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Leslie Hooton is the author of three novels. Her debut novel, Before Anyone Else, garnered a Zibby nomination. Leslie’s second novel, The Secret of Rainy Days, was a book club favorite. Her third novel, After Everyone Else, the sequel to Before Everyone Else, will be published June 28th. Kevin Wilson, Jane Rosen, Patti Callahan, Lisa Barr, and other wonderful writers have offered praise for Leslie’s novels. She has had essays published in “Moms Don’t Have Time to Grieve,” and she has an upcoming essay in Newsweek. Leslie attended The Sewanee Writers Conference for many years. Leslie has been a guest on numerous podcasts and her talks are engaging and thought-provoking. Leslie has often said some people have a stroke of luck, and she had one at birth. Having limited use of her right side and numerous surgeries allowed her to be a keen observer of human behavior. She refers to her body as her “bargain basement body” and doctors as the “men in white coats” because she has had a lifelong relationship with them. She uses dictation for each of her novels and often jokes “I haven’t typed a single word.” She brings this unique perspective to her writing with humor and heart.
Equal parts funny and profound, The Secret of Rainy Days will have you laughing and crying both at once. Leslie Hooton's extraordinary second novel firmly establishes her place as a major new voice in Southern literature. -Amy Greene, nationally bestselling author of Bloodroot Leslie Hooton, her writing vibrant and alive, so wonderfully harkens back to the grand tradition of southern storytellers. She writes with that potent mixture of humor and grace, and The Secret of Rainy Days has all the makings of a book club darling, a story that you can't help but share with someone else. This is a book suffused with a lifetime supply of lucky dust , that intangible quality that makes you want to be close to it. -Kevin Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of Nothing to See Here and The Family Fang Heartbreaking and heartwarming, The Secret of Rainy Days examines the intricacies of small town livin' ('OKOP'-Our Kind of People). It is a coming-of-age tale chock full of Southern charm, love, tragedy, and unbreakable family ties. Leslie Hooton's world brings us colorful, witty characters and intricate friendships-those we choose, and those who choose us. The Secret of Rainy Days is a reminder that you can escape your roots but never really leave. And yet...if you look hard enough-all the answers are right there under the 'Welcome' mat. -Lisa Barr, award-winning author of Fugitive Colors and The Unbreakables The Secret of Rainy Days is a coming-of-age novel that is both deeply moving and beautifully crafted . Witty and charming, The Secret of Rainy Days is a gem. -Patti Callahan New York Times bestselling author of Becoming of Mrs. Lewis and the upcoming Once Upon A Wardrobe Like the best Southern novels, The Secret of Rainy Days reminds us when searching for your place in the world, you may find it where you least expect it. And that sometimes to move forward, you have to go back to where you came from. -Colleen Oakley, USA Today bestselling author
