Outbound Train

by Renea Winchester

In 1976, memories from a night near the railroad tracks sixteen years earlier haunt Barbara Parker. She wrestles with past demons every night, then wakes to the train’s five-thirty whistle. Exhausted and dreading the day, she keeps her hands busy working in Bryson City’s textile plant, known as the “blue jean plant,” all the while worrying about her teenage daughter, Carole Anne. The whistle of the train, the hum of those machines, and the struggle to survive drives Barbara. When an unexpected layoff creates a financial emergency, the desperate pressure of poverty is overwhelming.
Unbeknownst to Barbara, Carole Anne sneaks out at night to walk the tracks so she can work at Hubert’s Bar. She’s hoarding money with plans to drive her mother’s rusty, unused Oldsmobile out of Bryson City, and never return. She only needs one opportunity … if she can just find it.
When Carole Anne goes missing, Barbara finds herself at a crossroad—she must put aside old memories and past hurts to rely on a classmate for help finding her daughter. But this is the same man she blames for the incident years ago. Is she strong enough—or desperate enough—to do anything to keep her daughter safe?
In Outbound Train, the Parker women struggle to make frayed ends meet in a town where they never quite do … at least, not without expert weaving and a bit of brute force.

Here's what others say about Outbound Train.
Renea Winchester's storytelling is as real and authentically Southern as the clear water music of an Appalachian creek and the song of Cicadas on a front porch summer evening.
Lisa Wingate,
#1 New York Times Bestselling author of Before We Were Yours and Before and After.

I fell in love with the smart, strong, funny characters in this community of make-do women, and I predict you will, too.
Pamela Duncan, Author of Plant Life

With pitch-perfect dialogue and believable characters, Winchester has crafted a story that will make readers stand up and cheer.
Michael Morris, Man in the Blue Moon, A Place Called Wiregrass

A powerful tale of heartache and healing delivered with the skills of a true southern story teller
Julie Cantrell, New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of Perennials

Outbound Train is a journey you won't want to miss. It is a thrilling and heartfelt journey into the collective soul of the Parker women from the mountains of North Carolina, who will teach you the meaning of courage, strength and, most important, love. Outbound journey is a novel you will not put down or ever forget.
Peter Golden, Author of Nothing Is Forgotten

Genres: Fiction, Southern

260 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2020

About the author

Renea Winchester grew up in Bryson City, North Carolina. A small town once known for the production of textile products, that now welcomes tourists into the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains. She is the Award-winning author of:
Outbound Train (Firefly Southern Fiction, April 2020);
Bryson City Recipes (Make Your Mark Publishing, December 2022);
Farming, Friends, &Fried Bologna Sandwiches (Mercer University Press);
In The Garden With Billy: Lessons about Life, Love & Tomatoes (Little Creek Books). Her work has appeared in Appalachian Heritage, Georgia Backroads, Smoky Mountain Living, Longleaf Style, Georgia Magazine, as well as Georgia Public Radio 90.1 FM.
She is a regular contributor to Smoky Mountain Living Magazine and is passionate about literacy.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reneawinche...
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Renea-Winche...

Reviews

[Janisse Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Renea Winchester's novel about a matriarchy in rural Appalachia, specifically Bryson City, North Carolina. She has created memorable characters, mostly women, in this beautiful saga about the lasting impacts of poverty and the desire to lift out of it. We are reminded that the circumstances that cause people's dreams to die happen all to easily. Maybe I'm too much of a softie, but I found myself crying a few times here, especially toward the end. This book is not nostalgic. It does not shy away from painfully awful subjects like a pregnancy following a rape and what life is like when the rapist lives in your hometown; or life without transportation; or life in a trailer park. Renea brings dignity to poor people trapped in terrible circumstances. The uplifting ending -- the possibility of a better life opening to these characters -- brought me tears of joy. There is one particularly beautiful scene in which a hair stylist in a beauty shop helps one of the women get in technical school. That was priceless. I have met Renea Winchester a number of times, and I very much admire her as a human. Now I admire her fiction. My absolutely favorite part of the book is that Renea's wisdom, her personal ethos, her can-do attitude, and her love of nature come shining through in OUTBOUND TRAIN like the sun over the trees every morning. Thank heavens for Appalachian literature -- Winchester joins our beloved writers like Silas House, Lee Smith, and so many more.

