Pendulum is the tale of a family at a crossroads. In this novel, Charles Ellis and his wife, Sally, manage their old family ranch in the semi-arid region of western Nevada.
After Charles experiences a health scare, his brother, Sam, returns from living back east to help his aging brother, only to find that their smoothly run system is a fragile one and going through an age-induced change.
Since Charles' and Sally's two grown children, Dan and Robin, lead urban lives, they have little interest in taking over the ranch. This leaves the Ellis' in a quandry about the future of their ranch, as they are confronted by developers who want to acquire their land and develop it with roads, businesses, and housing, and in the process, destroy the ranch, the surrounding wilderness, and possibly their lives in the process.
The ranch and the surrounding desert landscape are formidable players in this novel. Unbeknownst to the Ellis family, their roots are so woven throughout the land that they could no more be pulled from it and live than an aged tree could if yanked up by its roots.
The title, Pendulum, refers to the old grandmother clock ferried over in a covered wagon by the family's forebears; throughout the novel, the pendulum's oscillating arc offers a metaphor for the new and the renewal of life.
Author bio:
Kent Lauder graduated from Oregon State University with a BS in engineering and business before taking over the family's plumbing firm in Burlingame, California. He is now retired. Pendulum is his first novel.
Website: https://kentlauder.com/
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Author Interview:
Research and Purpose:
The novel Pendulum takes place on a ranch in Western Nevada. I interviewed a few ranchers in the area to get information concerning crop production, water needs, land use restrictions, and pressures from those wanting to buy up their lands and develop them into housing and businesses. This novel does not concentrate on ranching issues in particular, but is primarily aimed at character study and family dynamics.
Audience:
Pendulum is geared for the general audience of mostly adult readers who may relate to the issues of advancing age and the problems that the family, including the son and daughter, face outside forces.
Writing's early stages:
I began this novel as a writing exercise, and I had no intention of developing it into a large format. Begun simply with the protagonist driving westward to visit his brother, wife, and their grown children on the family ranch in Nevada, it quickly expanded, almost on its own, into a saga of character study. With some humor, insight, a bit of adventure; and included is a bad guy developer to help make things interesting.
Writers history:
Writing is an avocation, the writer's primary vocation was as owner of a plumbing firm in California (now retired). This is his first novel. Previous writings were primarily in the form of articles published in local papers, a few short stories not yet published, and an ongoing nearly completed non-fiction work, "The Power Of Sentiment," which will hopefully see the light of day in the near future.
The rewards of novel writing:
The ability to express thoughts and opinions in a storied format.
Personal preferences:
A fairly wide range of interests: Good Literature (Steinbeck, Twain, Shakesphere); good classical music (early 19th century to mid 20th), popular music (J. Mitchell, T, Turner, Tin Pan Alley composers: Gershwin, C. Porter)
Likes:
The Great Outdoors.
Responses to Pendulum:
Mostly 5 stars in Amazon book reviews, and none of the quotes listed below are from friends or family!
"Lauder's description of the west and a return of the wayward brother is insightful of personal insights, family dynamics and the physical natural beauty of this homestead. Very interestingly he uses very thoughtful sentences which have profound implications making this a pleasure to read.
"I’m only maybe close to half way, but this book has captured my attention. I like the characters and the author's writing style. Can’t wait to see how this plays out."
"Lauder's rich descriptive writing tells the story of a farm family's struggle to retain their land. Add a side of adventure, along with a mystery from the past, and the reader will soon be heading to the Nevada desert to experience the wonder for themselves."
"I liked Pendulum by Kent Lauder because it has a great story line, a clean read, pretty location and complex characters. The characters are very supporting and have a familiar or close vibe. This story will have you cheering on Charles, Sally and Sam hoping they will see what everyone else sees. This story has all your emotions and they are always there front and center. Lauder’s writing style pulls you in from the beginning. It’s clever and wise. Soft and supported. He capitalizes on the intense family dynamics and its relationships. I haven’t read anything else from this author but I plan to. I highly recommend it, it is a page turner from the first to the last page and I look forward to reading more.
"Pendulum" by Kent Lauder is a fantastic read that pulls you right in. Lauder’s descriptions of Nevada’s landscapes make you feel like you’re there, and his characters are so real you feel like you know them. The story of two brothers reconnecting to run their family ranch is both heartwarming and intense. Lauder dives deep into family bonds and the pressures of holding onto something precious in a changing world. The family dynamics are relatable, and the challenges the brothers face feel so authentic.
I couldn’t put this book down. If you enjoy stories about family, Pendulum is a must-read."
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