I’ve done all that they said. I’ve researched, emailed, advertised, promoted, blogged… entered contests, mailed book after book, begged, borrowed, and stole—okay, now I’m going too far. Still, I have done everything and anything humanly possible to promote my book, The Silence in the Sound. I’ve certainly given my publicist a run for her money. Next is the national press release, events, signings, and all the fun stuff, because I want to see all your faces, but if I’m honest, I am tired. Excited, grateful, ecstatic, and blessed, but damn I’m tired. Looking back, I think writing the book now seems like the easy part, and that nearly killed me. Trying to sell it almost killed me again, and now promoting it, … well, you get the idea. But guess what…. now it’s time to trust you all, the readers. Oh yes, I’ll continue to sell my soul to the devil and market and promote until I collapse, but it’s just about my books launch date, and I have a whole team reading it right now, so I must kick back and leave it to you all the readers to judge, review, recommend or destroy me. It’s just that way… it’s the ride I signed up for, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Thank you. This week I will share some cherished reviews from some AMAZING people. I have been on quite a journey, and thank you all for tagging along.
Dianne C. Braley
An exquisite debut from a thrilling new voice. The Silence in the Sound is a poetic story, powerfully told. Emotional yet exhilarating, Dianne C. Braley’s novel is alluring through every page.
“—Anna David, NY Times bestselling author of Party Girl and founder of Legacy Launch Pad”
The Silence in the Sound is an unflinching look at the legacy of addiction and the soul-destroying effect it has on family and friends. Love does not conquer all for George, and her long journey from anger to forgiveness is grueling. In George, author Braley has given us a believable, flawed character whose story compels the reader to root for her.
“—Susan Wilson, NY Times bestselling author of One Good Dog”
In The Silence in the Sound, Dianne Braley fashions a moving tale in which complicated love—for an alcoholic father, testy patient, unnervingly enigmatic lover, and Martha’s Vineyard—interweaves to create a compelling narrative. Georgette returns as an adult to the island, lured by the memory of a significant weekend there as a teenager with her father. She becomes the private nurse to the famous author Mr. S. for whom, despite his difficult nature, she develops a deep fondness. But Georgette can’t outrun the damage from growing up with an addict in a dysfunctional home as she becomes entangled in a complicated relationship with Dock—a local contractor with a mysterious past. Brimming with rich characters and a provocative storyline, Braley movingly explores if our history indelibly determines our future.
“—Abby Remer, published author and writer for the Martha’s Vineyard Times”
In The Silence in the Sound, Dianne C. Braley weaves a gorgeous, heart-wrenching, and very real tale of love, secrets, and resilience. The engaging plot peels back the façade of wealthy, seemingly idyllic Martha’s Vineyard to expose the lives and struggles of the island’s year-round working-class locals – the nurses and carpenters who labor, mostly unappreciated, behind the scenes. Laced with love and gritty with addiction, The Silence in the Sound is a compelling, memorable read.
“—T. Elizabeth Bell, author of Counting Chickens and Goats in the Time of Love”
Braley has a distinctive and energetic voice and a lyrical style. She writes with confidence and easy-going fluidity, which belies the fact that The Silence in the Sound is her debut novel. Engrossing, psychologically intricate, and poignant, the book is multi-layered, fresh, and immersive. Not only is it compulsively readable but the characters stayed with me days after I’d finished it. The Silence in the Sound is beautifully written, emotionally charged, and highly recommended.
“—Penny Haw, author of The Wilderness Between Us and The Invincible Miss Cust”
Dianne Braley’s beautifully written, lyrical, and insightful debut weaves the disparate threads of the journey to wisdom and maturity into a wondrous fabric. The Silence in the Sound plumbs the depths of relationships – with a famous author, with a lost father, and ultimately with oneself – to measure the sometimes dark pathways that bring us to where we are. A brilliant read, and a first novel that promises great things to come.
“—Greg Fields, author of Through the Waters and the Wild, winner of the 2021 New York Book Award for Literary fiction”
Searing and truthful, this story plumbs the inner depths of desire, regret, self-understanding and ultimately the power of love and connection that make it all worthwhile. The setting of Martha’s Vineyard provides a sense of rootedness and identity that is itself a healing force amid the turbulent lives that seek a toehold on the shifting sands of life. Read it and feel deeply.
“—Lisa D. Foster, author of Bag Lady: How I Started a Business for a Greener World and Changed the Way America Shops”
A beautifully written and riveting tale of love, resilience, friendship, devotion, and the heartbreaking impacts of addiction. Braley does a masterful job weaving George’s quest for love and peace with fascinating intersecting storylines, past and present. For those who love Martha’s Vineyard, it’s also a special treat to see the island lovingly rendered as a character in its own right.
“—Elisa Speranza, author of The Italian Prisoner”
