What the Hollow Takes
What the Hollow Takes is a sweeping Southern literary novel that blends family saga, coming-of-age drama, historical fiction, and a touch of Appalachian mystery. Set against the backdrop of the 1970s, it follows a young Alabama boy whose family is haunted by a generations-old pattern of tragedy. After his father's death shatters what remains of the Hamontree family, he struggles to hold together a household unraveling under grief while his older sister, Nell, flees to California in search of freedom, purpose, and a life beyond the confines of the hollow that raised her.
Told through alternating narrative chapters and deeply personal letters, the novel explores loss, resilience, family bonds, and the tension between fate and self-determination. As Nell immerses herself in the cultural upheavals of 1970s California, her brother remains rooted in Alabama, confronting the whispers, secrets, and shadows that seem woven into the land itself. Rich in atmosphere, heart, and historical detail, What the Hollow Takes is a story about the things we inherit, the things we carry, and the courage required to break free from both.
Coming soon...
If What the Hollow Takes left you wanting more, Marigold is the story you’ve been waiting for...
Journey back to the rain-soaked forests of Oregon and the music-filled streets of 1970s San Francisco for a deeper dive into the remarkable woman whose friendship would forever change Nell Hamontree's life. A lyrical companion novella about belonging, resilience, music, and the mysterious ways certain people seem to find one another exactly when they're needed most. Some people enter our lives so quietly that we don't realize they've become part of our story until we can no longer imagine the story without them.
If What the Hollow Takes stayed with you, there is one final story the Hollow has been waiting to tell...
The Crossing is a companion novella that follows Eli Holcombe long before the dusty summer afternoon when he and Jonah first arrived at Sugar Bend. From a quiet childhood in Ohio to years spent wandering the back roads of America, Eli has always carried the inexplicable feeling that somewhere beyond the life he knows, something is waiting for him. A lyrical Southern Gothic companion to What the Hollow Takes and Marigold, The Crossing is a story of friendship, memory, destiny, and the invisible threads connecting lives across generations. Perhaps, some roads take us somewhere new, while others have been leading us home all along.
A collection of short stories...
