Small Caucasian Woman
"In this new collection of short stories, [Palencia] transforms typical small-town gossip into 17 interrelated, folksy pieces . . . But don't get the idea that this is merely clever homespun fluff. Although filled with one-liners ('You can't gallop in a girdle'), many of these stories go deeper. They reflect psychological insights into major life issues--loneliness, alcoholism and child abuse--wile exploring traditional Appalachian themes of exile and return, the oral tradition and the role of community in personal identity . . . Palencia is one sage storyteller. These Blue Valley folks flat pull you into their lives."
-- Lexington Herald-Leader