The Homecoming

I loved The Waltons, the closeness of the family, and how they solved typical family squabbles. As an adult, I watched every episode again with my kids, so I was thrilled when I actually met The Homecoming author Earl Hamner, Jr. (the real John-Boy Walton/Clay-Boy Spencer) in an online writers’ group way back when the internet was first invented. We became great online friends. His John-Boy character inspired the character in my book, a good-hearted teen who, despite living in modern times, traverses his small southern town on a horse, just as John-Boy rode Blue, his mule.

This is probably an unusual choice given my four other choices. However, sometimes a book that has no violence, no sex, no blasphemy, and no drugs or alcohol,(although there are two elderly bootlegger sisters) is just what is needed to cleanse the soul. A book about family love, a touch of humour, and creative characters will leave the reader with a warm glow. Of course, this book was the inspiration for The Waltons TV series. The Homecoming is based on true events when Earl Hamner was 15 years old.