field in Eleanor’s Song has written the classic novel: a character we can cheer for, who has talents and flaws, who makes mistakes but we understand because she’s young and she’s lived with terrible wounds. It’s a compelling read, a true page turner that unveils a strong woman resilient through trauma. Bravo to Eleanor and to her creator! May we see more from this debut author.”
Kirkus Reviews:
"… the evocative prose and several scenes of intense action make the narrative addictive … culminating in a thrillingly explosive life-and-death battle. A ... period piece with moments of grace and a sturdy hero." — Kirkus Reviews
BookLife Reviews by Publishers Weekly, selected as an Editor's Pick:
“Field brings forth an historical tale of family, trauma, love, and determination … The prose sings, and Field offers welcome insight into life’s most vulnerable moments. Historical fiction readers will find this compelling novel of growth and perseverance one to treasure.” — BookLife Reviews
Eleanor’s Song is published by: SusanFieldWrites & Forsythia Press
ISBN 979-8-9882911-1-4
Eleanor’s Song is 338 pages
To learn more about Susan K. Field, visit https://www.susanfieldwrites.com. If you ’d like more information about Eleanor’s Song, or to schedule a reading or interview with Susan, please contact her via email at FieldWrites@gmail.com. Autographed copies of Eleanor's Song are available by clicking on this link and emailing the author. Field accepts Venmo as payment.