First published 2007
Maye follows her husband to Spaulding, Washington, trading Phoenix heat for Pacific Northwest greenery. The freelance writer works alone from home and struggles to connect with anyone in her new town. Her attempts at friendship backfire so badly she risks becoming a local pariah. Desperate for one final chance, Maye enters the annual Sewer Pipe Queen Pageant, a bizarre community ritual that welcomes competitors regardless of age or gender. A former pageant winner with a missing eyebrow becomes her unlikely mentor in this serious competition disguised as small town quirkiness. Maye discovers that winning hearts in Spaulding requires more than good intentions. She must navigate the pageant's unwritten rules while uncovering dark secrets that have shaped the town for generations. Her quest for belonging transforms into something far more significant than making friends.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, humor, contemporary
Vibes: intimate, quirky, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Spaulding, Washington, Phoenix
Period: 21st-century
Audio CD · Villard