In this heartfelt tale about enduring hope amid the suffering of the Great Depression, Sean Dietrich-also known as Sean of the South-weaves together a tale featuring a cast of characters ranging from a child preacher, a teenage healer, and two migrant workers who give everything they have for their chosen family.

When fifteen-year-old Marigold becomes pregnant during the Great Depression, she is rejected by her family and forced to fend for herself. She is arrested while trying to steal food and loses her baby in the forest, turning her whole world upside down. She's even more distraught upon discovering she has an inexplicable power to heal, making her a sought-after local legend.

Meanwhile, middle-aged migrant workers Vern and Paul discover a violet-eyed baby abandoned in the woods and take it upon themselves to care for her. The men continue their search for work and soon pair up with a poverty-stricken widow, plus her two children, and the misfit family begins taking care of each other.

As survival brings this chosen family together, a young boy finds himself without a friend to his name as the dust storms rage across Kansas. Fourteen-year-old Coot, a child preacher, is on the run from his abusive tent-revival pastor father with thousands of stolen dollars-and the only thing he's sure of is that Mobile, Alabama, is his destination.

In a sweeping saga with a looming second world war, these stories intertwine in surprising ways, reminding us that when the dust clears, we can still see the stars.

• Stand-alone Southern historical fiction set during the Great Depression
• Book length: approximately 98,000 words
• Includes discussion questions for book clubs
• Also by Sean Dietrich: The Incredible Winston Browne

About the Author
Sean Dietrich is a columnist, podcaster, stand-up storyteller, and novelist known for his commentary on life in the American South. His work has appeared in Southern Living, Good Grit, South magazine, and other publications, and he has authored fourteen books. Follow Sean's daily writing at seandietrich.com or @seanofthesouth on Instagram.

Reviews
'Authenticity, charm abound in Dietrich's latest' * Clarion-Ledger *
'big-hearted novel' * Garden & Gun, JULY READING PICK *
'Dietrich is a Southern Garrison Keillor. Fans of the latter and former will be pleased.' * Library Journal *
'Ideal for those readers who appreciate a dash of magical realism in their historical fiction.' * Deep South Magazine, SUMMER READING LIST *
'Sean Dietrich can spin a story. With hope and heart, [Stars of Alabama] tells interweaving stories of connection, unlikely friendship, and the responsibility we have to take care of one another.' * Southern Living magazine *
'Set during the Dust Bowl, this pleasing, ambitious epic from Dietrich (Sean of the South) brings together unlikely allies all escaping dire situations. . . Though filled with preachers declaring judgment and prophecies of the end-time, Dietrich's hopeful tale illuminates the small rays of faith that shine even in dark times.' * Publishers Weekly *
'The characters are meticulously described in settings so real that they seem to be drawn from memory. . .historical fiction and mystery readers will find this to be a very satisfying book.' * Booklist *



Book Information
ISBN 9780785226376
Author Sean Dietrich
Format Hardback
Page Count 352
Imprint Thomas Nelson Publishers
Publisher Thomas Nelson Publishers
Weight(grams) 525g
Dimensions(mm) 244mm * 165mm * 31mm