It’s no surprise that the written word is important in our lives. Producing magazines is very gratifying — we love sharing stories about the people and events that make our communities special. We also love the opportunity to promote anything about writing and reading, so we are happy to promote Pelican Bookstore’s book signing series. The Sunset Beach bookstore regularly hosts meet and greet events with authors at the Silver Coast Winery, Ocean Isle Beach. Many of these authors are nationally-known and have even made The New York Times Best Sellers list. Author Patti Henry Callahan’s book signing is March 24, and the ticket price includes a signed copy of the book, a glass of wine and hors d’oeuvres. Visit https://pelicanbookstore.com/ for tickets, and check out our list of other book signings on the calendar pages.
We reached out to Patti to learn about her writing process, what it’s like to travel and promote her 17th novel, and more about “The Story She Left behind.”
Your newest novel, “The Story She Left Behind,” will be available on March 18. As it makes its debut and you are making appearances to promote the book, are you also already working on your next story?
Absolutely. A book release is such an exciting time, filled with events and connecting with readers, but my mind is always turning toward the next story. I’ve learned that creativity doesn’t wait for perfect timing—there’s always another idea whispering, another character waiting to be heard. I’m deep in the early stages of a new novel, researching, gathering threads, and discovering the heart of the story before it fully reveals itself. I am working on a story about a young girl in 1972 who was accidentally left behind in the North Carolina mountains during a youth group hiking trip. It is filled with mystical experiences, suspense and secrets.
You transitioned from a career in the medical field to author — when did you know that you wanted to be a writer, and how did you convince yourself to make that change?
I’ve always been a storyteller at heart. Even during my years in nursing, I found myself drawn to the human experience—the depth of emotion, the way we process loss and love, the resilience of the human spirit. But the turning point came when I realized that stories were the way I wanted to make sense of the world. Of course, it wasn’t an easy decision to leave a stable career, but I told myself that if I didn’t at least try, I’d always wonder, “what if?” So, I started writing early in the mornings before my three children woke up. I took classes and attended writing workshops and weekends. I entered contests and did not give up! That was eighteen novels ago! 
How long does it take you to write a novel — are you someone who is disciplined and stays on schedule, or are you more deadline driven?
Every book is different, but I’d say on average, it takes me about two years to fully write and revise a novel; some have taken three years and others one. I do best when I keep to my schedule, which started when my kids were young: I write first thing in the morning and keep my morning hours sacred. This keeps me accountable, but I also know that creativity isn’t always linear. There are days when the words come in a rush and days when I have to wrestle them onto the page. Deadlines help keep me on track, but ultimately, I believe in trusting the process—even when it takes unexpected turns.
Once you have a story in mind, the main characters lined up and the location, does your story always unfold as you planned, or does it sometimes stray from the original idea?
I begin with a curiosity, an inspiration, a small seed and then keep going until I find the story I want to tell. This novel — The Story She Left Behind — started off being about the real woman (Barbara Newhall Follett) who inspired the novel, but after a year of writing I decided to fictionalize her life and write my own ending. But I believe that nothing is wasted — not writing or time, and ultimately I found the story I wanted to tell. That’s part of the magic of storytelling. If I knew every detail ahead of time, I don’t think I’d feel that same sense of wonder when writing.
What is life like on a book tour and meeting fans of your work?
It’s one of the most rewarding parts of being a writer. After spending so much time alone with a manuscript, it’s a gift to step out into the world and meet the people who’ve connected with the story. I love hearing how a book has touched someone’s life, sparked a memory, or even changed their perspective. There’s a unique kind of magic in those moments, in sharing stories and laughter, in seeing how words bridge the space between us. Of course, book tours can be exhausting—airports, hotel rooms, missing home—but the joy of meeting readers makes it all worth it. And the joy of coming home to my own bed is also worth it!
We see a lot of tourists in our hometowns, so we’re curious — in your travels, what has been your most favorite place to visit or your most surprising find?
There are so many places that have left a mark on me, but one of the most unexpected delights was stumbling upon the Lake District in England while researching this novel. The landscape felt like stepping into a story—rolling hills, misty mornings, and a literary history that whispered from every corner. Another surprising find? Beatrix Potter’s home with her original artwork! Those hidden gems—places with soul and story—are always my favorite.
You seem to have a good variety of published stories and “The Story She Left Behind” is your 17th book — what do you hope readers will take away from this story?
I never want to tell a reader what to take away from my novels, but I hope The Story She Left Behind reminds readers of the power of forgiveness, the everlasting allure of language, and the stories that shape us. It’s about the connections that outlast time, about the pieces of the past that call us back, and about the choices that define us. More than anything, I want readers to walk away feeling a little more in tune with the echoes of their own stories, knowing that the past and present are always in conversation. I would also love if it had my readers thinking and pondering the language they use and what words are the most powerful in their own lives.
“The Story She Left Behind”
In 1927, eight-year-old Clara Harrington’s magical childhood shatters when her mother, renowned author, Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham, disappears off the coast of South Carolina. Bronwyn stunned the world with a book written in an invented language that became a national sensation when she was just twelve years old. Her departure leaves behind not only a devoted husband and heartbroken daughter, but also the hope of ever translating the sequel to her landmark work. As the headlines focus on the missing author, Clara yearns for something far deeper and more insatiable: her beautiful mother.
By 1952, Clara is an illustrator raising her own daughter, Wynnie. When a stranger named Charlie Jameson contacts her from London claiming to have discovered a handwritten dictionary of her mother’s lost language. Clara is skeptical. Compelled by the tragedy of her mother’s vanishing, she crosses the Atlantic with Wynnie only to arrive during one of London’s most deadly natural disasters—the Great Smog. With asthmatic Wynnie in peril, they escape the city with Charlie and find refuge in the Jameson’s family retreat nestled in the Lake District. It is there that Clara must find the courage to uncover the truth about her mother and the story she left behind.
Told in Patti Callahan Henry’s lyrical, enchanting prose, The Story She Left Behind is a captivating novel of mystery and family legacy that captures the profound longing for a mother and the evergreen allure of secrets.
About the Author:
Patti Callahan Henry is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of several novels, including “Surviving Savannah” and “Becoming Mrs. Lewis.” She is the recipient of the Christy Award, the Harper Lee Award for Alabama’s Distinguished Writer of the Year Award, and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year. She is the cohost and co-creator of the popular weekly online live web show and podcast Friends and Fiction. She lives in Alabama and South Carolina with her family. Find out more at PattiCallahanHenry.com.
