Local novelist Charles Tabb, whose novel Floating Twigs was released in September, will be appearing Saturday, November 10, at Books, Beads, and More at [fill in address] for a book signing from 10 – 2.

Floating Twigs tells the story of Jack, an adolescent boy who finds a starving dog he names Bones while fishing with friends. After convincing his alcoholic parents to allow him to keep the dog provided he can earn the money for his care, Jack sets out to find work. His early efforts fail, but eventually he meets Hank Pittman, a middle-aged man who lives near the harbor in a dilapidated school bus. A friendship ensues, and Hank becomes the father figure Jack has lacked. Hank, who has his own secrets while trying to escape his own past, finds Jack work with Mrs. Mary Jane Dawson, an eccentric but pleasant lady who asks her dog’s advice and is often forgetful.

Soon, trouble brews—vicious gossip that threatens Jack’s relationships with Hank and Mary Jane, as well as the life of Bones. After initially ignoring the gossip, Jack finds he must face the lies and that love carries with it a responsibility to others. When the gossip leads to Hank being accused of a crime he did not commit, Jack must find a way to convince a jury of the truth, a difficult task when even his own parents refuse to believe him.

Tabb is a retired teacher living in the Ashland area. Some of his stories have appeared in online literary journals, notably “We Need to Talk,” a story about how escape from the habits of our lives can be difficult; “Good for the Soul,” a crime story about confession; and “What Tomorrow Brings,” a serio-comic look at how some relationships end while others begin.

To read an excerpt from Floating Twigs and find links to Tabb’s published stories, visit www.charlestabb.com.