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

1976 Bryson City, North Carolina

I discovered this author and novel through Selah Award nominees. Outbound Train is a nominee for the General Fiction category.

The characters and language pulled me in and didn't let go. Trigger warning: there is a flashback to 1960 and the rape of a teenager in one of the first chapters.

Outbound Train is about what life is like for three generations of women struggling to get by or "make do" as is quoted in the novel. Granny Pearlene is in the early stages of dementia and has no filter. A few curse words escape her lips. She has a heart of gold and had me laughing out loud more than once. Her daughter Barbara works at a clothing factory to make ends meet. High school student Carole Anne longs to leave Bryson City just like so many women before her.

The writing brings the time period and financial hardships to life. I could smell the home perm, visualize the cutting of coupons and feel the longing for more. There were so many memorable one liners...."Dinner was peanut butter crackers and cigarettes."

I'm incredibly glad I gave this novel a try. This is the author's debut and I absolutely look forward to what she offers next.

[Susan Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family, home, determination

This heartfelt story of three generations of women, literally living on the wrong side of the tracks, touched my heart and gave me hope. They live hardscrabble lives, dictated by the factory that employs the people of Bryson City, North Carolina, and a school that separates its students into those they teach, and those they ignore. Carole Ann is a high schooler who dreams of leaving this harsh town, a dream her mother shared but was never able to achieve. Their stories are filled with determination, fueled by dreams of carving out a better life somewhere else. I loved the friendships between the characters, and how, no matter how hard things got, they could always depend on each other.

[Jewell Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous!
I'm waiting for the next one!
I just didn't want it to end....beautifully written and heart-wrenching at moments, but completely identifiable. Completed the book quicker than I have ANY book recently, AND just this morning reread the last chapter again...at 4:30am!
Get your copy as soon as possible! You'll hop on the train of believers quickly!

[T.M. Mike Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed entering Bryson City NC, the old mill town in Appalachian NC. The despair and desperation felt by three generations of women in the story -- Pearlene, Barbara, and Carol Ane -- made the story come to life and reflected the reality of many mill towns experiencing shutdowns during the 70's and 80's throughout America. I loved the in your face advice handed down, "don't trust anything that comes with tires or a tallywacker." Thank you, Renea Winchester. You have a genuine storyteller gift. I look forward to reading more soon. T. M. (Mike) Brown

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book because the reviews were good and it was an inexpensive download. Found it an enjoyable read and would recommend (primarily to women as all main characters are female). Perseverance, strength, family ties and hope all contribute to a rich novel. Also leaves this reader realizing just how fortunate she is in so many ways.

[Ginny · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard to keep secrets in a small town...
Renea Winchester has captured the heart, soul and busybody nature of small town life in Outbound Train. The story takes place in the South, but anyone who spent time growing up in a wide place in the road will immediately recognize the cast of characters and situations. The world tends to dismiss those living in poverty, seemingly with no way out - but this book reminds us that everyone has dreams of a life beyond the city limits, no matter their circumstances. Outbound Train is truly a little peach of a book.

