The long awaited novel by local writer Trent D. Pendley has be published by Page Publishers of New York City. Book signings are planned with the Schoolhouse Shop of Furnessville, Dorothy Buell Indiana Dunes Visitor’s Center, Porter County Museum, Red Cup Café, Robert Northington Interiors, Crown Point Community Library and the Estelle and October 18th at Estelle and Bernard Marcus Jewish Community Building in Munster.
Toys in the Closet is a historical fiction set in the sensuous singing sands of the Indiana Dunes on the southern shores of Lake Michigan. This is a journey of Nathan Franklin whose family participated in the most vicious confrontation between environmentalists and industrialists over the Hoosier coast. Nathan, a writer is out-of-season visiting his beach home, on Christmas Day '97 and exploring the story book rooms of Brighton House, a repository of so many works by artists who have painted the dunes and a treasure of family heirlooms each with vignettes of a landed past. Nathan though lonesome on Christmas in the aftermath of a winter blizzard realizes he isn't alone at all surrounded by his treasures and a very protecting lost lover.
A story full of Hoosier pride and social justice, as viewed through the eyes of an accomplished Jewish contemporary at the end of his family's American Dream.
The writing of the story took seven years and between 1996 and 2002. “I became President of the Indiana Jewish Historical Society in 2002 for a seven year run and also other organizations and the story sat on the shelf. It was during this time that “The Jewish History of the Indiana Dunes Country 1830-1950” was published and quickly sold out” says Pendley.
Artwork for the cover was contributed by Eric Smolinski, a cousin of the author and also a painting of the Indiana Dunes by Chesterton artist, Holly Jackson. Another cousin Ellen Hampton of Evanston, designed the covered and added graphics. Edda Taylor Photographie of Crown Point choreographed the author’s portrait.
Sales have been brisk the opening week and “Whether or not there is a sequel, at the moment this one is my lifetime achievement award,” says the veteran jeweler who wrote the novel. Amazon has the book currently in both hard and paperback editions and it will soon be available with other booksellers. An e-book is also forthcoming.