Creativity Is Life’s Greatest Journey Until . . .
“Ms. Roberts’ talent is evident . . . her novel is lightly salted with folksy, good-humored insights and peppered with a spunky appreciation of life’s whimsy.” — New York Times Book Review
“Appealing debut novel.” — Publishers Weekly
“Roberts’s easy style and comic sense are engaging . . . ” — Library Journal
Can a quirky town, a mysterious stranger, and a tap-dancing farmer help a blocked artist find her magic again?
Maud Calhoun was once the darling of Round Corners, Vermont. A child prodigy, she put her tiny hometown on the map by painting every single square inch of her ancestral home—inside and out—turning it into a vibrant tourist destination.
Then came marriage. And with it, her husband’s decision to whitewash her masterpiece.
Now a widow, Maud is stuck in a fifteen-year creative dry spell, sharing her home with nothing but her artistic block and the lingering ghost of her late husband. But the eccentric, tightly knit community of Round Corners hasn’t given up on her. They want a massive new mural for the Town Hall, and they won’t take no for an answer.
Just as the pressure reaches a boiling point, two forces disrupt Maud’s static world: a tragic accident that paralyzes her best friend—a tap-dancing local farmer—and the sudden arrival of Thomas, a handsome, mysterious drifter who challenges her to see the world differently.
To heal her heart and her community, Maud must look past the blank canvas of her life and find the courage to paint again.
Maud’s House is a whimsical, warm-hearted, and deeply funny novel about identity, friendship, and the chaotic beauty of rebirth. Perfect for fans of quirky small-town fiction, found-family stories, and the enduring power of the creative spirit.
“[Sherry Roberts] has the proper light touch needed to bring the feisty citizens of Round Corners, Vermont, to zestful life. Maud’s House is a contemporary rarity: a book that is fun to read.”— Fred Chappell, author of I Am One of You Forever
“Discovering Sherry Roberts is joy and absolute delight.” — Ruth Moose, author of The Wreath Ribbon Quilt
“If there is such a thing as a reflective madcap comedy, Roberts has created one with her novel. Maud’s House is a funny and angry comedy — the best kind. And deep in the book’s most secret heart, it is about what all great stories are always about: love and sex and death; or to put the same ideas another way: community and need and identity.” — Orson Scott Card, author of Ender’s Game
