"The Way Back Home"

Alecia Whitaker grew up on a small farm in Cynthiana, KY. She is the author of The Queen of Kentucky and the Wildflower series, as well as an actress with appearances on several television programs and commercials.

Whitaker applied the Page 69 Test to her new novel, The Way Back Home, and reported the following:

The page 69 test is always interesting to me. In the case of The Way Back Home, I’d say it is a pretty strong reflection of the main conflict for Bird, my protagonist, who is finally at the top of her game musically but is constantly competing with another artist for the spotlight. Why we, as women, often pit ourselves against each other baffles me. There is room for everyone! We each have a unique voice, something new to say or at least a new way to talk about something that’s been said, something to bring artistically. High tides raise all ships so why not lift each other up? In this final installment of the Wildflower series, Bird has to find enough confidence in herself to block out the haters and focus on her own path. It’s so easy to say and so hard to do.

So I hope this passage makes you want to read more. Page 69 is the last page of chapter 7 and Bird is at the VMAs. She has just seen her arch rival perform:

…I’m just baffled that it’s "Kayelee this” and “Kayelee that”–not all of it pleasant but all of it about her.

“Your award’s up next,” Anita says matter-of-factly. “There’s no way you’ll lose this one, so forget what you just saw and be gracious.”

Bonnie clearly agrees. She grabs my arms and shakes me from side to side, smiling big and trying to pump me up. “You’ve always wanted a Moonman!”

I throw my phone back into my purse and frown. Yeah, I wanted to win, both for me and for Bonnie, but at this point, it’s not like anyone will even care.

Learn more about the book and author at Alecia Whitaker's website.

The Page 69 Test: Wildflower.

--Marshal Zeringue