Cobwebs of Time - Hardcover

Jones, Tesa

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1582441936 ISBN 13: 9781582441931

Publisher: Netsource Dist Services, 2002

Synopsis

Cobwebs of Time is the second novel in The Malone Family Saga . . .

Laura enters college in 1969, a sheltered young woman in love with her high school boyfriend, determined to change the world by becoming a teacher. Her first day, she meets Brad Malone and is magnetically drawn to him despite his reputation for breaking hearts. Cobwebs of Time is a sweeping novel of their lifelong love affair, set against the social upheaval of the seventies and the economic boom and bust of the eighties.

Tesa Jones has written a mesmerizing page-turner, skillfully evoking the wild feelings of first love and the pain of lost love, the precious bond between parents and children and the difficult path to maturity. Cobwebs of Time interweaves the stories of four main characters: Laura, a pretty, naïve girl who dreams of becoming a teacher; Kurt, an idealist, who is trying to survive in a cynical world; Brad, an aspiring photographer, who hides his painful childhood with a façade of brazen charm; and beautiful Jennifer, who is in school only to meet the rigorous expectations of her exacting father. These four spirited, very different individuals make their way through school and then follow their dreams to the hectic business arenas of Washington, D.C. and New York City.

Jones navigates the waters of marriage and children, political unrest and the sexual revolution, drug use and sexual harassment with a sure hand, and draws the reader into her compelling, and sometimes heartbreaking, world. We stand vigil with the characters in illness, watch love grow and fade, and follow the characters through tragedy to joy. Jones’ stylish, gutsy prose paints vivid portraits of characters we come to care very deeply for, as they struggle to find their place in the world.

Cobwebs of Time is an epic tale that captures the voice of a generation, illuminating universal hopes, fears, and dreams in the stories of four unique young people. Jones has crafted a masterful portrait of characters who do not always make the right choices, but who strive to find happiness and love. Cobwebs of Time is a romantic thrill ride that sweeps the reader along in its wake, a document of an era, and, at its heart, a gripping love story.

About this title

From the Publisher

Laura enters college in 1969, sheltered young woman in love with her high school boyfriend, determined to change the world by becoming a teacher. Her first day, she meets Brad Malone and is magnetically drawn to him despite his reputation for breaking hearts. Cobwebs of Time is a sweeping novel of their lifelong love affair, set against the social upheaval of the seventies and the economic boom and bust of the eighties.

Tesa Jones has written a mesmerizing page-turner, skillfully evoking the wild feelings of first love and the pain of lost love, the precious bond between parents and children and the difficult path to maturity. Cobwebs of Time interweaves the stories of four main characters: Laura, a pretty, naïve girl who dreams of becoming a teacher; Kurt, an idealist, who is trying to survive in a cynical world; Brad, an aspiring photographer, who hides his painful childhood with a façade of brazen charm; and beautiful Jennifer, who is in school only to meet the rigorous expectations of her exacting father. These four spirited, very different individuals make their way through school and then follow their dreams to the hectic business arenas of Washington, D.C. and New York City.

Jones navigates the waters of marriage and children, political unrest and the sexual revolution, drug use and sexual harassment with a sure hand, and draws the reader into her compelling, and sometimes heartbreaking, world. We stand vigil with the characters in illness, watch love grow and fade, and follow the characters through tragedy to joy. Jones’ stylish, gutsy prose paints vivid portraits of characters we come to care very deeply for, as they struggle to find their place in the world.

Cobwebs of Time is an epic tale that captures the voice of a generation, illuminating universal hopes, fears, and dreams in the stories of four unique young people. Jones has crafted a masterful portrait of characters who do not always make the right choices, but who strive to find happiness and love. Cobwebs of Time is a romantic thrill ride that sweeps the reader along in its wake, a document of an era, and, at its heart, a gripping love story.

From the Author

Fans often ask me . . . "When did you start writing?"

The answer . . . I was 10-years-old.  For Christmas that year, my grandmother gave me a diary with a lock and key.  When I opened the gift, she whispered in my ear, "Write what you feel."   To my surprise, words poured out of me and landed on the pages of that little red book. At 15, I wrote the first story I was willing to share with my peers. The positive feedback from my teenage friends and my teachers was just enough encouragement for me to continue on my literary journey.  Years passed.  During my twenties, college and career got in the way of my dreams.  When I hit 30, I was an at-home mother of a toddler.  With all of my attention directed to my child and my husband, I felt a loss of identity and my self-confidence was waning; as a result, I decided to carve out some personal time for writing.  With a detailed outline and my beloved characters constantly dancing inside of my head, I wrote the first draft of Cobwebs of Time.

There were very few home computers in those days; therefore, the first draft was written on an IBM Selectric typewriter.  At that time, a ream of bond paper was $24.99 -- half of my weekly grocery allowance. To save money, I typed on both sides of the paper.
When I wrote the last word of that first manuscript, I felt a surge of pride for my accomplishment. However, it was short lived.   I was pregnant with my second child, and I knew my priority was -- to be a mother first -- plus -- I had a home in need of my undivided attention. Consequently, I boxed  up my manuscript and put it on the top shelf of my closet.

I do not regret one minute of those precious years I spent focusing on my family and our hectic, crazy schedules:  the t-ball games, the bedtime stories, the Girl Scout Cookie sales, the soccer practices, the school plays, the homework, the softball games, the hours dedicated to"Hooked on Phonics", the swim meets, the band concerts, the BLAST select softball tournaments, the track meets, the constant carpool, the mess all over the house, the 'what's for dinner?' when I hadn't even thought about food until I heard the question, the award ceremonies, the proms and finally the graduations!  As I lived those years, I felt as if our lives were wrapped up in a cyclone and often spinning out of control; however, as I reflect upon those active times, I realize -- those might be -- the best years of my life.  I have no regrets.

When my last child graduated from high school and left "the nest", I looked around my empty home and asked  . . . what now?  The house was clean and quiet.  My calendar had very few events scheduled on it.  I was proud and happy that my children were successfully transitioning into adults, but -- at the same time -- I felt a hole in my heart.  My role as a mom would never be over; however, my "job" as a mother was completed.  I had launched my kids into the world!

I needed to reinvent myself and find a new purpose.  After dusting off my manuscript, typing it into a computer, polishing the grammar,elongating the plot and adding an epilogue, I pursued my dream of being a published author.   Although Cobwebs of Time is the second book in The Malone Family Saga, it is the first book that was published.  For a year and a half,  my husband and I toured the country.  He managed to get me to book signings, countless radio and television interviews and a different motel room in a variety of cities during the book tour frenzy.  In an odd and wonderful way, it felt like a second honeymoon.

The fans enjoyed Cobwebs of Time so much, I was inspired to finish the prequel:  Reflection of Memories. When a person looks at the timeline of how long it took me to complete my novels, one can see -- I am a detailed oriented writer -- obsessed with history and the impact it has on our lives.  Between occasional "writer's block" and a busy life, it took me a decade to finish each book.  I hope my third novel in the series does not take as long.

Edition details

• Publisher: Netsource Dist Services
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 1582441936
• ISBN 13: 9781582441931
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 708