Lost and Found
Kirkus Reviews
Two families move forward from loss and grief on the shoreline of western Michigan in Chalker’s novel.
Five years out of college in the summer of 2023, Tara finds her life is at a crossroads. Her relationship with her live-in boyfriend ended six months ago, her job organizing fundraisers for a nonprofit is petering out, and her dear Aunt Becca recently passed away from cancer. Aunt Becca’s widower, Uncle Robb, is reeling from Aunt Becca’s death. Their home in Empire, Michigan, near Sleeping Bear Dunes, has always been Tara’s refuge from the “complex chaos” of her family, so she is happy to move in with Uncle Robb as they both grieve and she tries to figure out a fulfilling career. In another town near Empire, 13-year-old Maria, whose parents and sister have been deported because of their immigration status, lives with her grandmother, who has just had a stroke. Worried that she will be put into foster care, Maria runs away and hides in a farmhouse that is part of a Parks Service nature preserve near Empire. Tara’s dog Taffy discovers Maria’s hiding place. With her grandmother’s permission, Maria stays with Tara and Uncle Robb as her grandmother undergoes rehab nearby. Having Tara, Taffy, and Maria around helps renew Uncle Robb’s spirit. Reading Aunt Becca’s journals from 1971, a pivotal year she spent studying in France when she was 20, widens Tara’s perspective. Chalker explores multiple types of loss—ranging from relationships ending to families being torn apart by heartless immigration policies to death—with great empathy in this character-driven novel. The use of Becca’s journals from 1971 effectively illustrates how opportunities for women have changed over the intervening decades. Nature plays an important role as both a literal and emotional refuge, and the beauty of the eastern shoreline of Lake Michigan is vividly evoked: “Gentle waves roll in from the deep navy blue of the water farther out to the shallow aqua water near the shore.”
A satisfying story of healing.
Interviews
Interview with Jenil Vyas
Join me in a lively and insightful conversation with Dawn, a gifted novelist from the USA and the author of Lost and Found, Bear in Mind, and Where’s the Vacation. Beyond discussing her books, we dive into a wide range of topics—from Hollywood icons like Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Sylvester Stallone, Emma Watson, and Jennifer Aniston, to the timeless brilliance of Agatha Christie.
We also explore what creativity means to her, how she stays inspired, and what advice she has for aspiring writers and storytellers. It’s a warm, candid chat that blends literature, film, and the creative mind.
If you’re a fan of books, films, or creativity in any form, you’ll love this conversation.
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Jenil Vyas (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenil-vyas/)
Interview with Lynne Golodner
Listen to the Make Meaning podcast Dawn Chalker – Writing What You Know.
Featured Author onlinebookfair.com
Writing has been my passion since childhood, and I am grateful to have recently published three books…
Grief and loss are part of everyone’s life. How do people manage grief and find a way forward? How do the people we meet along the way help us to fill life with meaning in good times and bad? Rebecca travels to Nice, France, by herself in 1971 to study French and sociology. Not having traveled much before, she struggles with homesickness and loneliness. Meeting students from other countries expands her thoughts and ideas about the world. When the semester is over, should she go home or try something new? In 2023 Tara loses her job during the pandemic, breaks up with her boyfriend, grieves the death of her Aunt Rebecca, and moves to Northern Michigan to help her uncle. Feeling that she has lost everything, she considers what to do next in her life. As a young teenager, Maria’s family is fractured by two events. Feeling lost and alone and afraid of the future, she sets out to take care of herself. She soon discovers it’s not easy to find her way alone. Three people’s lives intersect as they confront grief and loss and find what is important.|