Author/Speaker
Eldonna Edwards
Luminous Voices, Unlikely Heroes
CLOVER BLUE
Set against the backdrop of a 1970s commune in Northern California, Clover Blue is a compelling, beautifully written story of a young boy’s search for identity.
There are many things twelve-year-old Clover Blue isn’t sure of: his exact date of birth, his name before he was adopted into the Saffron Freedom Community, or who his first parents were. What he does know with certainty is that among this close-knit, nature-loving group, he is happy. Here, everyone is family, regardless of their disparate backgrounds—surfer, midwife, Grateful Dead groupie, Vietnam deserter. But despite his loyalty to the commune and its guru-like founder Goji, Blue grapples with invisible ties toward another family—the one he doesn’t remember.
With the urging of his fearless and funny best friend, Harmony, Clover Blue begins to ask questions. For the first time, Goji’s answers fail to satisfy. The passing months bring upheaval to their little clan and another member arrives, a beautiful runaway teen named Rain, sparking new tensions. As secrets slowly unfurl, Blue’s beliefs—about Goji, the guidelines that govern their seemingly idyllic lives, and the nature of family itself—begin to shift. With each revelation about a heartbreaking past he never imagined, Blue faces a choice between those he’s always trusted, and an uncertain future where he must risk everything in his quest for the truth.
Part coming-of-age tale, part love story, part mystery, Clover Blue tenderly explores an unconventional but no less complex family that resonates with our deep-rooted yearning for home.
Now Available in Paperback!
Advance Praise For Clover Blue
“Clover Blue sparkles with love, warmth and magic. Vivid setting and unforgettable characters. I couldn’t put it down.” --Joanne Serling, Pushcart Prize nominee and author of Good Neighbors
"An utterly captivating story about the power of secrets to completely twist, bend, and complicate a happy life. You will fall in love with Clover Blue and be rooting for him on every page of this masterfully told, gripping tale of family, friendship, love, loss and ultimately, home." -Anna Quinn, bestselling author of The Night Child
“Exquisite use of language. Edwards writes with descriptive detail that draws the reader in and a perfect pace that leaves you wanting more.” —Flor Edwards, author of Apocalypse Child: A Life in End Times
“Clover Blue burns with questions of identity, forgiveness, and truth. At the heart of Edwards’ clear prose is a desire for community that also reveals the pitfalls of clan. This is a delightful, thoughtful book.” —Melissa Scholes Young, author of Flood
Available in Bookstores
THIS I KNOW
Set in a small Midwest town in the late 1960s and helmed by an unforgettable young protagonist—compassionate, uncannily wise Grace—This I Know is a luminous coming-of-age story from an astonishing new voice.
Eleven-year-old Grace Carter has a talent for hiding things. She’s had plenty of practice, burying thoughts and feelings that might anger her strict Evangelical pastor father, and concealing the deep intuition she carries inside. The Knowing, as Grace calls it, offers glimpses of people’s pasts and futures. It enables her to see into the depth of her mother’s sadness, and even allows Grace to talk to Isaac, her twin brother who died at birth. To her wise, loving Aunt Pearl, the Knowing is a family gift; to her daddy, it’s close to witchcraft.
Grace can’t see into someone’s thoughts without their permission. But it doesn’t take her special talent to know that her small community is harboring its share of secrets. A young girl has gone missing. Within Grace’s own family too, the cracks are widening, as her sisters Hope, Joy, and Chastity enjoy the normal life that eludes Grace. It’s Grace’s kinship with other outsiders that keeps her afloat—Lyle, a gentle, homeless man, and Lola, a free-spirited new girl at school. But when her mother lapses into deep depression after bringing home a new baby, Grace will face a life-changing choice—ignore her gift and become the obedient daughter her father demands, or find the courage to make herself heard, even if it means standing apart . . .
Praise for Eldonna Edwards and THIS I KNOW
"Outstanding debut. Rendered in a voice at once singular and exquisite and with an old soul sense of wisdom." --Donna Everhart, Bestselling author of The Forgiving Kind
"A heartfelt and beautifully crafted debut. THIS I KNOW shines. Don't miss this one." --Lesley Kagen, New York Times bestselling author of The Mutual Admiration Society
“If you’re looking for good, old-fashioned storytelling, one that will pull you in from the beginning and never let go, this is the book for you.” —Historical Novels Society
“Simply magical writing. Eldonna Edwards is a true storyteller.” --Cathy Lamb, author of No Place I’d Rather Be
"A compelling allegorical tale about the fear of otherness." --Amy Impellizzeri, Award-winning Author of The Truth About Thea
“A remarkable, inspiring story about clairvoyance, faith, and opening your heart—and mind—to the truth.I love this book!’”—Barbara Claypole White, bestselling author of The Promise Between Us
Available in Bookstores
Lost in Transplantation
Anne Lamott meets Nora Ephron in this entertaining memoir of massage therapist and single mother Ellie's mission to donate a kidney to an ailing stranger. What starts out as a single act of compassion turns into a four-year struggle peppered with bureaucratic and personal obstacles and an unexpected conclusion. Written with self-effacing humor and warm authenticity, Lost in Transplantation seeks to touch that place in each of us that hopes to find meaning and purpose in our overlapping lives.
Beautifully rendered story of triumphant generosity "Part memoir, part philosophy, part how-to guide for the altruistic organ donor -- it's an unconventional read by an unconventional woman. Ellie's story is compelling and heartfelt -- and her quirky humor, pink-tipped pigtails and transparent love light up every page. I read it in two sittings and emerged feeling cleansed, inspired and grateful. Ellie describes herself as agnostic, but I couldn't help hearing the words of Jesus at the Last Supper: This is my body, given for you...." Kathleen Adams, Author & Founder/Director of Center for Journal Therapy
Hugely compelling page-turner. "Edwards skillfully weaves a tale proving that fact is often stranger than fiction. Again and again Edwards' skill as a writer demonstrates what a gifted wordsmith can do with a nearly-unbelievable series of real life events. She is imminently vulnerable and refreshingly relatable, which makes her story that much more readable--and the be the change that Edwards was after, may very well be what happens to the reader after finishing her book." Tom Franciskovich, Publisher; SLOLIFE Magazine