Absence

NYC Big Book Award, Distinguished Favorite

~Those who have read Kaye Park Hinckley's earlier novels will know that she is one of the most exciting and gifted writers of contemporary faith-inspired fiction. This latest offering does not disappoint. Absence will further establish Mrs. Hinckley's hard-earned reputation as a teller of gritty and gripping stories infused with subtle hints of the redemptive power of grace. --Joseph Pearce, the author of numerous literary works including Tolkien: Man and Myth

~ Hinckley does it again. Absence put me in mind of Faulkner as a generation-transcending saga set in the South. But unlike Faulkner, Hinckley does not leave the reader feeling burdened by the tragic consequences of the sins of the fathers visited upon their children. Instead, Hinckley enlightens, revealing the indissolubility of love and truth, and restoring love and life. A terrific read. -- Dena Hunt, author of award-winning novels, Treason and The Lion's Heart

ABSENCE is a mystery, in the deepest sense of the word, about marriage, about fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, and brothers and sisters; all backed into corners and at odds with each other as they struggle with their human nature, and their dependence upon the Nature of Earth. JAMES GREENE, a seasoned peanut farmer, deals with two distinct natures: the Nature of Earth, and his own nature as a man. Coping with either one necessitates choices, some not always virtuous. When a flood, and then a drought, threaten to destroy his farm, James revisits a less than virtuous choice he made in the 1970's when his beloved wife, Katy, produces a still-born daughter. Absence hinges on the decision James makes to keep Katy from grief, and its treacherous repercussions. James's family has farmed near the Chattahoochee River for three generations. He is a Vietnam veteran seen by his artist wife, Katy, as strong as steel. His son, William, sees his father as an upright man, almost a king; but James sees himself as a man who will stoop as low as he has to, to get what he wants. And he does just that, while his life as a farmer, and as a man, falls apart. ABSENCE is Hinckley's eighth novel, along with one short story collection. ABSENCE is a William Faulkner/ William Wisdom Competition Finalist, as are several of Hinckley's other novels. Other Awards include: 2018 Independent Press Award Winner, "The Wind that Shakes the Corn: Memoirs of a Scots Irish Woman, 2019 Independent Press Award Winner, "The Ghosts of Faithful" 2019 NYC Big Book Award, "The Ghosts of Faithful," American Fiction Award Finalist, "The Ghosts of Faithful."