LOCAL, with 2-col photo of Charlie Spooner. FIXED FIXED FIXED FIXED
JANE COOPER

LOCAL, with 2-col photo of Charlie Spooner. FIXED FIXED FIXED FIXED JANE COOPER The hill farm of Charlie Spooner, who died in 1988, is the setting for one of the most acclaimed novels of the year, "In the Fall," by Jeffrey Lent. Lent, who lives in Tunbridge, will meet the public at a book signing at Cover to Cover Book Shop next Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m. Author To Sign Copies of Novel That Is Set on Randolph Farm By M. D. Drysdale One afternoon in the late 1970s a young Pomfret man named Jeffrey Lent was shopping at the former IGA store in Randolph when he came across an old farmer who needed a ride home. Jeffery gladly provided the ride and took a liking to the old man. He'd grown up on a hill farm himself and spent the afternoon over a couple of beers, in conversation about rural life. Thereby hangs a tale. The old farmer that Lent gave a ride to turned out to be Charlie Spooner, the legendary eccentric who died in 1988, having-he claimed-never spent a night off the home farm during his long life. And now, more than 20 years later, the remote, scenic hill farm on what is now Spooner Road has become the setting for a best-selling novel, "In the Fall," that has catapulted Jeffrey Lent into the ranks of successful American authors, embarked on a series of whirlwind tours across the U. S. and Canada. The book also brought Lent the financial wherewithal to bring his family back to Vermont. He and his wife Marion and two-year-old daughter moved last May to Drew Road in Tunbridge. Jeffrey Lent will make his first author's visit to Randolph, where the first part of "In the Fall" is located, next Wednesday. He will sign books and meet residents from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Cover To Cover Book Shop on Main Street. The Randolph Historical Society will take the opportunity to lead folks on a thumbnail tour of downtown Randolph, including the historical museum and the train depot, from which the book's main character, Norman Pelham, departs to join the Union Army. It is Pelham's return to Randolph, with a black ex-slave for a bride, that takes up most of the first section of the much-acclaimed book. The soldier's return is based on a true-life incident from the time, although not one that took place in Randolph. The book moves forward in time, through three generations in New England and Carolina. Worked at Victoria's Speaking yesterday from his home in Tunbridge, Lent explained that he grew up on a farm in North Pomfret and became acquainted with the Randolph area in the late 70s, when his brother Trevor worked for Vermont Castings. He himself worked briefly at Victoria's restaurant. "I only spent a summer in and out of Randolph," he said. "But I just always liked the area." Choosing Randolph for the setting of his book seemed better than setting it in Pomfret. "When you write fiction, it's better to use an area you know only slightly," he explained. "Otherwise you can get too caught up in the accuracy of the details. "I moved a few things around," he acknowledged, placing Barnard's Mt. Hunger in Bethel and transposing Riford Brook south of Randolph. The detailed descriptions of farm life in the 19th century didn't take much research, he said. A lot of that life wasn't much different from the life of his father, who farmed and logged with horses, he noted. Lent did, however, research maple sugaring techniques of 100 years ago. After growing up in Pomfret and then western New York, he ended up for 15 years in North Carolina, writing three novels, still unpublished. As soon as he began writing "In the Fall," however, he knew that "this was different from anything I'd done before." The book exploded on the market. His agent sent out copies to four major publishing houses on a Thursday, and the rights were sold the next Monday to Atlantic Monthly Press. The paperback rights sold for six figures a week later, and rights have already been sold in nine foreign countries. The publisher's enthusiasm was justified. Upon its publication in April, the book has garnered enthusiastic reviews and is already in its fourth printing. It's been chosen as a main selection of The-Book-of-the-Month-Club. Among glowing reviews in major newspapers and magazines across the country, the starred review in "Booklist" said: "To say that this is an astonishing piece of work for a first-time novelist underrates it. This is an astonishing piece of work-period." "In the Fall" is praised both for its story and its prose, which has been compared to Faulkner but which, in its lean vigor, also echoes Hemingway. "It's been great," Lent agreed this week. Somehow, however, he said the success is what he expected all along. "You have to have that faith," he said. Dick's Folder page3 of 3 lent

The hill farm of Charlie Spooner, who died in 1988, is the setting for one of the most acclaimed novels of the year, "In the Fall," by Jeffrey Lent. Lent, who lives in Tunbridge, will meet the public at a book signing at Cover to Cover Book Shop next Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m.