[Laura Kemp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in the southern mill town of Bryson City, 'Outbound Train' tells the story of three generations of Parker women. Mother Pearlene, daughter Barbara and granddaughter Carole Anne all live together in the trailer park, and Winchester is unflinching in her portrayal of their hard scrapple life.
There is a dark secret concerning Carole Anne's birth, and Barbara struggles to make ends meet while working in a factory and trying to care for her mother, who has the early signs of Alzheimer's.
I enjoyed each of these characters for different reasons. Pearlene was a hoot, and at times had the keenest observations. I loved Barbara's spunk and determination and Carole Anne exemplified the disheartened teenager who just wants to get the hell out of town.
The plot unfolds at a good pace, and leads to a satisfying conclusion that had me wiping away a happy tear.
If you're looking for a story about resilient women in a quirky southern town, second chance love and the ties that bind families together despite almost insurmountable odds, then this IS the book for you!

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story about the perseverance of three generations of women living in poverty in the mountains of NC. I would have enjoyed this so much more if the author hadn’t abruptly wrapped up the story in a few brief chapters.

[Claire Fullerton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the ARC of Outbound Train and recommend this gorgeously written, starkly real Southern set story that will play on your heartstrings all the way through. Author Renea Winchester writes with a clear-sighted, compassionate eye about women in hard times. They are the blue-collar, Parker women, one haunted by her past; the other, her daughter, who plans to escape the poverty of her hometown, Bryson City, at any cost. With twists and turns that seem to come full-circle, Outbound Train is an engaging story, Southern to its core in setting and character, and captivating to its last page.

[Kathryn Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mother and daughter Barbara and Carole Anne Parker each have dreams of escaping their small town of Bryson City and finding a better life on an outbound train. Each hold secrets from the other as they struggle to overcome challenges, disappointment, and loss. Outbound Train is a beautifully written story filled with richly developed characters which the reader will hold close to their hearts long after they have finished the book.

[Susan P · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novel of struggle set in the Great Smoky Mountains of 1960 and 1976, Outbound Train is a well-written and thought-provoking story of women's struggle to make ends meet and face life in an unfair world.

[Carroll McMahan]

Three generations of women living in a hopeless situation somehow find the courage to face each day and strive for something better. Renea Winchester brings her characters to life in this heartfelt tale of people living in poverty that mange to maintain a level of pride. Although dreams of escaping never been realized, their struggles and disappointments never quash their determination. Set in Bryson City, NC where the author grew up, the story will resonate with anyone who has ever lived in a place where a factory was the key to survival but never enough to overcome poverty. When I had finished reading the last page, I was ready for the sequel.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Outbound Train is the moving and uplifting portrait of three generations of working class women and their struggle to survive the brutality of poverty, hopelessness, and oppression. Bryson City, North Carolina in the mid-1970s is a small mountain town governed by railroads, mills, and football. In a culture dominated by men, women like Pearlene, Barbara, and Carole Anne Parker fiercely guard their dreams, and their secrets, and suffer in isolation. It is only when the mill lays off workers and Barbara is forced to seek and accept help that things begin to change for the better – for her, for her mother and daughter, and for the women of the town. As Barbara says: “Bound together with love and fret, make-do women transformed what was scrap into something purposeful.” I fell in love with the smart, strong, funny characters in this community of make-do women, and I predict you will, too."

by Pamela Duncan
The above review covers the book nicely.

[Mandy Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Renea Winchester wastes no time in taking you straight into young Barbara Parker's life. Right from the get go, you're invested and you know you're in for ride. When she introduces Carole Ann you already love her - Renea has seen to that.

She set this novel up so the reader isn't sitting on the outside, passing judgment - the reader is there in Bryson City - waking up with the train's whistle to hustle to the factory to start another shift at the sewing machine. Shopping at Piggly Wiggly and walking to school with a dented Holly Hobby lunchbox, aware that you are treated differently solely because you live on the other side of the tracks. You are THERE.

This novel, like life, is full of surprises, heart break, hope, and laughter. Renea reminds us that there are angels everywhere. By the time you've finished, you will know the characters for who they are, not where they're from. Hopefully you'll carry that with you.

