The thirty-something protagonist of this novel, Miracelle Loving, travels from town to town after her mother’s murder, practicing her mother’s profession, fortune telling, and getting odd jobs. She spends time in Knoxville and some mountain towns, including Radiance. "A poetic tale of a daughter's quiet exploration of her past and how it pushes her forward. Part mystery, part eulogy, McElmurray's lyrical style transformed me from skeptical to fully invested in Miracelle Loving's search for identity, meaning, and love." -- The Rumpus. "Powerful and lyrical... A page-turner, but one in which the momentum is built not only on a compelling story, but on the integrity and complexity of its characters . . . Wanting Radiance is an extraordinary book by an extraordinary writer. It's hard not to see McElmurray in her story, in her characters -- the woman with magic in her hands, shuffling the tarot cards, dealing prophecy, showing us who we were, who we are, who we can become. What's possible if we let in a little light." -- Entropy Magazine. The author, Karen Salyer McElmurray is an Eastern Kentucky native who teaches at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania. This is her third novel and fifth book.
Lexington: South Limestone/University Press of Kentucky. A 2021 edition of a 2020 release. 264 pages with a new interview with the author. Trade paperback.