Author To Sign Copies of Novel

That Is Set on Randolph Farm

By M. D. Drysdale

One afternoon in the late 1970s a young Pomfret man named Jeffrey Lent was shopping at the former IGA store in Randolph when he came across an old farmer who needed a ride home. Jeffery gladly provided the ride and took a liking to the old man. He’d grown up on a hill farm himself and spent the afternoon over a couple of beers, in conversation about rural life.

Thereby hangs a tale.

The old farmer that Lent gave a ride to turned out to be Charlie Spooner, the legendary eccentric who died in 1988, having—he claimed—never spent a night off the home farm during his long life.

And now, more than 20 years later, the remote, scenic hill farm on what is now Spooner Road has become the setting for a best-selling novel, "In the Fall," that has catapulted Jeffrey Lent into the ranks of successful American authors, embarked on a series of whirlwind tours across the U. S. and Canada.

The book also brought Lent the financial wherewithal to bring his family back to Vermont. He and his wife Marion and two-year-old daughter moved last May to Drew Road in Tunbridge.

Jeffrey Lent will make his first author’s visit to Randolph, where the first part of "In the Fall" is located, next Wednesday. He will sign books and meet residents from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Cover To Cover Book Shop on Main Street.

The Randolph Historical Society will take the opportunity to lead folks on a thumbnail tour of downtown Randolph, including the historical museum and the train depot, from which the book’s main character, Norman Pelham, departs to join the Union Army.

It is Pelham’s return to Randolph, with a black ex-slave for a bride, that takes up most of the first section of the much-acclaimed book. The soldier’s return is based on a true-life incident from the time, although not one that took place in Randolph. The book moves forward in time, through three generations in New England and Carolina.

Worked at Victoria’s

Speaking yesterday from his home in Tunbridge, Lent explained that he grew up on a farm in North Pomfret and became acquainted with the Randolph area in the late 70s, when his brother Trevor worked for Vermont Castings. He himself worked briefly at Victoria’s restaurant.

"I only spent a summer in and out of Randolph," he said. "But I just always liked the area." Choosing Randolph for the setting of his book seemed better than setting it in Pomfret.

"When you write fiction, it’s better to use an area you know only slightly," he explained. "Otherwise you can get too caught up in the accuracy of the details.

"I moved a few things around," he acknowledged, placing Barnard’s Mt. Hunger in Bethel and transposing Riford Brook south of Randolph.

The detailed descriptions of farm life in the 19th century didn’t take much research, he said. A lot of that life wasn’t much different from the life of his father, who farmed and logged with horses, he noted.

Lent did, however, research maple sugaring techniques of 100 years ago.

After growing up in Pomfret and then western New York, he ended up for 15 years in North Carolina, writing three novels, still unpublished. As soon as he began writing "In the Fall," however, he knew that "this was different from anything I’d done before."

The book exploded on the market. His agent sent out copies to four major publishing houses on a Thursday, and the rights were sold the next Monday to Atlantic Monthly Press. The paperback rights sold for six figures a week later, and rights have already been sold in nine foreign countries.

The publisher’s enthusiasm was justified. Upon its publication in April, the book has garnered enthusiastic reviews and is already in its fourth printing. It’s been chosen as a main selection of The-Book-of-the-Month-Club.

Among glowing reviews in major newspapers and magazines across the country, the starred review in "Booklist" said: "To say that this is an astonishing piece of work for a first-time novelist underrates it. This is an astonishing piece of work—period."

"In the Fall" is praised both for its story and its prose, which has been compared to Faulkner but which, in its lean vigor, also echoes Hemingway.

"It’s been great," Lent agreed this week. Somehow, however, he said the success is what he expected all along. "You have to have that faith," he said.