Author Terry Kay is one of the South's treasures. He has written phenomenal books such as To Dance With the White Dog, The Runaway, The Valley of Light and many more. Each one he writes shines with the brilliance of his words and the beauty of his plots and characters. His latest novel, Bogmeadow's Wish, continues his winning streak of excellence. Romantic, comic and adventuresome, the book is a grand tour of Ireland with a fanciful story filling the pages.
Cooper Coghlan is a 32-year-old man living in Atlanta. He is employed in the field of public relations and is just coming off the termination of a romantic involvement. One of his favorite people in the whole world is his grandfather, Finn Coghlan. Finn was an Irish immigrant and has always retained his love for the old country and his belief in the magical elements of his heritage. This he has passed on to Cooper.
When his grandfather dies he leaves instructions that Cooper take his ashes to Ireland and cast them to the winds. Being an obedient grandson, Cooper makes his plans. Once he arrives in Ireland he finds that the magic his grandfather has described does exist. He also meets a young woman, Kathleen O'Reilly, who makes an impression on his heart.
The tour of Ireland is described in the most glorious words Kay has ever put on paper. You can actually visualize the spots Cooper visits. And strange as it may sound, you hear the words of the page coming into your mind with an Irish brogue. Now that takes talent, and Kay has it in bucketsful.
Kay tells this story with enthusiasm and a loving heart. He cares for these characters and makes them indelible on the reader's mind. You live, laugh, love with them; and when the story has ended you want more, more, more.
The best stories reach into our hearts and minds and make a place for themselves there. This is what Bogmeadow's Wish does. It goes through our mind and down to our heart where it stakes a claim to a small portion. There it will live in memory.
If you have not yet discovered the magic of Terry Kay's writing then get busy and start reading. There is a treasure trove of reading pleasure awaiting you. His books are always good but Bogmeadow's Wish contains some of his most lyrical writing ever.
Bogmeadow's Wish is published by Mercer University Press. It contains 291 pages and sells for $26.99.