How do you go on when you have lost everything?

That’s the question at the heart of Abbeville. George Bailey has lost everything in the dot-com bust. His office, which once bustled with activity and the smell of money, is now deserted. He may lose his home and he has to pull his son out of private school. How can he keep his family together in the face of such a change?

George goes back to his roots, back to his hometown of Abbeville. His grandfather, Karl, once owned the mill, the bank, and a lot of the land around it…and he lost it all in the Depression. Still, his grandfather held onto his wife, his daughter and his will to be happy. George goes looking for the source of Karl’s happiness and he finds strength to keep going. In the process, he gives his son something to hang on to, a foundation for an insecure boy facing a lot of changes. The material sounds sad, but the tone is very hopeful.

Abbeville was newly-released in June 2008. My copy was an uncorrected proof; order your copy here.