This past summer, after countless weekday evenings of lounging around, watching television and doing nothing particularly productive with my time, I had a revelation of sorts; it had been so long since I had actually engaged in any activity that gave me the simplest kind of happiness and joy. At the time, I was so busy spending every day in and out of class in the mornings and working one of my two jobs that I literally forgot how to relax happily. So, I started making a list. On a piece of recycled notebook paper I wrote everything I wanted to do in a single summer that would make me happy. Among some of the tasks were: paint my desk, pick up that sewing project that I stopped working on two years ago, and exercise three times a week. But, my favorite task, and by far the simplest, actually ended up first on my list: read a book for fun.
Well, it didn’t take a trip to the library or countless hours of browsing the fiction section to know what book I wanted to read first. In fact, this was a novel I had been meaning to read for months prior to the creation of “the list”. So, the first book I picked up was The One by Mary Flinn, who happens to be my best friend’s mother. After finishing it in about a week’s time, I realized that this was not just any other novel. This was one of those great reads that you find yourself so engulfed in that you can’t help but wish for more long after every page has been turned. Written with so much passion and substance, you could literally feel the reality in the story, which makes sense because all of Flinn’s stories stem from real life situations. Whether it be her own experiences, her two daughters’ experiences, or a close friend’s experience, she writes stories that we can all relate to in one way or another.
Take her first book, The One. It is the story of two high school seniors, Chelsea and Kyle, living in the fictional community of Doughton County and struggling with college decisions, loss, heartache, first love, and the typical high school drama that we all lived through at one point in our lives. The real life Kyle, however, was “a very bright and good-looking guy who was traveling around working as a dishwasher, and trying to put the tragedies of his life in perspective,” that Flinn met while working in the Outer Banks one summer many years ago.
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And the settings of her novels? Well, they are all places that we recognize and know like the back of our hand. In fact, don’t be surprised to read about her characters going to dinner at Macado’s or The Red Onion Café and attending Appalachian State football games. While not a graduate of ASU, Flinn has always loved the mountains and the beach, often spending family vacations at The Outer Banks, where her second novel, Second Time’s a Charm, takes place.
Now Flinn is preparing to release her third novel titled Three Gifts, which is a direct sequel to her first. Three Gifts picks up right where The One left off, and answers all of the questions readers may have had about what happened to Chelsea and Kyle. While she could not tell me too much about the novel without giving it away, she did say that it is an awesome Christmas story with some predictable moments and some surprises along the way too. Not to mention that it is set to be released on November 22, just in time for the Holiday Season.
When asked how writing has changed her life, Flinn said; “Writing has given me my voice, even at fifty-three years old, when I started. After my life and career and whatever else I have accomplished, I believe that writing this series has brought all of my passions, beliefs, and the humor within me to the surface. Handing over the raw manuscript to an editor was like handing my heart and soul on a silver platter to a stranger.”
I truly believe that sometimes the best way to take a break from reality is to step into someone else’s for a while. The reality that Mary Flinn creates in her novels is sweet, heartfelt, real, and most importantly, relatable. Her voice is captivating and will truly leave you wanting more. So, I encourage you all to make a little time for yourself and pick up a copy of any of her three novels. The best part is, they are available literally right around the corner at Black Bear Books in the mall, Boone Drug, and even the ASU bookstore!
Happy reading!