FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Luna Blue Books
Anthony Lee Head
San Rafael, California
415.663.6116
tony@anthonyleehead.com
BAY AREA AUTHOR’S DEBUT NOVEL NAMED TO KIRKUS REVIEWS’ BEST BOOKS OF 2020
Anthony Lee Head’s Driftwood: Stories from the Margarita Road Receives National Honor
SAN RAFAEL, CA December 15, 2020–Driftwood: Stories from the Margarita Road—which reviewers say mixes the charm of John Steinbeck, the excitement of Joseph Conrad, and the flip-flop escapism of Jimmy Buffett—has been named a “Best Book of 2020” by Kirkus Reviews.
When Head heard the news, he was thrilled. “I am pleased my book has struck a chord with so many. The idea of running away to paradise obviously appeals to a lot of people, especially during these difficult times,” he said. “Receiving a Kirkus ‘Best Book’ award for my first novel is more than I ever hoped for.”
Kirkus Reviews, often called “the world’s toughest book critics,” also awarded Driftwood the Kirkus Star, which they give only to “books of exceptional merit.” They concluded their laudatory review with, “Truly wonderful and moving tales; the author is a writer to watch.”
In Driftwood, free spirits fleeing mundane and disappointing lives head south in search of a fresh start. When they end up in a lush, unspoiled beach town on Mexico’s Caribbean coast, they discover the idyllic, hedonistic, and unpredictable world of the tropics.
As encroaching civilization begins to threaten their slice of paradise, they experience both love and loss while encountering vicious drug dealers, charming rogues, and a devastating hurricane, The book’s interwoven vignettes explore the heart’s tug of war between the need for a place to call home and the desire for the freedom to roam.
Head knows firsthand the pleasures and challenges of the expat life. In a fit of middle-aged madness, he traded a long career as a San Francisco trial lawyer for a new adventure. He and his wife headed south, driving 3500 miles to Playa del Carmen, Mexico. There they bought a rundown hostel that they transformed over the next decade into a wildly popular small hotel and margarita bar. The characters they met along the way became the inspiration for Driftwood: Stories from the Margarita Road.
“Beneath the ‘palm and balmy breezes’ tone…a deep, empathic humanity affords each character and event vivid authenticity,” said author and actor Peter Coyote. Bestselling author Cyra McFadden remarked about Driftwood, “These tales of human foibles range from funny to touching, memorable to unforgettable.”
Head now lives in San Rafael, California with his wife and an embarrassingly large number of rescue cats and dogs. He is currently at work on a memoir about his years in Mexico to be published in the summer of 2021.
Driftwood: Stories from the Margarita Road is available wherever books are sold—including Indiebound and most independent bookstores, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon. It makes the perfect holiday gift for the stuck-at-home traveler or armchair adventurer.
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