Brenda Barker’s Next Chapter
At sixty-four, Brenda Barker’s life is anything but over—though someone should tell that to her butcher, who insists on calling her “ma’am” when the other customers are “miss.” With her husband gone, her only child moving to Japan, and a literary “expert” telling her she has no business writing, Brenda does what any sensible woman would do: ignores the advice, packs her bags, and heads to a high-stakes writers’ conference in the California wine country.
Armed with a manuscript, a bottle of pinot noir, and a fierce determination to prove the world wrong, Brenda embarks on the adventure of a lifetime—complete with wine-fueled confidence, surprise friendships, and a few romantic sparks she definitely didn’t plan for.
Brenda Barker’s Next Chapter is a celebration of second (and third!) chances, the power of believing in yourself—and finding your voice when it matters most.
Praise for Brenda Barker’s Next Chapter
“Brenda Barker's Next Chapter is a laugh-out-loud story of second chances and proves it's never too late to follow one's dream, especially when that dream takes place in the California wine country at a coveted writing conference. For anyone who has imagined what it's like to become an author or for those who have already made inroads into the publishing world, Brenda's story will resonate for years to come thanks to Wendy Tokunaga's captivating storytelling.”
—Susan Blumberg-Kason, author of Bernadine’s Shanghai Salon
Full of humor and leading with a writer’s heart, Wendy Tokunaga’s latest, Brenda Barker’s Next Chapter, will make readers believe that the Brenda in all of us also deserves our own happily ever after.
—Margo Candela, award-winning author of The Neapolitan Sisters
Brenda Barker is a widow on a mission—to land an agent for her novel, the book her late, beloved husband never really believed in. When Brenda is accepted to a prestigious writers’ conference in Northern California, she’s certain there must be some mistake. Wendy Tokunaga’s latest novel is a delightful satire of the world of writers’ conferences—packed with literary hopes, dashed dreams, writers behaving badly, and good pinot. It’s also a compelling story of finding one’s voice, and some romance to boot, well past middle age. I hope Brenda Barker's Next Chapter isn't her last…I’d happily sign on for the next installment!
—Michelle Richmond, NY-Times Best-Selling Author of The Marriage Pact
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Publisher: Blydyn Square Books
ISBN-13: 979-8218774769
Q&A With Wendy Tokunaga,
Author of Brenda Barker’s Next Chapter
Tell us about yourself.
Like Brenda Barker, I’ve had the experience of being an aspiring writer, trying to find my way in the literary world and stumbling along the rocky road to publication. Brenda Barker’s Next Chapter largely takes place at a fictional writers conference in the Northern California Wine County. I’ve been to many writers conferences, both as an attendee and later as a participant and speaker. And, living in the San Francisco Bay Area (where I was born and raised), I try to visit the wine country whenever I get the chance. I love soaking up the beautiful nature of the vineyards and mountains, visiting the wineries and scarfing down the sumptuous food. And the shopping is fun too.
Give a brief description of Brenda Barker’s Next Chapter.
Brenda Barker is a 64-year-old widow from North Carolina who finally has the chance to chase her dream of becoming a published novelist when she gets accepted into a prestigious California writers conference. But her confidence plummets when, upon arriving, her name is not on the acceptance list, though she’s assured that it’s only a “clerical error.” And her insecurities fester further when she finds herself a long-tooth hen among a flock of spring chicken wannabe writers. In the end, late bloomer Boomer Brenda can only embrace real love with a charming, 60-something winemaker as well as discover the secret to becoming a real writer only if she can reinvent herself. This book explores what it takes to fully blossom and write your life’s next chapter.
Why did you write Brenda Barker’s Next Chapter?
Being somewhat of a late bloomer myself, I wanted to explore this phenomenon as well as look at examples of second chances a person might get for following a dream they were previously unable or unwilling to pursue. I also wanted to poke fun at the literary and publishing worlds, fictionalizing some of what has happened to me or other writers I know, and the sometimes wild and crazy experience of attending a writers conference along with the various personalities you encounter.
The setting of Brenda Barker’s Next Chapter adds much to the texture of the story. Can you tell us about why you chose to set the story there?
The story is set in the fictional town of Rancho Uvas, which is loosely based on Healdsburg and the surrounding area in the Sonoma wine country. This is a gorgeous place and seems to be a dream world in some ways—at least to me—and a backdrop of where dreams can even come true. The book also mainly takes place at Sky Ridge, a fictional writers conference there, the type where you are immersed in a new world for a week. This too can feel dreamlike, since you are leaving your regular life behind. And in Brenda’s case, she must share space with roommates that she has only just met. It’s a place that can offer inspiration, and where the idea of reinventing yourself is a very real possibility. But it also can be a place where your worst insecurities come to pass, and your inner critic bubbles to the surface, rearing its ugly head.
What can readers hope to learn from this book?
That it’s never too late to follow your dream. And to not let people tell you that you can’t pursue a creative endeavor because you’re too inexperienced or too old or too young.
FEATURED BOOKS BY WENDY TOKUNAGA
POSTCARDS FROM
TOKYO
Six stories, all inspired by Tokyo, a magical place that Wendy Nelson Tokunaga has observed both first-hand and from afar. Poignant, but also often laced with humor, these mesmerizing tales are sure to both entertain and move readers.
"Tokunaga has a knack for telling stories about Japan that are culturally insightful while also being highly entertaining." —The Displaced Nation
"A fantastic, humorous compilation of six short stories inspired by life in Tokyo. Tokunaga’s characters are provocative yet likable and she uses a variety of techniques to surprise you until the very end." —Savvy Tokyo
“A superb collection of short stories.”—Asian Review of Books
LOVE IN
TRANSLATION
What happens when you fall down the rabbit hole and land in Tokyo?
A delightful novel about love, identity, and what it means to be adrift in a strange land. This story of a search has an Alice in Wonderland vibe; when Celeste climbs down the rabbit hole, one can't help but follow along.
–Michelle Richmond, New York Times bestselling author of The Year of Fog
"Tokunaga... describe[s] Japanese culture in absorbing detail."—Publishers Weekly
"A charmingly entertaining read." — Library Journal
MIDORI BY
MOONLIGHT
Can Japanese expat Midori Saito find her American Dream and the perfect dessert?
"A terrific first novel." —San Francisco Chronicle
“Tokunaga depicts Midori's determination to create her own version of the American dream with exuberance [in this] delectably frothy debut.”
—Publishers Weekly
