There are great moments, memorable moments, joyous moments; but every once-in-a-while there comes along an occurrence that can only be classified as a peak experience. Last week I got a call from Nan A. Talese, the high priestess of all New York editor/publishers, saying those three little words that insecure authors crave to hear, “Love your book!” My agent, wonder-woman Marly Rusoff, made the deal less than two weeks after sending out the manuscript.

My novel THE HEALING will be published under Nan’s own imprint at Random House in early early 2012. Here’s the quick elevator talk summarizing the plot:

THE HEALING opens in 1930’s Mississippi. A child, traumatized by witnessing her mother’s death, is abandoned to the care of the discredited healer whose traditional cure caused the woman’s demise. Gran Gran, the ancient doctoress, who has failed not only the child’s mother, but the entire community as well, is presented with one last attempt at redemption. Gran Gran must lead this child out of her catatonic darkness. At first, the old woman’s mixtures of roots, herbs and potions have no effect. It is only when Gran Gran revives the buried memory of her own childhood, and begins whispering the stories aloud, that the girl begins to respond. Over the course of the healing, Gran Gran weaves the story of a life spent on a Mississippi plantation as a reluctant apprentice to the cantankerous slave doctoress and miracle worker, Polly Shine. Together Gran Gran and the girl Violet learn of the power of story to heal the body, the spirit and the soul of an entire people.

I’ll keep you updated as we go through the editing and pre-publication process. After 6 years, the stars have aligned.