Sometimes losing something can change the way you see everything.
Tuesday Mayes has always felt like she was meant for more than the desert she’s lived in her whole life. With the summer after high school graduation upon her, she is eager to start a new chapter despite the diagnosis of a minor health issue. But when her father goes missing, she must confront a reality she’s not ready to face.
Enter Cristian Robles, childhood friend and long-time crush. When he offers to accompany her on a journey across Arizona to find her father—if they visit supernatural locations from his Weird Arizona guidebook along the way—Tuesday sees it as chance to finally have an adventure.
With a mix of adventure, romance, and self-discovery, Things to See in Arizona is a story about growing up, facing fears, and discovering the strength within. On this journey of a lifetime, will Tuesday discover who she truly is and what she truly wants?
“Beautifully compelling and overflowing with artistic expression, a novel that captures the challenges and triumphs of the heart. Vensel White seamlessly forms a tapestry of prose with sharp yet lush descriptions and astute observations of the human dynamic. Starling shines light on the ways we imprison and ultimately release ourselves through the strength of our yearnings. A thoughtful and rich read that showcases the power of familial bonds.” ~ Cherie Kephart, author of A Few Minor Adjustments
“A riveting story with an unlikely hero. Gina is the kind of woman who often goes unseen and is rarely the center of a narrative. Vensel White’s novels offer no two-dimensional characters; all the people on the periphery have complicated stories and motivations. Like real life. You’ll think about these authentic characters long after the story is done.” ~ Katie O’ Rourke, author of Blood & Water
Bellflower is as sharp as it is nuanced, as nostalgic as it is foretold. These layered stories are filled with a yearning to uncover where the characters have been, and with an openhearted longing, accept all that is still to come. A small gem of a novel, each vignette comes as a surprise, and each is a testament to how, just like in life, everything is woven and fused and pulling toward the other. ~ Deborah Reed, author of The Days When Birds Come Back
All the scenes in Bellflower are vivid and well-wrought; I was truly impressed by how quickly Vensel White drew the reader into these lives. A unique and powerful book. I will think about these characters for a long time. ~ Jessica Francis Kane, author of Rules for Visiting
These are the defining moments of life: the cancer scare, the mid-life crisis affair, the paternity test results that seem like the end of the world. Bellflower tells these stories about the human condition and reminds us that, in the end, we’re all connected. ~ Katie O’ Rourke, author of Blood & Water
Mary Vensel White has written a novel that captures the quiet poetry and repressed anguish of family life, much in the way Anne Tyler or Richard Yates can do, but with an experimental format that proves to be true to the nature of how memory works. A remarkable feat. ~ Scott Pack, author of Weightless Fireworks
“A haunting and provocative debut.”
~ Christina Baker Kline, author of Orphan Train
“An ominous and psychological novel that manages both artful prose and an eerie plot.” ~ Linnie Greene, Flyleaf Books
“The Qualities of Wood grabbed me right away and held me in its thrall until the final page. The writing is tensely crafted and beautifully precise.” ~ Wendy Lawless, author of Chanel Bonfire
“How little we know our loved ones until faced with their families, both living and dead. Vensel White has packed a hornets’ nest of intrigue in The Qualities of Wood.” ~ Leslie Lehr, author of What a Mother Knows
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