THE VOICE I JUST HEARD
A Revised Edition with a New Ending
Coming From Atmosphere Press on
September 16, 2025
Part coming of age saga, part love story, part family drama, The Voice I Just Heard follows the soul-making journey of Nora Costello as she grapples with the loss of her older brother Liam in Vietnam. Nora has a splendid soprano voice that she can't control and wonders how she will pursue a Broadway career following the loss of her only cheerleader. As she grieves for Liam, she meets her soulmate, a washed-up Broadway baritone, Bart Wheeler, who knows a lot about singing. She also reunites with her childhood friend, Liz, who knows all too much about Nora's brother. When Nora picks up the pieces of her scattered life, she finds a way to honor her brother while celebrating the waterfall in their hometown, Cohoes New York.
Strong and brave, Nora is a protagonist to root for as she tries to solve her chronic vocal stage fright and help her parents heal from their grief. But will Bart stick around or will he disappear from her life as quixotically as he appeared?
The revised edition of The Voice I Just Heard features a new ending and an original art song by American composer Lori Laitman.
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"A luminous novel of love, family, and faith. The Voice I Just Heard is a deeply felt coming of age love-story."
-- Stephanie Cowell, Authof of Marrying Mozart and The Boy in the Rain
"This novel is a moving and realistic portrayal of a young soprano's journey. Both singers and non-singers will enjoy its many charms."
-- Marquita Lister, International Opera Soprano and Opera Program Head at Morgan State University
"Beautifully written with poignancy and humor, The Voice I Just Heard is colorful and romantic...the characters literally sing off the page."
-- Louise Nayer, Author of Burned, A Memoir, and Narrow Escapes, A Memoir