GINGER PINHOLSTER
AUTHOR
CITY IN A FOREST
​Hidden in the heart of Atlanta, a pristine forest shimmers with magic, but an unscrupulous developer plans to flatten Silver Park—unless two brave women can stop him.
Arden Collier risks losing her home. Parker Gozer owns most of Arden’s secret forest, which is rooted in Atlanta’s rich African-American history. As Arden struggles to reclaim her artistic voice, Parker confronts the man who once preyed upon her—and now wants to spoil a rare urban oasis.
Both women fight to protect the place that has tangled itself around their hearts like flowering kudzu vines, achingly sweet as a beloved child.
Developed as part of the Queens University of Charlotte MFA program, an earlier version of CITY IN A FOREST (then titled "Murmuration") was named a finalist for a Santa Fe Writers Project Literary Award.
CITY IN A FOREST received a gold award in the Florida Writers Association 2020 Royal Palm Literary Awards competition -- in the mainstream or literary published book-length fiction category.
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The novel was also named a Distinguished Favorite in the contemporary novel category of the 2019 NYC Big Book Awards. (Review titles.)
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The book is available from the publisher, Black Rose Writing, as well as Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and other suppliers. Thanks for reading, and for any reviews on Amazon.
PRAISE
A laudable story with robust female characters and skillfully woven themes of race and gender.
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— Kirkus Reviews
Ginger Pinholster, a master of significant detail, weaves her struggling characters' pasts, present, and futures into a breathtaking, beautiful novel in City in a Forest.
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— IndieReader
I completed the reading of Ginger Pinholster's City in a Forest with the sense of gladness that always comes with discovering a new and talented writer ... Her use of language often begs for the awe of re-reading. The plotting stays in focus. The tease of turning another page never falters. Recommended? Absolutely.
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— Terry Kay, To Dance with the White Dog / The Book of Marie
City in a Forest engages us in the myriad ways that our ideas of home can keep us down, and lift us higher. An observant, compassionate debut.
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— Jessica Handler, The Magnetic Girl
Ginger Pinholster’s first novel, with her insightful knowledge of downtown Atlanta, and of time and history passing, and of life itself, will make you proud of her effort and her talent.
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— John Logue, Boats Against the Current
City in a Forest is a compelling novel addressing the complexities of racial inequities, friendship, child sexual abuse, and privilege intertwined with differing desires for a piece of land in Atlanta. Pinholster’s lush descriptions and artful imagery enhance her skills in weaving distinct multiple narratives.
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— Libby Ware, Lum