Former O-R columnist Zoeller publishes first novel
Longtime columnist Laura Zoeller has released her first novel, “Twisted Roots.”
Readers of the Observer-Reporter may be familiar with former columnist Laura Zoeller, who shared her insights on raising three children with her late husband, John, on their family farm in Prosperity.
Zoeller recently turned to writing fiction, penning her first book, “Twisted Roots.”
“I am excited to have released this novel for publication. It has been in the works for several years, and I finally felt confident that it was ready. What an exhilarating experience,” said Zoeller. I do like a good story, and this story resonated with me. I kicked it around in my brain for a long time, and then wrote it in 2018.”
She wrote the book in two weeks, often staying up late or waking up early – and waking up John at all hours of the night – to read a chapter.
“I was consumed by it,” said Zoeller, office manager for Ritchey Metals Co. in Canonsburg and a beef cattle farmer.
But Zoeller didn’t publish the book until nearly six years later.
“Life gets in the way. My husband passed away in 2021, and there’s this vulnerability about these characters you’ve created, you care about them. It was challenging to get to the place where I was ready to share these characters with anyone else,” Zoeller said.
The novel follows Quinn Marsten through a difficult period in her life. She has spent many years and thousands of dollars in therapy trying to forget her traumatic childhood, but her nightmares won’t stop. When she gets a call that her father, the source of most of her trauma, is dying and wants to see her, she decides to confront her issues head-on.
“I do like a good story, and this story resonated with me. Child-rearing when I was a kid was very different than it is today,” said Zoeller. “Things you could get arrested for now were normal and accepted when I was a kid. Some of the things are based in fact, and I thought, how would I want to see this resolved if all of this were true, and I recognized it’s not always pretty with a bow on it. You don’t always get the resolution you want. I let the characters decide where it would go.”
Zoeller is promoting the book with an appearance at a vendor show at Prosperity Social Hall on March 23. At the show, she will sign copies, take questions, and offer books for sale.
The book’s cover was designed by Scenery Hill artist Anna Elizabeth Pinchok.
Zoeller, 45, a graduate of McGuffey High School and Washington & Jefferson College – she graduated on time after being a single mom in college – has always enjoyed writing.
“I always dabbled in poetry and writing when I was young, super angsty teen stuff that should never see the light of day,” she said laughing. “I’ve always enjoyed expressing myself.”
Writing a novel was different than turning out a column.
In a column, word count matters, whereas there’s no maximum word count in a book,” she said. “If I want to flesh something out more, I’m free to do that.”
Zoeller still farms full time, in addition to working and writing. She also contributes columns to Lancaster Farming.
She and her son have 19 brood cows, steer, chickens, and pigs.
“This has been satisfying,” she said.
The book is available for purchase in paperback and for Kindle at amazon.com/.