Not Born Here: Stories from Marsden NC by Dennis Sinar (4.5 stars)

About Not Born Here: Stories from Marsden NC
(from Amazon)

A collection of short stories about a fictional Southern town, Marsden N.C. Humor, foibles and heartwarming stories make the town real and the inhabitants memorable characters. The characters move through their days in a small town a daughter learns a secret about her dead mother, women goes through the stages of love, hopeful, love found and just as quickly lost. Roger learns something new about his wife's Jimmylegs and offers fine points on judging a chili competition.

From the Back cover: Marsden is a fictitious town in coastal Carolina. The characters are familiar to anyone who has lived in a small town, alive with personalities and foibles. The stories come from everyday experiences told in a uniquely Southern style. The topics are diverse--a supernatural experience between a daughter and her dead mother to the challenges of judging the annual chili cookoff. 

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Review

Fans of Southern literature, rejoice! Beautifully written with strong voice, Not Born Here is an engaging look into the lives of a small town. Each story is woven together to form an exquisite tale of interesting and diverse characters. When pieced together, it flows into a more novel-like read.

I'm from the South--North Carolina to be exact--and this book took me down memory lane, where I landed in my grandmother's lap listening to her amazing stories. It's like reading dairy entries from several members of a richly connected town. You'll laugh and cry, but most of all you'll feel part of what's happening.

One of my favorite stories was Julia and the Ducks. Here a daughter, still devastated by the loss of her mom, is able to communicate with her mom again through the most unlikely source. Through this interaction comes a deeper understanding of what happened. 

Not Born Here is equal parts heart-warming and humorous. I highly recommend it to fans of Southern literature and to readers who appreciate memorable characters with great flair, no matter where they are from. In our hearts, we all share similar disappointments, fears, joys, trials, and achievements.  

Rating: 4.5 stars

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About the Author
(from Amazon author page)

I'm a retired physician working on my right brain function by writing fiction. Not Born Here, my first book, is a collection of short stories about familiar characters, their lives and challenges in a small southern town of Marsden, North Carolina. According to one reviewer, Not Born Here is a "witty, colorful preservation of local flavor, uniqueness and language spun by an accomplished storyteller."

Note: I was the proofreader (through Indie Books Gone Wild) on this book. Still, a positive review was not requested or guaranteed, and the opinions expressed are my own.