Awards

• Commended for Christy Awards (First Novel) 2023

Overview

2023 Pencraft Awards, 1st place, Historical Christian Fiction 2023 Military Writers Society of America, Gold Ribbon, Literary Fiction 2023 Christy Awards, Finalist, Debut Novel 2023 Carol Awards, Semifinalist, American Christian Fiction Writers, Debut Novel 2022 Southern Christian Writers' Notable Book Award, 1st place, Traditionally published fiction A breathtaking, lyrical novel, Porch Music is a portrait of a family with a rich heritage and heartbreaking secret. Maresca's writing is lovely and poetic. Using striking descriptions, brilliant metaphors, and authentic dialogue, she seamlessly transports the reader to another place and time-to another family's front porch in 1950s Florida.

Full Product Details

9781956851458

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Reviews

Porch Music offers a startling glimpse into the shattered hearts of a family victimized by racism. The various ways they cope weave a story of forgiveness, God's kindness, and the healing power of music. -Jeanette Levellie, author of Hello Beautiful! Finally Love Yourself Just as You Are Porch Music is a tale as old as time but told in a fresh way. It's a story of struggles and hope. The author immerses the reader in north Florida, in the time period, and in the struggles of the characters. Have tissues close by. -Melissa Koslin, author of Dangerous Beauty Kathy Gilbert Maresca's Porch Music is a beautifully written, sweeping tale of family, history, culture, spirituality, and finding your place in this world. It's a superb work of southern fiction that sweeps the reader to another place and time. -Rob Samborn, author of The Prisoner of Paradise and Painter of the Damned An ode to music, outcasts, heritage, family, and faith, Porch Music is an absorbing, evocative novel that you won't be able to put down until the last exquisitely written note. -Shanessa Gluhm, author of Enemies of Doves and A River of Crows

Foreword - 4 Stars Strong bonds carry a family through their contrasting dramas in the historical novel Porch Music. Kathy Maresca's Porch Music sings with old-timey standards, hymns, customs, and family secrets. The progeny of Seminole matriarch Ma-Ki have struggles and secrets but perhaps none so grave as Ma-ki's herself. Maresca braids the stories of Ma-ki's daughters and son, as well as their own sons and daughters into a tapestry of sibling rivalries and revelations, despair and salvation. These fierce characters belong to a family remarkable in its fortitude. -Grace Marcus, author Visible Signs God, Hisakitamisi, Mr. Jesus. We meet them all through the eyes of Janie and Rose and the other beautifully drawn characters in Kathy Gilbert Maresca's debut novel, Porch Music. Set in rural central Florida in the early 1950s and to the soundtracks of country music and traditional church hymns, Porch Music tells the story of a seminal year in the life of Ma-Ki Ebbing's Seminole mixed-race family. Through the strong and vulnerable Ebbing women, Maresca makes real the past outrages against native Americans by God-spouting Christians in the devastating crimes against the Ebbing family and the shame that engulfs the crimes' victims. But from this shame, Porch Music sings a path of hope in the true love of the Divine - God, Hisakitamisi, Mr. Jesus. -RLynn Johnson, author of Cry of the Heart Porch Music offers a startling glimpse into the shattered hearts of a family victimized by racism. The various ways they cope weave a story of forgiveness, God's kindness, and the healing power of music. -Jeanette Levellie, author of Hello Beautiful! Finally Love Yourself Just as You Are Porch Music is a tale as old as time but told in a fresh way. It's a story of struggles and hope. The author immerses the reader in north Florida, in the time period, and in the struggles of the characters. Have tissues close by. -Melissa Koslin, author of Dangerous Beauty Kathy Gilbert Maresca's Porch Music is a beautifully written, sweeping tale of family, history, culture, spirituality, and finding your place in this world. It's a superb work of southern fiction that sweeps the reader to another place and time. -Rob Samborn, author of The Prisoner of Paradise and Painter of the Damned An ode to music, outcasts, heritage, family, and faith, Porch Music is an absorbing, evocative novel that you won't be able to put down until the last exquisitely written note. -Shanessa Gluhm, author of Enemies of Doves and A River of Crows

