Surfside Beach Stars in Local Author’s Debut Novel
Love after loss, Generation-X middle-agers featured in The Tentative Knock
SURFSIDE BEACH, SC – (Sept. 16, 2021) A local romance author is celebrating the release of her debut novel with a reading and launch party this weekend.
Inspired by the natural beauty and community of Surfside Beach, resident Kelly Capriotti Burton wrote a romance focusing on new love and identity after widowhood, blending families, and finding solace on the sand, with protagonists who are not the typical Hallmark-movie archetypes.
“I wanted to tell a story of love that is messy, how we can aspire to a conventional life and try to do things in order, but ultimately, even as distinguished grown-ups, we have to make the best out of unexpected chaos,” Burton says. “Meanwhile, as Generation-X settles into early midlife, I thought it would be fun to explore how differently that second act looks and sounds from those of our Baby Boomer parents.”
Burton’s contemporary novel is colored with local icons of the Grand Strand as well as pop-culture references throughout that will be familiar to those of Gen-X.
“Unlike our World War II-era grandparents, we won’t be retiring at age 62, and the world is opened wide to us with the internet. How does this change growing older? And really, how fun is it to explore what people who know all the words to Jagged Little Pill will be like as senior-ish citizens?”
Along with her husband, five children, and extended family, Burton has called the Grand Strand home for over 10 years, previously residing in Chicago Heights, Illinois. Burton is on staff at two local mainstays herself. She works as a “running enthusiast” at Black Dog Running Company, Myrtle Beach, and is the media director at Journeychurch of Myrtle Beach, located at Inlet Square Mall.
The Tentative Knock will be for sale at both of those locations, as well as online via Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Books-A-Million, Target, the author’s website, and more.
Early reviews of the story call The Tentative Knock “amazing… an incredible mix of heart wrenching grief, romance, and family saga!” (Nickie Snyder, The Things She Reads). Writer and educator Marjorie Justice says the book contains “wonderful characters, lovely settings; it just makes me feel warm and fuzzy, but [the] humor gives it an edge.”
Burton is proud to feature some local icons in the story, including WPDE meteorologist Ed Piotrowski and local charitable organization Help4Kids/Backpack Buddies. Both are currently scheduled to be in attendance at the book launch party.
That event, which will include a reading and signing as well as local fare and wine, will be held at Black Dog Running Company, 1600 Farrow Parkway, Myrtle Beach, on Sunday, September 19, 2021 at 6:00pm. The public is invited to attend.
For more information:
Kelly Capriotti Burton: kellofastory.com | kcb@kellofastory.com
Black Dog Running Company: blackdogrunning.com
Journeychurch of Myrtle Beach: journeychurchmb.com
