Castro Valley Neighbors Find National Acclaim with Debut Novel and Album

Two Castro Valley artists, writer Amy Franklin-Willis and her neighbor and musician Andrew Castro, are testaments to the intertwined nature of creativity and personal struggle.

Franklin-Willis, 40, is a married mother-of-three and works full-time. Nonetheless, during the past 10 years, she has also found time to craft her debut novel, "The Lost Saints of Tennessee."

“During those 10 years, what kept me working on the book was a sense that this was what I was supposed to be doing," Franklin-Willis said.

This month, those 10 years of work culminated in the publication of her 343-page novel by Atlantic Monthly Press. In less than one week, the book has already garnered national acclaim in publications such as the The Boston Globe and various book review blogs.

"The Lost Saints of Tennessee" is a Southern novel, offering the author's insights into themes of the genre such as romance, loss, and layers of the countryside embedded in the voices of the characters.

One of these voices is the protagonist and narrator, 42-year-old Ezekiel Cooper, a man struggling to find self-redemption after losing his brother and his marriage.

While Cooper narrates the majority of the novel, fans of Southern literature may notice a connection between "The Lost Saints of Tennessee" and William Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying" when Franklin-Willis employs a woman — Cooper's mother Lillian — to narrate a single chapter of the novel, thus offering a feminine perspective.

While the novel isn’t completely autobiographical, the author says that she was inspired by her father's hometown in rural Tennessee.

“After my grandmother passed away and her home was sold, I started writing the novel as a way to memorialize her and the house," she said.

After eight years of drafting, and attending writers' conferences throughout California to gain input and advice, she sent her novel to 15 different agents, none of which were willing to take on the project.

Despite this seeming failure, her relationship with the characters persuaded her to persevere.

“I had become completely enmeshed in the characters,” she said. “I wanted to do the best I could for them, and I believed if I did, it would all work out.”

Two summers ago, an agent accepted the novel and eventually helped Franklin-Willis get in touch with the Atlantic Monthly Press publishing house.

During the next couple of months, the author will tour the nation, giving readings from her novel. Her longtime neighbor, musician Andrew Castro, played a major role in the project and will accompany her in the Bay Area and the Southern states.

“He grew up next door,” said Franklin-Willis. “When he was a teenager I would hear him playing heavy metal music through the garage, but as he got older his tastes changed.”

After hearing a recording by Castro, Franklin-Willis sent him a manuscript in hopes that he would write a song to accompany the book.

Castro ended up writing nine songs — an entire album. When the author heard the music, she funded the professional production of the album, also titled "The Lost Saints of Tennessee," and asked Castro to accompany her at the book readings.

Castro says that his inspiration came from a deep connection to the themes and characters within the book.

“I had a throat injury playing basketball,” Castro said. “I was unable to sing or talk for four months and the doctors didn’t know if I would ever fully recover. Luckily I did, and just as I was recovering she came to me with the manuscript.”

The music is a far cry from Castro’s metal roots. He instead blends country and folk music — a style better-fitting for the Southern genre. He plays the guitar, harmonica, and sings on the recordings.

At the performances, which will be held in local bookstores throughout the U.S., Franklin-Willis will be reading select passages and Castro will followup by singing songs inspired by these passages. According to the two, the performances have been well received.

"The Lost Saints of Tennessee" is available for purchase at bookstores and on Amazon.

For more information on Amy Franklin-Willis, visit her website at www.amyfranklin-willis.com

To hear some of Andrew Castro’s music, visit his BandPage on Facebook. They can also be purchased on iTunes.