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Glory Road: Fleeing the devastation of the Dust Bowl, six women, desperate and alone, face discrimination, danger, and heart-wrenching tragedy on a road trip to a new life in California.
1934. Guymon, Oklahoma. When Hester and her niece, Ava Jo, eat their last chicken killed in a dust storm, they make a daring decision. In a culture that views them as powerless without husbands, fathers, or male protectors, they join with four other women to undertake a road trip to California to escape the bleak reality of a future disappearing under a blanket of sand.
In an old truck that barely runs, Hester and Ava Jo bear the heaviest burden for navigating the treacherous early Route 66. They are challenged by their ignorance of a world beyond the confines of life on a hardscrabble farm, the underestimation of women without men, and meager money and resources.
Survival demands they find strength they never knew they had to face danger and unspeakable tragedy that scars them to the very core of their souls and changes their lives forever.
In an old truck that barely runs, Hester and Ava Jo bear the heaviest burden for navigating the treacherous early Route 66. They are challenged by their ignorance of a world beyond the confines of life on a hardscrabble farm, the underestimation of women without men, and meager money and resources.
Survival demands they find strength they never knew they had to face danger and unspeakable tragedy that scars them to the very core of their souls and changes their lives forever.
255 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 15, 2024
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About the author
Leta McCurry
8 books65 followersTwitter:
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https://www.letamccurry.com/fans-friends
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Tale-spinner. Revealer of secrets. Cornbread and fried okra country girl. Shares life and space with The Chief and Bailey, the rescue pup, who would be the perfect dog if she could hold her likker.
Enjoys writing and reading. Answers the siren song of any long, lonesome road, preferably on a motorcycle. Blessed by a large, forgiving, fun-loving family, and a handful of solid-gold friends. A pushover for good food, intrigued by genealogy, and travel. (Favorite destinations: Ireland and Singapore.)
Writes Twentieth-century historical fiction about ordinary women lighting fires of self-discovery and finding within themselves the strength and courage to overcome overwhelming adversity and live life on their own terms.
Author of Introduction to Commercial Real Estate, a college textbook published by Prentice-Hall. Published first fiction, High Cotton Country, at age eighty, followed by A Shadow Life, Dancing to the Silence, and All the Colors of My Soul. Presently, at age eighty-eight, trying to choose among the nagging stories pitching me to be next in line.
Of McCurry's style, a reviewer has said "Leta has the knack for the humor particular to the South like so many southern women writers; authors like Rita Mae Brown, Eudora Welty, and my all time favorite, Ellen Gilchrist" — Kate Hitt
Other Amazon reviewer comments:
"For the first time ever, I found myself “talking” to her characters as if I was actually there. That is how real her characters feel. - " Sheri McNary
"I read it in one night, didn't want to put it down. McCurry writes strong, determined women who overcome circumstances to rise to the top, while hiding their vulnerability from the world." - Janice Clark
The most fun about writing, she says, comes from getting to know the characters and seeing what they will do in the course of the story. Sometimes they don’t behave as expected. And, she adds, “I seem to relate to the characters in such a way that their unfolding ends up being a growing experience for me as well.”
Facebook:
https://www.letamccurry.com/fans-friends
Blog:
Tale-spinner. Revealer of secrets. Cornbread and fried okra country girl. Shares life and space with The Chief and Bailey, the rescue pup, who would be the perfect dog if she could hold her likker.
Enjoys writing and reading. Answers the siren song of any long, lonesome road, preferably on a motorcycle. Blessed by a large, forgiving, fun-loving family, and a handful of solid-gold friends. A pushover for good food, intrigued by genealogy, and travel. (Favorite destinations: Ireland and Singapore.)
Writes Twentieth-century historical fiction about ordinary women lighting fires of self-discovery and finding within themselves the strength and courage to overcome overwhelming adversity and live life on their own terms.
Author of Introduction to Commercial Real Estate, a college textbook published by Prentice-Hall. Published first fiction, High Cotton Country, at age eighty, followed by A Shadow Life, Dancing to the Silence, and All the Colors of My Soul. Presently, at age eighty-eight, trying to choose among the nagging stories pitching me to be next in line.
Of McCurry's style, a reviewer has said "Leta has the knack for the humor particular to the South like so many southern women writers; authors like Rita Mae Brown, Eudora Welty, and my all time favorite, Ellen Gilchrist" — Kate Hitt
Other Amazon reviewer comments:
"For the first time ever, I found myself “talking” to her characters as if I was actually there. That is how real her characters feel. - " Sheri McNary
"I read it in one night, didn't want to put it down. McCurry writes strong, determined women who overcome circumstances to rise to the top, while hiding their vulnerability from the world." - Janice Clark
The most fun about writing, she says, comes from getting to know the characters and seeing what they will do in the course of the story. Sometimes they don’t behave as expected. And, she adds, “I seem to relate to the characters in such a way that their unfolding ends up being a growing experience for me as well.”
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 9, 2024
An Exceptional Storyteller
What an unforgettable journey. WOW! I loved this. Those were some of the bravest women I've ever read. It was a long perilous trip but they had no choice. To live, they had to find strength to trust that God would see them through. I laughed and cried and cheer we them on every step of the way. This is my first book by Leta McCurry but it won't be my last. I loved her writing voice and style.
What an unforgettable journey. WOW! I loved this. Those were some of the bravest women I've ever read. It was a long perilous trip but they had no choice. To live, they had to find strength to trust that God would see them through. I laughed and cried and cheer we them on every step of the way. This is my first book by Leta McCurry but it won't be my last. I loved her writing voice and style.
October 14, 2024
I enjoy all of Leta McCurry's historical novels. I am humbled as I read her sharing others' struggles and triumphs. Glory Road is a fascinating tale of a band of 'Okie' women leaving their homes buried in sand, and driving to California seeking better lives. They subsist on white bread smeared with Karo, corn meal mush, or maybe beans. A bologna sandwich was an extra special treat.
December 25, 2024
Couldn't put this book down
Glory Road is a captivating book about life during the dust bowl. It tells how six women survived. The description of that time was eye opening.
It tells of their journey to leave Oklahoma and away from the dust storms. I felt I was on the journey with them.
Glory Road is a captivating book about life during the dust bowl. It tells how six women survived. The description of that time was eye opening.
It tells of their journey to leave Oklahoma and away from the dust storms. I felt I was on the journey with them.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews