Beulah's House of Prayer
In 1934 the tiny town of Barmy, Oklahoma, is in desperate need of a miracle. The cows are hungry, the rain won't fall, most of Main Street is boarded up. Young aspiring trapeze artist Sugar Watson is dumped unceremoniously into this bleak setting with little money and only one thing on her mind—escape. Beulah Clinton, a Holy Ghost preacher, has dedicated herself to helping the distressed in this ragged little wasteland, and Sugar soon finds herself thrown in with Marigold Lawford, the simple-minded widow of the richest man in town, and Homer Guppy, a boy trouble follows like dust after a wind.
Despite Sugar's immediate distaste of Barmy, Beulah's patience, Marigold's kindness, and Homer's unconditional love make her reconsider the meaning of home.
On Black Sunday, the worst dust storm in history brings with it a choice: Sugar must decide whether or not to return home, leaving the hospitality and love of Barmy's inhabitants. A stunning Depression-era literary novel with a touch of magical realism, Beulah's House of Prayer captivates until the very end.
About Cynthia A. Graham (St. Louis, Missouri Author)
Cynthia A. Graham has won numerous writing awards, including a 2015 and 2016 Midwest Book award for Mystery and the 2016 Gold IPPY from Independent Publishers magazine in the Mystery/Cozy/Noir category. She was also a finalist for the 2016 Oklahoma Book Award. Her short stories have appeared in both university and national literary publications.
She attained a B.A. in English from the Pierre Laclede Honors College at the Universityof Missouri in St. Louis. Cynthia is a proud member of the St. Louis Writers' Guild, The Missouri Writers' Guild, the Historical Novel Society, and Sisters In Crime. She is the author of four novels: Beneath Still Waters (Blank Slate Press), Behind Every Door (Blank Slate Press), Beulah's House of Prayer (Brick Mantel Books), and the forthcoming Between the Lies (Blank Slate Press).
