Still Life With Coyote
A Young Adult novel, currently with an agent seeking a publisher.
Here are some reviews from the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest, where Still Life was a quarterfinalist:
From a Publisher Weekly Review: "...the narrative has a timeless feel, thanks in part to the inclusion of coyote trickster tales from Native legends. Vivid scenery descriptions provide a strong sense of place.. the dramatic tension remains strong, and the author provides an excellent depiction of grief, love, and loss without descending into clichés."
From an Amazon Top 1000 Vine Reviewer: "This excerpt from STILL LIFE WITH COYOTE is beautifully crafted. Author Marjorie Carlson Davis is clearly an artist. Her descriptions are exquisite and mesmerizing, transporting the reader into the world of her story. I am completely intrigued by the plot and the characters in STILL LIFE WITH COYOTE; they make me care, almost instantly. Carly's pain, confusion, and even anger at her brother's death ring true, pulling the reader deeply into the story. STILL LIFE WITH COYOTE hooked me instantly, built tension well, and compels me to want read more"
Eighteen-year-old Carly Trevor learned what she knows about life, love, and photography from her older brother Andrew, who lived by the adages: "Let your heart be your guide" and "If you give something, give it wholeheartedly." But now Carly can't pick up a camera, much less see how to put these words into practice. First, her boyfriend took more than her heart. Then, Andrew died when his car plunged into Ice Lake near their family's vacation cabin on Manitoulin Island, Ontario. Without Andrew, Carly feels as frozen as those wintery waters, and is left wondering if Andrew meant to drive into that lake. In summer, she travels alone to the island to find out what happened. There, she meets two people who knew her brother: Graham Marshall, an uptight wildlife biologist who appears to have stolen Andrew's photographs; and Moses, an Ojibwe artist, who might be the one to melt the iciness in Carly's heart. But when her two girlfriends arrive from the states to help, the three discover they must look beyond the surface to find the truth. Unfortunately, Graham and Moses complicated involvements with Andrew make the surface pretty murky, and Carly worries Moses is just another guy out to use her.
In STILL LIFE WITH COYOTE, Carly comes to understand some of Andrew's New Age beliefs through Moses' more practical Ojibwe perspective. At the same time, her encounters with coyotes, hummingbirds, and bears provide clues about Andrew's life and death. As Carly lets Andrew go, she must examine her own future. Can she find the courage to take up her camera again? Can she trust Moses and live her life guided by Andrews lessons of the heart? STILL LIFE WITH COYOTE is for mature young adult readers.
(a middle grade novel)
Learning
who you are at twelve is hard enough, but for Billie Erickson it seems
impossible. Her mother is off meditating in
Discovering
a soda-pop drinking bear at Wild Al’s
Things
get more complicated when school starts, and Billie is torn between her desire to fit in with other students and her
friendship with Puck, who doesn’t mind that other kids think he’s weird. Her
sudden popularity and a budding romance distract Billie from her
important mission with Puck, and she makes a choice that leads to disastrous
consequences. Ultimately, Billie learns about listening to her inner voice,
daring to be different, and finding the courage to break out of the cages other
people create.
I'll be adding more information soon.