[James Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

In "Outbound Train", Renea Winchester takes the reader on a journey into a small town, during a simpler time. But don't let that description let you get too complacent: hurtful things happened to innocent people 50 years ago, just as they do today. The wounds went just as deep then as they do now, left the same kind of scars, and required the same kind of care, carried the same hope of redemption, as similar events in modern life (or in bigger cities).
In other words, "Outbound Train" has a particular setting, but the story is a universal and relatable one.

Winchester's novel begins with a pretty difficult-to-read act of violence, then explores the consequences of that violence in the lives of the victim, Barbara, and her family members. Beyond that fateful night, and the enormous changes that it brought into the life of Barbara, the book describes a certain hopelessness that can set in to residents of a town like Bryson City, North Carolina. Perhaps "hopelessness" isn't the word: but there's a certain dead-end mindset that just about all the characters find themselves resigning themselves to.

And that's what brings me to my favorite thing about "Outbound Train": both of the negative elements that Barbara finds herself confronted with--(1)having to deal with the effects of an awful event, and (2) the certainty that she's always going to be stuck here in this town, struggling to make ends meet--require some level of hope where there doesn't seem to be any.

During the course of the story, difficult things happen, and those hard things ends up leading to hope where there was none: hope for a resolution, or better yet, a rescue.

I grew up in a town that, although it was a thousand miles west of Bryson City, had many similarities. I can relate to the sense of resignation that one feels in such a place, so from my perspective, this story rings true. Renea Winchester captured it (that sense of being stuck here) like only someone who has lived there could.

If I were to identify any complaints about this book, it would be the lack of exploration of the perpetrator of the violence which opens the story. Hopefully the author would consider following the footsteps of Billy Coffey, and write more books about different characters in the same town. I guess time will tell. But for now, this will do just fine. I recommend "Outbound Train" to anyone who likes a good story about people who overcome. And really, isn't that the description of
every good story?

[Linda Ball-Hyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read enjoyed every page.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning of Outbound Train by Renea Winchester is a scene a reader won't forget...it made me think of John Grisham's A Time to Kill. It was so ghastly, and I wasn't expecting it at all. But sometimes good comes from evil, and that kept me on the journey.

Barbara and Carole Anne Parker are strong protagonists in this story. Barbara had dreams of leaving her small town but after an event when she was in high school, her life changed forever. Carole Ann, Barbara's daughter, also wants to leave her small town but will a tragedy change her options in life as well? This novel is a page turner in that the reader is drawn to these likable characters and hopes for the best possible outcome for them.

I was drawn to this book after reading about it in a newspaper we have mailed to us out in WNC. It is set in Bryson City, where we stayed during two different vacations. We loved the location and the town. It made for a very relaxing, laid back vacation for us as tourists but I can see where locals, especially the young, might feel the need to escape as did Barbara and Carole Anne. This mountain town and others where we visited for vacation started the process of searching for our own small mountain town to move to in retirement...and we found it about an hour from BC. We have visited BC twice since moving to the mountains as we love a local place called the Everett Street Diner (plus the chocolate shop!)

This is my first encounter with Renea Winchester, and I like her storytelling style. I will definitely keep this author on my radar.

[David Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful story, it captures you from the opening pages to the end....

[Maggie Kagin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very eye-opening book on life in a poor North Carolina community. As someone living in western NC, I found that the themes (single mother with no real opportunities, wanting better for her daughter, education being key to a better life) sadly haven’t changed much.
My only complaint was that some storylines were introduced and then never brought up again.

[Jayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dang. I sure read some good authors. Renea Winchester just got on the list. Thanks for a good read.

[Donna Mumma · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing story about about three generations of women who rely on guts and grit to get them through. Uplifting, yet real, you'll fall in love with these characters and cheer them on. A great read!

