First published 2026
Carol Girard lives quietly in a small Adirondack town in March 1980, adjusting to life with her newborn child. Then flickering lights appear in the sky. Scientists determine the signals come from intelligent beings eleven light years away, beings who know Earth exists. Humanity begins a decades-long conversation with this distant civilization. Carol becomes obsessed with finding spiritual meaning in this contact. Her son Michael turns away from the stars, seeking comfort in earthbound pursuits. Her daughter Ro dreams of working in interstellar communication, though her ambitions will grow beyond that childhood goal. The family lives fifty years knowing they are not alone in the universe. Each member searches for their place in a world forever changed by the knowledge that other minds exist among the stars.
Genres: science-fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, generational-saga
Setting: Adirondacks, Earth
Period: 1980, 2030s
416 pages · Hardcover · SJP Lit