New Memoir Captures the Rich Culture of 20th-Century Appalachia and Honors the Integrity and Tenacity of the People Who Lived There
Through sharing her family stories in "Life Goes Better with Chocolate Gravy," Norma Patrick Seto invites readers to experience the complexity and fullness of Appalachian life
MAINEVILLE, Ohio, May 3, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Author Norma Patrick Seto grew up in the eastern Kentucky foothills of the Appalachian Mountains—a region too often defined by poverty and lack of opportunity. However, as Seto recounts in her humorous and heartfelt memoir, "Life Goes Better with Chocolate Gravy: Mountain Memories—Mischief and Misery," there is no shortage of abundant joy and creativity.
"Life Goes Better with Chocolate Gravy" offers an authentic glimpse of Appalachian life spanning several generations, transcending stereotypes and capturing the spirit of the people who call the mountain region home. Through everyday vignettes such as preserving family memories in quilts sewn by the light of kerosene lamps, a Christmas made magical with only four dollars to spend, family and friends coming together when someone "laid a corpse," and kids setting the woods on fire to end a game of "Fox and Hounds," the book demonstrates the ingenuity, hard work, strong faith, deep communal bonds and fullness of life that characterizes eastern Kentucky.
While Seto began writing her book as a means to record family history, it soon blossomed into a collection of short stories that pays tribute to the flavor of life in eastern Kentucky. Through offering a true and personal perspective on Appalachian life, readers will understand that while circumstances were hard and opportunities scarce, there is much to learn from those who persevered and made the most of what they had.
"I am proud of my heritage," writes Seto. "The people and circumstances you will read about helped to shape my life, lay the groundwork for good work ethic, nurture and build a strong faith in God, and give me an appreciation for the simple things. I believe that what I experienced growing up positively impacted my own life and the lives of my children."
"Through her heartwarming, humorous, and entertaining memoir of growing up in the hills of eastern Kentucky, Norma invites us to meet colorful characters who lived life the way it was meant to be lived – simply and to the fullest," wrote Dr. Jeffrey F. Neal, Director of the Cooperative Education Program at Clemson University.
"Life Goes Better with Chocolate Gravy: Mountain Memories—Mischief and Misery"
By Norma Patrick Seto
ISBN: 9781664213333 (softcover); 9781664213357 (hardcover); 9781664213340 (electronic)
Available from Amazon, Christianbook.com and WestBow Press
About the author
Norma Patrick Seto is passionate about family history and sharing stories that describe her roots and the people she loves. She is "Mom" to three adult children, "Grammy" to five grandchildren and a caregiver for her 100-year-old mother who is happy to hold a copy of the published stories that include many of her own life experiences. Seto currently resides in Maineville, Ohio. To read more of Seto's stories, please visit comax83.wixsite.com/website.
Review Copies & Interview Requests:
LAVIDGE – Phoenix
Leslie Standridge
480-998-2600 x 586
lstandridge(at)lavidge(dot)com
Media Contact
Leslie Standridge, LAVIDGE, 4809982600, [email protected]
SOURCE Norma Patrick Seto
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