The Dream is the Truth

by Rebecca D. Elswick

On the day their daughters start kindergarten, Hannah Lively meets Maggie Whitefield, recently moved to the small mountain town of Coal Valley. Hannah has longed to leave Coal Valley her whole life, even though her grandmother - Granny Zee - is as much a part of the mountains as are her magical remedies. When Hannah and Maggie bond over their unhappy marriages, they make a pact to leave their husbands. But the secrets they have held close for years are hard to reveal. Maggie must face her husband's infidelity and her daughter's uncanny ability to find lost things. Hannah must face her family legacy of magical abilities and answer the question, did she use magic to make the husband she says she does not love, fall in love with her? Only Granny Zee can help Hannah and Maggie untangle their dreams for the future by turning to the ancient magic of the mountains which is her heritage.

314 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 4, 2025

About the author

Rebecca D. Elswick, the daughter and granddaughter of coal miners, lives in the coalfields of Appalachia where she was born. Rebecca has an M.Ed. degree from East Tennessee State University and an MFA from West Virginia Wesleyan. She is a life-long educator.
Her short fiction has received numerous awards and appeared in journals and magazines. Mama’s Shoes, her award-winning debut novel, was published by Writer’s Digest.
Her new novel, The Dream is the Truth was published February 4, 2025 by Artemesia Publishing.
Email Rebecca at rdelswick@hotmail.com

Reviews

[Erin Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hannah Lively and Maggie Whitefield meet on the first day of their daughters kindergarten class. Hannah is a local Appalachian girl while Maggie is a transplant from Washington D.C. who has moved to Coal Valley following her husbands job change. They become fast friends as do their daughters. The women bond over the fact that they are both in very unhappy marriages and make a pact to leave their husbands as soon as their daughters graduate from high school. Over the years the women become closer and closer and Maggie is 'adopted' by Hannah's Granny Zee, a medicinal woman and healer who also has a touch of 'the sight' which she has inherited down through generations of the family women. Maggies daughter also has a supernatural gift, she can find lost things and people and Granny Zee helps teach her to navigate this gift without drawing unwanted attention. The story moves back in forth in time recalling Granny Z as a child and young woman and then moves back to real time. I really enjoyed this book. It is full of Irish folklore, magical realism and the strong bonds of women's friendship. The characters are interesting and enjoyable and the plot line is intriguing, it definitely kept me turning the pages. The writing is lovely and descriptive of not only Appalachia but Ireland as well. Highly recommended. 5 stars.

[Tera Honaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rebecca Elswick's The Dream is the Truth is a completely heartwarming and heart wrenching story of two women of different backgrounds meeting when their daughters begin kindergarten. The story is set in a rural Appalachian town steeped in unique culture and a rich history which the reader learns about throughout the course of the women's long and enduring friendship. I especially loved the relatability of both women and the struggles they face and the grace in which they handle these struggles throughout their lives. I particularly felt a connection to the beautifully described setting as I am from and live in a town extremely close to where this book takes place. Also, the Appalachian language used by some of the characters was spot on without being over the top as some authors like to portray. Overall, this was a gripping tale of friendship, real life struggle and perseverance, history, and multiple aspects of love beautifully told in a way that kept the pages turning. I highly recommend this read to those who love fiction, drama, women's fiction, and even historical fiction.

[Sally Mander · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars, Friends and Family

THE DREAM IS THE TRUTH
by Rebecca D. Elswick

This is the story of two women who meet on the day that their daughters start kindergarten. They have a true and lasting friendship, their daughter's friendship is also lifelong.

Hannah has always lived in Coal Valley. She has longed to escape as far back as she can remember. She does care for her Granny Zee who is a mountain woman who believes in the old ways and is a herb woman.

Maggie has recently moved to Coal Valley with her family. She is a city woman and is bewildered by the town politics of the locals.

Granny Zee has magical abilities, so does Addie, Maggie's daughter.

This is an entertaining story about friends and family.

I received a complimentary copy of #TheDreamIsTheTruth from #ArtemesiaPublishingLLC #RebeccaDElswick #LibraryThing I was not obligated to post a review. #smalltowns #friendship #magicalablilities #appalachia #standalone