Shannon Bowring has been nominated for a Pushcart and a Best of the Net, and was recently selected in Best Small Fictions. She holds an MFA from University of Southern Maine Stonecoast and currently resides in Maine. The Road to Dalton is her first novel.
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Shannon Bowring
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“Bowring focuses on inner lives. Her subtle, empathetic rendering of everyday joys and sorrows in the eddy of Bridget's death rings true.”
— Booklist, Aug 8 2024![]()
“Tensions, passions run high, but all is solidly based on the importance of communication and love.”
— Lavender, Jul 25 2024![]()
“Like Elizabeth Strout and Richard Russo, Shannon Bowring excels in bringing families and small towns to life in all their interconnected complexity.”
— Read Her Like An Open Book, Jul 17 2024![]()
“Another excellent novel from an author whose books have very quickly become a must-read for me. . . . generous, kind, and nuanced.”
— The Civilian Reader, Jul 16 2024![]()
“Engrossing . . . This slice of life cuts deep.”
— Publishers Weekly, Jul 11 2024![]()
“Bowring brilliantly evokes people’s inner lives through small, illuminating moments, not unlike Sherwood Anderson, and fills the novel with thoughtful and comic one-liners that ring true. . . A moving portrait of the ways people survive palpable, harrowing grief.”
— Kirkus Reviews, Jul 4 2024![]()
“Quotidian, yes: boring, no. Bowring weaves [characters] together in their new aspects, giving hints of future possibilities in book three.”
— Lavender Magazine, Jun 27 2024![]()
“Impressive for its careful, comprehensive portrait of memory, love, grief, and community, The Road to Dalton encourages acceptance of its flawed characters.”— The Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide, Jan 8 2024![]()
“I loved all of the people of Dalton, even the ones that were not so lovable.”
— Sarah's Bookshelves Live Podcast, Oct 18 2023![]()
“A setting that will feel familiar to anyone who grew up in a small, rural town. The characters are written with a loving honesty, and feel achingly real.”
— Portland Press Herald, Oct 15 2023![]()
“Bowring captures in her compassionate debut the rhythms of life in small-town Maine.”— Publishers Weekly, May 31 2023![]()
★ “Bowring offers endless, rich details about life in Dalton, making a satisfying story of each chapter... An impressive debut bursting with detail and love for the town it brings to life.”— Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review), Apr 1 2023
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