The Sweetheart of Prosper County »

JILL S. ALEXANDER grew up in rural East Texas, where she went to work at age twelve bussing tables at the local truck stop. There, she met folks from all walks of life whose eccentricities color her work today. Jill has survived a tornado and catching on fire. She hates whining but loves fancy shoes, muscle cars, and Johnny Cash—preferably, all three at once. Jill taught high school English and Spanish before deciding to take a chance on writing full-time. A native of Texas, she lives in Tyler, Texas, with her husband and son. This is her first novel. You can visit her on the Web at www.jillsalexander.com.

A fun, moving, sweetheart of a debut about a girl picking up the pieces of her family, her friendships, and life in a small Texas town, and finding herself in the process.

Publishers Weekly

Austin Gray is sick of being an overlooked ninth-grader in her small Texas town (“I was just tired of feeling less-than, tired of waving back and being passed by”). Six years after losing her father, Austin endures endless taunting by the school bully, Dean, and unintentional alienation by her overprotective mother (still unwilling to broach the subject of her husband’s death) and her best friend, Maribel (“We were parallel friends going through life together but in two different worlds”). Overdue for a moment in the spotlight, Austin decides to raise a spirited Black Rosecomb Bantam rooster (which she names Charles Dickens), with the intention of winning a prize in the Future Farmers of America contest and being the star of the annual Christmas parade. Alexander’s debut is marked by a colorful supporting cast, fresh dialogue and Southern personality, which contribute to an entertainingly theatrical vision of smalltown life. The strong but precarious mother-daughter bond is well paired to the themes of finding inner strength and self-acceptance and letting go of the past. Ages 12–up. (Sept.)