"A heartwarming story of a city girl and her rancher grandfather turning adversity into love and community
When Lillian Stone lapses into a coma and is admitted to a San Francisco hospital in the spring of 1969, her only child, twelve-year-old Maggie, is temporarily taken in by her best friend's family. More than a month later, the neighbors can no longer afford to provide for Maggie's room and board. Uprooted again, she is sent to a local orphanage. Just as she's beginning to adapt to life at the orphanage, Ira Stone, a grandfather she never met, shows up unexpectedly and shuttles her 1200 miles away to live at his ranch on the isolated plains of eastern Montana.
Maggie knows nothing about her hard-nosed WWI Veteran Grandpa other than being aware that he and her mother have long been estranged. Thrust into a culture and lifestyle that couldn't be more opposite of her San Francisco upbringing, Maggie is suddenly expected to do household and barnyard chores under the critical eye of a grizzled old rancher.
Ira and Maggie are equally skeptical of each other as they attempt to adapt to the vastly different world they now share. In addition to facing all the challenges in her new life, the worry of whether her mom will ever regain consciousness is never far from Maggie's thoughts. Despite having to overcome the overwhelming obstacles placed in her path, Maggie's grit, determination, and can-do spirit are evident in this heartwarming story of how she wins the love and respect of the members of her new community, not the least of which is her grandfather, Ira Stone.
Here's what early reviewers are saying about A Stone's Throw: Wayne Edwards deftly captures the emotional turmoil and confusion of young adulthood. Maggie is imperfect in all the right ways and her optimism is a positive example for all youth. Incorporating it into the curriculum or the YA offerings of the library would be perfect."
"'Feel Good Football Fiction' ~ 'Small town Montana at its finest!' ~ 4.8 out of 5
Listen to the feel-good small town adventures of Pacer Coulee, Montana and its colourful cast of citizens
Pacer Coulee Chronicles takes the reader down the adventurous path of the 1990 high school fall sports season, in the small, rural community of Pacer Coulee, Montana. Edna Coffman, School Board Chairperson and community leader and icon, hires thirty-something coaches Luke Carter and Madison Danielsen with the specific directive of returning the town sports fortunes to its former championship status. The unique-to-small-town interactions are at the forefront in this tale, and clearly demonstrate the close interconnections between school, sport and community in rural small-town America. There's plenty of drama to keep the reader engaged, from the rough and troubled life of star football player Tank Hollister to the difficult transition of Elvis His Own Horse and Clare Comes at Night, brother-and-sister Native Americans who transfer from a nearby Reservation to the all-white town and school of Pacer Coulee. It's the myriad of dilemmas and awkward situations that surface among the colourful cast of students, school officials and townsfolk that makes this humorous and entertaining tale such an enjoyable, can't-put-down read.
- 'Wayne Edwards’s first novel is a must read. Pacer Coulee Chronicles is a humorous, tender tale of small town America. The characters are realistic, sometimes flawed, but mostly likeable. Every community has a few bad apples like Pacer Coulee’s drunk who abuses his son. It is the community’s response to the son that matters in the end. Pacer Coulee deals with the ups and downs of life that affect us all, whether we live in a rural or urban community. Edwards’s book will bring a smile to your face and cement your faith in your community.' ~ Amazon Reviewer"
