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About No One Ever Asked

Challenging perceptions of discrimination and prejudice, this emotionally resonant drama for readers of Lisa Wingate and Jodi Picoult explores three different women navigating challenges in a changing school district—and in their lives.

WINNER OF THE CHRISTY AWARD®

When an impoverished school district loses its accreditation and the affluent community of Crystal Ridge has no choice but to open their school doors, the lives of three very different women converge: Camille Gray--the wife of an executive, mother of three, long-standing PTA chairwoman and champion fundraiser--faced with a shocking discovery that threatens to tear her picture-perfect world apart at the seams. Jen Covington, the career nurse whose long, painful journey to motherhood finally resulted in adoption but she is struggling with a happily-ever-after so much harder than she anticipated. Twenty-two-year-old Anaya Jones--the first woman in her family to graduate college and a brand new teacher at Crystal Ridge's top elementary school, unprepared for the powder-keg situation she's stepped into. Tensions rise within and without, culminating in an unforeseen event that impacts them all. This story explores the implicit biases impacting American society, and asks the ultimate question: What does it mean to be human? Why are we so quick to put labels on each other and categorize people as "this" or "that", when such complexity exists in each person?

Praise

CBA bestseller

“Humble. Powerful. Awakening. No One Ever Asked unapologetically invites its reader into a journey of historical significance and soul discovery. A trek which, once taken, you won’t come back from.”
—Mary Weber, author of The Evaporation of Sofi Snow

“Emotionally resonant and brimming with hope, No One Ever Asked is an intimate portrayal of a community in chaos. As Katie Ganshert employs alternating perspectives and vastly different viewpoints, she dives deep into fraught themes of race, adoption, social justice, infidelity, friendship, and more. This gripping story is written with sensitivity and grace, and it will stay with readers long after the final page is turned. A heart-changing, transformative work!”
—Nicole Baart, author of Little Broken Things

No One Ever Asked is that rare breed of story that lingers in your heart and mind long after the final page is turned. Gut wrenching and achingly authentic, this story lays bare the profound intricacies of racial tension. Katie Ganshert is a gifted wordsmith with an uncanny ability to elicit the emotions her characters are experiencing in the reader. This evocative and incisive human drama will not leave you unmoved—a cautionary tale infused with hope. With a handful of stellar novels already to her credit, Ganshert has raised the bar once again. No One Ever Asked has my highest recommendation.”
—Rel Mollet, relzreviewz.com

About Katie Ganshert

KATIE GANSHERT is the author of several novels and works of short fiction, including the Christy Award-winning books A Broken Kind of Beautiful and Life After, and Carol Award-winner, The Art of Losing Yourself. Katie lives in eastern Iowa with her family.

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Book Trailer: NO ONE EVER ASKED by Katie Ganshert

Product Details

384 pages | Published by WaterBrook

On Sale Date: Apr 3, 2018

Trim Size: 5-1/2 x 8-1/4

Carton Quantity: 24

Sneak Peek

Read the first chapter of No One Ever Asked. Challenging perceptions of discrimination and prejudice, this emotionally resonant drama for readers of Lisa Wingate and Jodi Picoult explores three different women navigating challenges in a changing school district--and in their lives. When an impoverished school district loses its accreditation and the affluent community of Crystal Ridge has no choice but to open their school doors, the lives of three very different women converge. Camille Gray--the wife of an executive, mother of three, long-standing PTA chairwoman and champion fundraiser--faced with a shocking discovery that threatens to tear her picture-perfect world apart at the seams. Jen Covington, the career nurse whose long, painful journey to motherhood finally resulted in adoption but she is struggling with a happily-ever-after so much harder than she anticipated. Twenty-two-year-old Anaya Jones--the first woman in her family to graduate college and a brand new teacher at Crystal Ridge's top elementary school, unprepared for the powder-keg situation she's stepped into. Tensions rise within and without, culminating in an unforeseen event that impacts them all. This story explores the implicit biases impacting American society, and asks the ultimate question: What does it mean to be human? Why are we so quick to put labels on each other and categorize people as "this" or "that", when such complexity exists in each person?

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Chelsea Woodward
cwoodward@penguinrandomhouse.com

Novel takes on Modern-Day School Segregation and the Impact on Three Families
 
“Ganshert (Life After) probes questions of class, race, and faith in this riveting novel of a forced school merger. Her nuanced exploration of racial issues, generational bigotry, and sexual harassment bring to life complex characters who challenge each other and the reader to open their minds and consider the value of truth and grace.  
—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
 
Katie Ganshert, award-winning author of Life After and several additional acclaimed novels, brings to light the realities of modern-day segregation and the racial injustice affecting American society in her most powerful and moving novel yet, No One Ever Asked (April 3, 2018, WaterBrook).
 
