The Long Way Home

In this luminous collection of short stories and essays gleaned from her blog Girl from Goat Pasture Road, Susan Swicegood Boswell recounts the experiences of her personal journey into mid-life and beyond. The author has arrived at mid-age, burned out, bored and more than a little harried; her sense of humor and passion for adventure, however, are still intact. Buoyed by a cast of loyal friends and family members, The Long Way Home chronicles Boswell's struggles to make sense of a changing world that includes a newly empty nest, a growing pile of readers, a lost generation and her own missing eyebrows. Whether she is chasing a runaway pound cake through the parking lot of the Holiday Inn, competing as a beauty queen on the livestock stage at the Davidson County Agricultural Fair, counseling her best friend through divorce, traveling the world or encouraging her newly-retired husband in his new job at the local funeral home, Boswell's reflections give depth, humor, and insight into our collective journeys. Boswell intuits grace in simple places- through chance encounters with strangers, in the action of holding on and learning to let go, and by watching a parade of sea turtle hatchlings plod helter skelter on their way to the sea. Alternately poignant and hilarious, Boswell's narrative is as diverse and unpredictable as life itself. The lessons learned and shared on the road of her personal journey, illuminate our collective ones. The Long Way Home celebrates the connection of past and present with our most inspired selves, and encourages each of us to seek and discover the person we are meant to be. With a dose of Southern charm and a voice that is all her own, Susan Swicegood Boswell takes the road less traveled and discovers that life itself is the ultimate road trip. PRAISE for Susan Swicegood Boswell and The Long Way Home: "Susan takes an unflinching, often humorous look at her own experiences in a way that taps into our own. Through whimsy and nostalgia, she shows us who she is - and reminds us of who we are." - Cindy Loman, Features Editor, Greensboro News & Record "With every page you turn, discover warmth, mischief, and lots of laughter that celebrates the timeless humor and lessons of life's curves and detours." - Kathryn Mobley, former Senior Producer, "Real People, Real Stories," 88.5 WFDD public radio