[Florence Renouard · Rating 5 out of 5]

L’histoire se passe en 1976 dans la petite ville de Bryson City, dans les Appalaches en Caroline du Nord. Les trois femmes Parker vivent dans un mobile home à l’écart de la ville. Mamie Pearlene perd un peu la tête, mais habituée à « faire avec » ce que la vie lui offre fait preuve d’un optimisme à toute épreuve et déploie des stratagèmes pour améliorer l’ordinaire de sa famille. Sa fille Barbara travaille à l’usine de manufacture de jeans, ses rêves d’ailleurs ayant été balayés lorsque sa vie a basculé, une certaine nuit de 1960. Carole Anne est lycéenne, et des rêves d’ailleurs elle en a encore : elle travaille en cachette dans un bar clandestin afin de gagner de quoi réparer la vieille Oldsmobile de sa mère et quitter Bryson City.
La vie est dure pour les trois femmes, qui doivent en outre subir le mépris de ceux qui vivent du bon côté des rails. Mais qui sait, peut-être que dans cette communauté où tout le monde se connait et s’observe, il existe quelques êtres de lumière, susceptibles d’aider un peu les filles Parker ?

Comment ne pas tomber sous le charme de ces trois belles et fortes femmes ? Mamie Pearlene, qui perd la tête quand ça l’arrange, est extrêmement drôle, aussi bien dans son comportement (la scène de la décharge, l’espionnage au téléphone…) que dans ses punchlines, les conseils qu’elle livre à Carole Anne. Sous ses airs égarés elle fait preuve de fulgurances qui montrent qu’elle comprend beaucoup de choses.
Barbara, quant à elle, est très touchante dans son combat permanent pour subvenir aux besoins de sa mère et sa fille : elle s’est totalement mise de côté ; son unique rêve est l’espoir que sa fille ait une vie meilleure.
Et Carole Anne est une jeune femme en devenir, son jeune âge lui faisant parfois prendre des décisions absurdes…
Des personnages secondaires ont une belle place dans le roman, comme Connor, qui veille sur Barbara et sa fille comme il peut, ou Wanda la coiffeuse, bel instrument du destin.
On se prend vite de passion pour la vie de ces trois femmes et l’on espère très fort que leur destin les conduira un jour « de l’autre côté des rails », partie de la ville symbolisant l’ascension sociale et le rêve américain. Car au-delà de cette famille le roman est une fidèle description des malheurs de la working class des petites villes américaines, d’où la mondialisation fait disparaitre le peu de travail.
Je suis ravie d’avoir découvert ce fabuleux roman et ses personnages : un grand merci à Marie Bisseriex, traductrice, découvreuse et éditrice au Nouveau Pont, et à Léa Guignery pour ce partenariat avec le #Picaboriverbookclub.

[Flo Chavy · Rating 4 out of 5]

L’histoire se déroule dans une petite ville de Caroline du Nord à la fin des années 1970.

Mais elle pourrait à mon sens très bien se dérouler aujourd’hui tant les thèmes son actuels :
la pauvreté, la discrimination, l’écart profond entre les classes sociales.
Nombreux sont les auteurs à mettre en scène la vie de cette « Amérique pauvre » et à nous faire découvrir le quotidien de ces « hillbillies » aux prises avec leur destin, stigmatisés dès leur prime enfance par le reste de la société.

