Eliza Grace Howard’s Glitter bursts onto the literary scene. This contemporary fiction gem follows country singer Becky Barnes on a soulful journey from Nashville’s bright lights to her small-town roots. This evocative novel weaves a powerful tale of family, forgiveness, and the steep price of ambition, set in the heart of Phillips, North Carolina, where past promises and present struggles collide.
In Glitter, Becky Barnes returns to her hometown, a fallen star haunted by addiction, a stalled career, and the son, Benjie, she left behind. Her reunion with her resentful sister, Clara, and guarded ex-husband, Quinn, crackles with tension, as Howard’s lyrical prose paints a vivid portrait of small-town life, where gossip is as relentless as the summer heat, and redemption is a hard-fought battle. Becky’s grit shines as she takes the stage at a seedy local bar, facing exploitation but reclaiming her voice, note by determined note.
Howard crafts Becky as a flawed, fierce heroine, balancing her dream of reconnecting with Benjie, whose drumming echoes her passion, with a career revival that lands her a TV show and a new album. Music pulses through the novel, symbolizing identity and hope, tying generations together. Clara’s parallel story, including a tender, taboo romance with Dakari, a South African missionary, adds depth, tackling race and societal norms in a conservative Southern town. Their love story, fraught with cultural barriers, underscores the sacrifices demanded by community expectations.
The novel’s heart lies in its exploration of fractured family ties. Becky’s tentative steps toward reconciliation with Benjie and Clara are raw and honest, offering no easy resolutions but a hopeful glimpse of healing. Howard’s storytelling shines, blending raw emotion with moments of triumph, as Becky learns that even broken dreams can glitter again.
“Glitter is a song of the human spirit,” Howard shares. “It’s about the courage to face your mistakes and the strength to rebuild what’s been broken. I wanted readers to feel Becky’s highs and lows like a melody that lingers.”
Early praise hails Glitter as “a heartrending yet uplifting tale of second chances” and “a must-read for fans of soulful, character-driven stories.” Its unflinching look at addiction, betrayal, and the weight of small-town scrutiny resonates deeply, appealing to readers who love the emotional depth of authors like Barbara Kingsolver or Celeste Ng.
About the Author:
Eliza Grace Howard grew up as an only child on a small tobacco farm in Piedmont, North Carolina. Surrounded by books, she became an avid reader and writer. Before attending school, she could recall Robert Louis Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verses. An “A” student, she graduated fifth in her class of 33. Her parody “Student’s Progress” was published in the National Beta Club Journal.
Unable to afford a four-year college, she took a one-year commercial course at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she discovered a love for accounting. She worked in the field until retirement. After a problematic first marriage, she found happiness in her second and moved to Houston, Texas, where she joined a writers’ group. Inspired by a romance-writing workshop, she began creating stories set in the fictional town of Phillips, publishing Choice, Glitter, Warrior, Boss Lady, and Normal.
Skilled in sewing, quilting, knitting, and embroidery, she now makes handmade baby quilts. Her pen name honors her grandmother, Eliza, her mother, Grace, and her father’s surname, Howard. Eliza Grace Howard lives in Lawrence Township, New Jersey.
Eliza Grace Howard’s book, “Glitter,” is now available on the official website and Amazon.
Website: Not available for now.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Glitter-Eliza-Grace-Howard/dp/1665747730