The windfall : a novel

Hilary Lloyd stands at the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains, dazzled by soaring peaks, crystal‑clear rivers and forests ablaze with autumn color. Yet his awe quickly yields to a nervous excitement as a makeshift fair begins to rise in the tiny town of Colbury, its shaky tents and clanging tools a stark contrast to the pristine wilderness. With his handsome, nervous partner Haxon at his side, Lloyd wrestles between the promise of a bright future and the very real doubts of being stranded far from civilization.

Against this remote backdrop, the story follows Lloyd’s attempts to turn the rugged landscape into a chance for prosperity, drawing on his optimism, quick wit, and the quirky townsfolk who swarm the fairgrounds. The novel captures the tension between raw natural beauty and the gritty labor of building something out of nothing, offering listeners a vivid portrait of early‑20th‑century frontier ambition and the human heart that drives it.