"""Strong bonds carry a family through their contrasting dramas in the historical novel Porch Music.""-Foreword, 4 Stars "". . . Maresca expertly weaves description, dialogue, music, and the small moments that build families to create a strong and beautiful story. An ode to music, outcasts, heritage, family, and faith, Porch Music is an absorbing, evocative novel that you won't be able to put down until the last exquisitely written note.-Shanessa Gluhm, author A River of Crows and Enemies of Doves "". . . a beautifully written, sweeping tale of family, history, culture, spirituality, and finding your place in this world. It's a superb work of southern fiction that sweeps the reader to another place and time.""-Rob Samborn, author of The Prisoner of Paradise ""Porch Music offers a startling glimpse into the shattered hearts of a family victimized by racism. The various ways they cope weave a story of forgiveness, God's kindness, and the healing power of music.""-Jeanette Levellie, author of Hello Beautiful! Finally Love Yourself Just as You Are ""An unforgettable cast of characters with distinct southern voices drive this multigenerational tale that seeps into your soul like the lyrics of a song you can't get out of your head . . . the beguiling power and pull of first-person narrators tease you along, tugging at you, reeling you in one character at a time.""-Kathleen M. Rodgers, author of The Flying Cutterbucks, a 2121 WILLA Literary Award Finalist in Contemporary Fiction "". . . sings with old-timey standards, hymns, customs, and family secrets. The progeny of Seminole matriarch Ma-Ki have struggles and secrets but perhaps none so grave as Ma-ki's herself. Maresca braids the stories of Ma-ki's daughters and son, as well as their own sons and daughters into a tapestry of sibling rivalries and revelations, despair and salvation. These fierce characters belong to a family remarkable in its fortitude.""-Grace Marcus, author Visible Signs "". . . Porch Music sings a path of hope in the true love of the Divine-God, Hisakitamisi, Mr. Jesus.""-RLynn Johnson, author of Cry of the Heart Foreword - 4 Stars ""Strong bonds carry a family through their contrasting dramas in the historical novel Porch Music."" ""Kathy Maresca's Porch Music sings with old-timey standards, hymns, customs, and family secrets. The progeny of Seminole matriarch Ma-Ki have struggles and secrets but perhaps none so grave as Ma-ki's herself. Maresca braids the stories of Ma-ki's daughters and son, as well as their own sons and daughters into a tapestry of sibling rivalries and revelations, despair and salvation. These fierce characters belong to a family remarkable in its fortitude.""-Grace Marcus, author Visible Signs ""God, Hisakitamisi, Mr. Jesus. We meet them all through the eyes of Janie and Rose and the other beautifully drawn characters in Kathy Gilbert Maresca's debut novel, Porch Music. Set in rural central Florida in the early 1950s and to the soundtracks of country music and traditional church hymns, Porch Music tells the story of a seminal year in the life of Ma-Ki Ebbing's Seminole mixed-race family. Through the strong and vulnerable Ebbing women, Maresca makes real the past outrages against native Americans by God-spouting Christians in the devastating crimes against the Ebbing family and the shame that engulfs the crimes' victims. But from this shame, Porch Music sings a path of hope in the true love of the Divine - God, Hisakitamisi, Mr. Jesus.""-RLynn Johnson, author of Cry of the Heart ""Porch Music offers a startling glimpse into the shattered hearts of a family victimized by racism. The various ways they cope weave a story of forgiveness, God's kindness, and the healing power of music."" -Jeanette Levellie, author of Hello Beautiful! Finally Love Yourself Just as You Are ""Porch Music is a tale as old as time but told in a fresh way. It's a story of struggles and hope. The author immerses the reader in north Florida, in the time period, and in the struggles of the characters. Have tissues close by."" -Melissa Koslin, author of Dangerous Beauty ""Kathy Gilbert Maresca's Porch Music is a beautifully written, sweeping tale of family, history, culture, spirituality, and finding your place in this world. It's a superb work of southern fiction that sweeps the reader to another place and time."" -Rob Samborn, author of The Prisoner of Paradise and Painter of the Damned ""An ode to music, outcasts, heritage, family, and faith, Porch Music is an absorbing, evocative novel that you won't be able to put down until the last exquisitely written note."" -Shanessa Gluhm, author of Enemies of Doves and A River of Crows"

Author Information

A native Floridian, Kathy Maresca grew up with a grandmother of Native American heritage. Kathy served in the Air Force, at the Academy cadet chapel and then at a special operations command. She edited for the University of Florida and taught English, journalism, and drama. Kathy later earned a master's degree and became credentialed as a rehabilitation counselor, helping people who have cranial nerve disorders. Kathy has been a Guardian ad Litem and a volunteer for a prison fellowship ministry. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, Keith. They enjoy traveling and spending time with their toy fox terriers.

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