Letters from Sweetwater

By Dr. Dale Garland

From the back of the book:

“Deep in the mountains of North Carolina is a tiny but wondrous valley called Sweetwater. Mysterious forces, both good and evil, have converged there to produce a tender but compelling story. Through occasional flights of fantasy, Jesse Gernon gets to peep “behind the curtain” and catch a glimpse of the glory land. What he discovers there may prove to be far different than anything you ever have imagined, but come see for yourself and be prepared for the unexpected.”

I’ve read many books that take place in areas where a specific vernacular is apparent. The southern U.S. is one such place. Often, the writer tries to imitate that speech in words and it comes off as awkward and difficult to read.

Not so with this book! I was pleasantly surprised with how the author made sure you knew these people were from the south, yet he didn’t go overboard with the dialogue. He included some of the slang, but he didn’t make it so consistently “southern” that it was hard to get past.

I also liked the characters and how the author made them very open. The reader will feel they know the characters personally and whether they like each one or not, they begin to seem like friends or relatives.

This is a rare book. I enjoyed the story line, but even if it’s not your cup of tea, you will certainly enjoy reading this novel. The author did a good job and I’m anxious to read more of his work in the future.