Le roman de Renea Winchester n’est pas un constat d’échec et la condition de ses personnages est loin d’être une fatalité.
Confrontées aux difficultés de la vie bien assez tôt ces trois femmes vont apprendre à réagir, à se relever, et à lutter pour que celles qui suivront ne subissent plus les mêmes maux.
Pearlene, la grand-mère, femme autoritaire et déterminée est le pilier de la famille. Et même si de temps en temps sa mémoire lui joue des tours, elle n’oublie jamais le lien qui l’unit à sa fille et à sa petite fille. Cet amour inconditionnel est la principale ressource dans laquelle toutes les trois puisent dans les moments les plus difficiles.
Barbara, la fille de Pearlene mise elle aussi à rude épreuve par la vie, ne s’est pas résignée et continue à nourrir l’espoir d’un avenir meilleur pour sa fille.
Carole-Anne, la fille de Barbara, a malgré son jeune âge, compris depuis longtemps que la vie ne lui fera pas de cadeaux. Si elle veut réussir elle devra se battre bec et ongles pour prouver qu’elle ne vaut pas moins que les autres qui ont eu la chance de naître de l’autre côté des rails, qu’elle n’est certainement pas « un rebut ».
Nous suivons ces trois femmes sur une courte période, arrivée chacune à des points clés de leur vie.
Les chapitres qui alternent les récits sont eux aussi assez courts et nous permettent de suivre facilement le déroulement de l’histoire.
Le ton est léger et empreint d’humour et les personnages rafraîchissants.
L’écriture de Renea Winchester a le pouvoir de nous raconter une histoire tragique tout en gardant une atmosphère joviale et un ton contagieusement optimiste.
Merci Renea Winchester de nous conter si joliment une tranche de la vie ordinaire de femmes extraordinaires.

Merci aux éditions Le Nouveau Pont et à Léa du Picabo River Book Club pour avoir permis cette lecture. Merci infiniment pour avoir organisé cette belle rencontre qui nous a permis de connaître l’histoire de la naissance de ce livre et d’en apprendre un peu plus sur le parcours de son auteure.

[Velma · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I write a book review, I don't like to summarize it again. That is done in the book blurb, so I would rather spend my time describing my thoughts, feelings, and reactions to the story. The beginning of this book is hard to read, and if I had not been warned about it beforehand, I may have quit reading. I am so glad I didn't. The consequences of this one circumstances described in the opening pages are what drives the rest of the book. The seemingly hopelessness of the characters is heartbreaking at times, but as a reader, I wanted to continue reading. I found myself so drawn into the story that I almost found myself praying for the characters. Without giving away any spoilers, there is a scene where something good happens to one of the characters, and I caught myself thinking that I needed to call my husband and tell him the good news. Ha! That's when you can tell a book has drawn you into the world of the characters and made you feel like they are people you know and care about. Throughout the story, you find glimpses of hope outshining the hopelessness tugging at your heartstrings and leaving you rooting for the characters.

The town described in this book reminded me so much of my hometown in Georgia. Growing up in a mill town, you definitely see the gap between those who have worked in mills for generations verses those who haven't. Even today, with all the mills closed, those social barriers still stand. There are still the haves and the have nots, and extreme poverty is a huge problem that many would like to ignore and act like it doesn't exist.

Several years ago, I read a nonfiction book about Bryson City, North Carolina written by a physician who told stories of being a young doctor starting his career in this Appalachian town around the same time as the events of this story. It is quite interesting to see different perspectives of the same town. The doctor's stories were more idealistic in many ways.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and look forward to more books by this author. I recommend this book for High School age students to adults. There is some talk about sex I found unnecessary to the plot, but it was not overwhelming. Thank you, Renea Winchester for your beautiful story.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Behind the thin walls of an old house trailer with peeling linoleum and faulty plumbing, three generations of Parker women try desperately to keep secrets from one another in effort to spare each other from painful realities. Each one seeks their own method of escape from circumstances they feel are beyond their control, circumstances that threaten to destroy their very will to live.

Like so many women the world over, these women discover a common bond by reaching deep and finding the courage and determination to move forward. Eventually, they discover the things they have hidden, in fact hold a truth, that when acknowledged and shared becomes key to their survival.

OUTBOUND TRAIN is fresh and real, a treat for the reader. Renea Winchester was able to create a fictitious story that was so genuine, there were times I had to stop and contemplate her ability to get inside the heart and soul of women very much like the women who are a part of my own Appalachian heritage. This story could not have been written by someone who does not understand the unique challenges faced by women in rural Appalachia, nor could it have been written by someone who did not seek to honor the courage of these women. Women everywhere, regardless of their background, will recognize shared feminine strengths with the three main characters of this novel.

