Jacinta

Book excerpt: Many Words Press is proud to present Jacinta, the second in the series of the Catholic Themes novels by award-winning author William Baer: In Jacinta, the enthralling second installment of William Baer’s series of Catholic Themes novels, we are introduced to Theresa Delgado. A single mother and immigrant residing in New Jersey, Theresa works in a flower shop and is deeply invested in the education of her ten-year-old daughter, Jacinta. Concerns about Jacinta’s schooling prompt Theresa to consider relocating to Utah for homeschooling. However, her plans take an unforeseen turn when she becomes embroiled in a homicide case on the day of her departure, making her the prime suspect. Her ensuing cross-country flight draws the relentless pursuit of a New Jersey state trooper, a determined bounty hunter, and a college professor who had been assisting her with Jacinta’s educational curriculum. Jacinta weaves a captivating narrative of mystery, family dynamics, spirituality, with subtle threads of romance and adventure. Through this novel, William Baer reaffirms his status as a celebrated storyteller, adept at keeping readers spellbound with his profound narratives. PRAISE FOR WILLIAM BAER’S FICTION: “. . . the reader is irrevocably hooked.”—Angela Alaimo O’Donnell “. . . the writing is taut and gut-wrenching.”—Terri Brown-Davidson “. . . a consummate novelist. This is fiction at its finest.”—Joseph Pearce “. . . in the ranks of Bernanos, Greene, Waugh, and Walker Percy.”—Ralph McInerny “. . . complex characterization, grand historical and cultural contexts.”—Hollis Seamon “. . . the writing is crisp, sarcastic, wryly funny.”—Foreword Reviews (Five-star review) “. . . a thought-provoking and multi-layered story.”—Reading Café (Five-star review) “. . . this is a can’t-put-it-down thrill ride.”—Publishers Weekly (Five-star review) “. . . brilliantly mixes all the human emotions.”—Reader Views (Five-star review) ABOUT THE AUTHOR: William Baer is the author of thirty books including Times Square and Other Stories, Psalter: A Sequence of Catholic Sonnets, Classic American Films: Conversations with the Screenwriters, Luís de Camões: Selected Sonnets (translations from the Portuguese); and the Jack Colt Mystery series, New Jersey Noir. A graduate of Rutgers, NYU, South Carolina, the Johns Hopkins Writing Seminars, and USC Cinema, he’s been the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Fulbright (Portugal), an NEA fellowship in fiction, the T. S. Eliot Award, and the Jack Nicholson Screenwriting Award. He was also the founding editor of the Formalist, the founding director of the St. Robert Southwell Summer Workshops, and the film critic and poetry editor at Crisis.