After adopting her daughter from the DR Congo, Ganshert began a journey that opened her eyes to the injustice that surrounds us all. She began tuning into a variety of black voices and stories, including a podcast sharing a modern-day integration story that inspired her latest novel—This American Life’s episode titled “The Problem We All Live With” by Nikole Hannah-Jones.
 
Echoing real-world events, No One Ever Asked is a riveting tale about the way we see one another, the lies we tell, and the tragedies that result from our blindness. It draws readers into a story of three starkly different women whose lives collide when an impoverished school district loses its accreditation and the affluent community of Crystal Ridge has no choice but to open their school doors.
 
·         Camille Gray is a PTA member and mother of three who organizes the annual 5k run
·         Jen Covington is a new adoptive mother battling her disillusionment with motherhood and the challenges that come with being a white mother raising a black daughter
·         Anaya Jones is the first female college graduate in her family and new teacher at Crystal Ridge’s top elementary school, unprepared for the power-keg situation she’s stepped into
 
Told from the perspectives of each of the women, the reader is given a raw, behind-the-scenes look at their unique experiences as the separate student bodies and the surrounding community clash over the integration. Without villainizing any one person or community, Ganshert reveals real, flawed characters, all with implicit biases and prejudices.

“It is absolutely raw,” said Molly, reviewer on Goodreads.com. “Utterly captivating. Beautifully written. Heart stoppingly real. Every. Last. Page. Mrs. Ganshert takes everyday questions and everyday situations and puts them into a novel that will consume you. Each of these characters jumped off the pages and told their stories to me like they were sitting right beside me on the couch.”
 
For readers of Jodi Picoult and Liane Moriarty, and chosen as one of Publishers Weekly’s Top 10 religion titles for spring 2018, No One Ever Asked is a must-read for book clubs and contemporary fiction readers. Readers who enjoy books that deal with social issues will be especially captivated by Ganshert’s eye-opening exploration of race in modern-day America.
 
“I want readers to close this book with hearts softened toward any person or group of people different from themselves,” says Ganshert. “Biologically, we’re 99.9% the same. And yet, we live in a society that doesn’t reflect that fact. There’s so much disparity. I hope this story reminds us that we’re all connected in our humanity. I hope it starts a much needed conversation.”
 
For more information, visit www.waterbrookmultnomah.com.
 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
KATIE GANSHERT is the award-winning author of Life After, multiple short stories and several additional acclaimed novels, including the Christy Award-winning A Broken Kind of Beautiful and Carol Award-winner, The Art of Losing Yourself. Katie lives in eastern Iowa with her family. For more information, visit www.katieganshert.com.
 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorKatieGanshert
Twitter: @KatieGanshert
Instagram: @KatieGanshert
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/katieganshert
 
PRAISE FOR NO ONE EVER ASKED

“Humble. Powerful. Awakening. No One Ever Asked unapologetically invites its reader into a journey of historical significance and soul discovery. A trek which, once taken, you won’t come back from.”
—Mary Weber, author of The Evaporation of Sofi Snow
“Emotionally resonant and brimming with hope, No One Ever Asked is an intimate portrayal of a community in chaos. As Katie Ganshert employs alternating perspectives and vastly different viewpoints, she dives deep into fraught themes of race, adoption, social justice, infidelity, friendship, and more. This gripping story is written with sensitivity and grace, and it will stay with readers long after the final page is turned. A heart-changing, transformative work!”
—Nicole Baart, author of Little Broken Things
“No One Ever Asked is that rare breed of story that lingers in your heart and mind long after the final page is turned. Gut wrenching and achingly authentic, this story lays bare the profound intricacies of racial tension. Katie Ganshert is a gifted wordsmith with an uncanny ability to elicit the emotions her characters are experiencing in the reader. This evocative and incisive human drama will not leave you unmoved—a cautionary tale infused with hope. With a handful of stellar novels already to her credit, Ganshert has raised the bar once again. No One Ever Asked has my highest recommendation.”
—Rel Mollet, relzreviewz.com

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT NO ONE EVER ASKED
 
“Raw, honest, and deep, are just a few words to describe this book. I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved this book. Ganshert was not afraid to write about a topic we all want someone to stand up and shout to the world about.”
—Mary Jackson, themarybookreader.blogspot.com
 
“This was a book that had me in its clutches from the very first page and my emotions ran amuck throughout. Deeply thought-provoking to the point that I had to stop reading occasionally and just sit and ‘chew’ on what I had just read.”
—Gail Hollingsworth, GoodReads.com
 
“Wow! Ms. Ganshert has done it again. She takes on quite a few major hot points in this book and writes with heart, emotion, and inspiration. Her insight into the issues that our country is facing is insightful and thought-provoking. It is labeled as a novel, but was inspired by actual events. I could feel the authenticity. The characters were well defined. Ms. Ganshert has a gift for writing emotions that jump out and engulf the reader. This book was no exception. This book pulled me in and wouldn't let go, even after I'd finished reading the last page.”
Tima Murrell, bookreviewsbytima.blogspot.com

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