I want to learn more about these women and hope a sequel is in the works.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

OUTBOUND TRAIN, an Appalachian novel published in 2020 by Firefly Southern Fiction, revolves around author Renea Winchester’s home town of Bryson City, North Carolina. Set in the 1970’s, the story is told from the points of view of three generations of impoverished women who struggle to survive in their small textile community. While the outbound train constantly reminds the teenager of a better world outside her trailer park, it also serves to haunt the mother as she deals with the demons of her past. The grandmother offers the reader a bit of comic relief, but her issues with aging cause additional worries for her already-burdened family. Winchester describes these Bryson City textile women as those who “provide a polyester payday” for their families without ever daring to hope of finding a better way of life. Like a recipe from one of Granny Pearlene’s cakes, OUTBOUND TRAIN contains a mixture of Susan Gregg Gilmore’s THE FUNERAL DRESS and Cindy Sproles’ MERCY'S RAIN. A secret ingredient from Kathryn Stockett’s THE HELP is added for extra flavor. Author Renea Winchester has stirred together a powerful story in this debut novel.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this read. The author, Renea Winchester, was inspired by her hometown, Bryson City, NC , to write this fiction story. If you’ve ever visited Bryson City, you know it as a small, Norman Rockwell picturesque, mountain town in Western NC. It’s beautiful and offers plenty for tourists visiting such as tubing, hiking, gorgeous waterfalls, and most especially known is Nantahala Gorge for world class white water rafting.

The story was set back in the 70’s when this town was known as a poor, mill town. It was also ranked #1 in teenage pregnancies, unemployment, and HS dropouts during this time. The author was a great storyteller and she captured three generations that were so identifiable. Pearlene, Barbara , and Carole Ann lived a hard life with struggles, each dreaming of one day escaping their poverty on an outbound train for a better life. Barbara is a single mom who works tirelessly to support her mom and daughter. She keeps a secret that haunts her life but perseveres to make a better life for Carole Ann. It’s a story of courage and determination. This book released in 2020 and I look forward to more from this author.

[Betty Koval · Rating 5 out of 5]

Renee Winchester has taken a subject I was familiar with - small rural home town and given life to a personal dream of mine - leave to see and have experiences outside the boundaries of my home town. It appears mine was not the only small town where everyone seems to know or ”think” they know what everyone else in town is doing. Carol Ann just wants to make enough money to leave and become more than a seamstress at the local factory. Most of all she wants to get out of the trailer park located right by the railroad tracks where the train will not even stop - this town is just not worthy of a stop!
The 3 generations living in one small trailer scraping everything they have to make ends meets - you begin to grasp the impact on each member -add a 16-year grudge plus a teenager with so many questions and a mother and grandmother who will not answer her properly! Well you simply MUsT read this book to see how they find a way to communicate. Every young girl needs to read this - it gives the perspective on what parents deal with also!
Get it, read it and enjoy it!

[George Brosi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This debut novel has been much anticipated by many fans of Renea Winchester as an author of prose books. It only takes a quick look at her titles to appreciate her unpretentious, but oh-so-clever, way with words that express the complexity and ambiguity of our lives - for example, Farming, Friends & Fried Bologna Sandwiches or Mountain Memories: True Stories and Half Truths from Appalachia. Her novel's title, Outbound Train, expresses the tension between loving a place and wanting to leave it. Set in 1976 with flashbacks to sixteen years earlier when Barbara Parker's daughter, Carole Anne, was born, the chapters alternate between Barbara and Carole Anne. The theme of staying or leaving takes on layers of meaning as three generations of women living together in a trailer wrestle with it. Set in Bryson City, North Carolina, where the author grew up, this novel illuminates the life and challenges of a woman working at the "blue Jean plant" in a strikingly authentic way. I read Renea Winchester for the story and come away with a deeper understanding of the human condition.