The Locktender's House: A Novel"Despite the building's ramshackle quality and its lack of electricity, plumbing, or any apparent links to the outside world, Janice is seduced by the calm of the old house, the canal, now dry, it once governed, and the mountains rising up all around. Days turn to weeks, weeks to months, and then she finally lets down her guard, opening her doors to the inhabitants of her new province: Stephen Grainy, a reclusive art teacher and stone carver, and a spectral, alluring woman with a dulcimer and beautiful voice. But as Janice grows closer to both Stephen and the elusive minstrel, her calm gives way to a flood of terrifying blackouts, inexplicable accidents, and nightmares." "As the indefensible edges between the real and the unreal blur and break down, Janice is pulled into the tattered web of her own incriminating genealogy and finds herself roped by blood to a series of unspeakable tragedies that occurred generations ago, when the canals were full and thriving.". |
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Addie Epps Addie's babies banjo belly beneath bird boat body breath brown-skinned woman canal chisel closed crow Danks's dark dead deck door dream drive drove duden dulcimer earplugs empty eyes face fear feet fingers floor Floyd girl goats gonna Greensboro hands head inside Janice asked Janice felt Janice heard Janice knew Janice looked Janice sat Janice thought Janice walked Janice wanted Janice Witherspoon Janice woke Janice's Jimpert kennel kiss knees knitting laughed legs lock locktender's house migraine morning mouth mules naked Natural Bridge night okay PawPaw porch Private Danks pulled Sabbath Rest Road seat Shady grove she'd sleep smell smiled smokehouse song sorry sound stay Stephen Gainy stepped stone stood stop Subaru tchink tell thing tight took towpath truck turned waiting wall window Winky Dinks woods wrist zafu