Publisher Description

Adrien Villere suspects he is not like other boys. For years, he desperately locks away his feelings and fears-but eventually, tragedy and loss drive him to seeking solace from his mentor, a young neighbor Jacob Hart. Jacob's betrayal of Adrien's trust, however, results in secret abuse, setting off a chain of actions from which neither Adrien's wise sister, Bernadette, nor his closest friend, Isaac, can turn him.

At What Cost, Silence presents two contrasting plantation families in a society where strict rules of belief and behavior are clear, and public opinion can shape an entire life. Centerstage are the Villeres, a family less brutal than the Harts, but no less divisive. Often-absent Papa Paien Villere guards several secrets he has kept from everyone-including one which could destroy his entire family. Years after Jacob's betrayal, Adrien falls hopelessly in love with his former mentor's erotically precocious and beautiful young sister Lily-whose father has affianced her to a wealthy older man.

What will happen if Lily's violent brother learns of Adrien and Lily's clandestine affair? Will Adrien aid in freeing Isaac-an enslaved Black man-as promised? Will Bernadette find the unconventional life she seeks? Or will their entire world end as states secede and war creeps ever closer?

Author Biography

Karen began reading before entering first grade and started her artistic career drawing imaginative adventures in the margins of schoolwork—which, unfortunately, few teachers appreciated. After completing her formal education at Kent State University and San Diego State, for four decades she hiked and backpacked her way through the West and parts of Mexico and Central America before settling in Tucson, Arizona, with her cat buddy, Dickens. Although she enjoyed minor success as a watercolor painter, she discovered her true passion when she began writing fiction at the age of sixty. Her interest and experience in psychology and therapy inform her writing about persons who overcome their fear to be who they truly are. She resides in Tucson, Arizona. To learn more,

Review

"At What Cost, Silence is a family saga that transforms the way we see the past, turning over little-known stones of history by focusing on the antebellum world of East Texas. This is both an epic novel spanning decades of history, culture and politics, and an intimate, passionate tale of love and morality, rooted deeply in the contradictions and complexities of its many characters. Klink has captured it all with great care and compassion and understanding." —Molly Gloss, author of The Hearts of Horses

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Hired publicist Stephanie Barko, Literary Publicist

Long Description

Adrien Villere suspects he is not like other boys. For years, he desperately locks away his feelings and fears--but eventually, tragedy and loss drive him to seeking solace from his mentor, a young neighbor Jacob Hart. Jacob's betrayal of Adrien's trust, however, results in secret abuse, setting off a chain of actions from which neither Adrien's wise sister, Bernadette, nor his closest friend, Isaac, can turn him. At What Cost, Silence presents two contrasting plantation families in a society where strict rules of belief and behavior are clear, and public opinion can shape an entire life. Centerstage are the Villeres, a family less brutal than the Harts, but no less divisive. Often-absent Papa Paien Villere guards several secrets he has kept from everyone--including one which could destroy his entire family. Years after Jacob's betrayal, Adrien falls hopelessly in love with his former mentor's erotically precocious and beautiful young sister Lily--whose father has affianced her to a wealthy older man. What will happen if Lily's violent brother learns of Adrien and Lily's clandestine affair? Will Adrien aid in freeing Isaac--an enslaved Black man--as promised? Will Bernadette find the unconventional life she seeks? Or will their entire world end as states secede and war creeps ever closer?

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