About the Book
Book: The Broken Weathervane
Author: Laura DeNooyer
Genre: Women’s fiction, dual timeline fiction, literary fiction, book club fiction
Release Date: September 2, 2025
Two co-workers seek the same information. One wants to publish it; the other has good reasons to keep it hidden.
As Leslie Wickersham, Raymond University grants officer, seeks information to unravel a family mystery, English professor Gregory Stafford seeks an elusive interview with one more Buckwalter relative for his upcoming author biography. While Greg and Leslie guard coveted details from each other, her goals are further complicated by letters of blackmail threatening to reveal all she has worked hard to hide.
In this dual timeline novel alternating between 2015 and the 1950s, loyalty is tested and secrets abound when family honor collides with truth. Leslie grapples with the trade-off: how far will a person go to help a loved one thrive?
Excerpt from the Book
Swallowing, she straightened. “I want to reduce the stigma of mental illness. After helping Avondale High School obtain a grant for a mental health initiative, I built a platform to create awareness and direct people to community resources.”
“In the name of altruism?”
“Getting paid would’ve been a bonus. My reward was watching attitudes change and students begin therapy. It started while teaching students with depression, OCD, and other ailments. They floundered in the classroom. They were bullied too.”
“Ah, the Boo Radleys. Tell me about the grant.”
“It involved writing curriculum tied to literature for discussing current treatments and fighting stigma.” She mentioned research she’d gathered to convince potential funders of the need, including her survey of thirty schools.
He nodded. “An impressive endeavor.”
“My podcast continued the conversation. I interviewed faculties and students from high schools around the country.”
“Well done. Raymond University’s on the cutting edge, too—of a different sort.” Again, he wiped his glasses. “We’re combining scholarly research with community interests. Rather than focus on faculty publishing only in scholarly journals that comprise less than point zero zero one percent of the population, the powers that be insist we become more consumer friendly.”
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About the Author
Laura DeNooyer thrives on creativity and encouraging it in others. A Calvin College graduate, she is a teacher, wife, parent of four adult children, and an award-winning author of heart-warming historical and contemporary fiction. Her novels are perfect for fans of Patti Callahan Henry, Erin Bartels, or Amanda Cox. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her reading, walking, drinking tea with friends, or taking a road trip.