BLACKFOOT — Local author Brenda Stanley’s seventh novel, “It Happened in the Hollow,” is out this week. For the first time, she has set the story in her own backyard: rural Bingham County.
Taking place in the 1980s, the story follows Landis, a teenage foster child pulled into a haunting mystery, and Benji, the spirit of a young boy trapped between life and the afterlife. As their narratives intertwine, long-buried secrets come to light. The novel blends suspense, emotion and subtle paranormal elements.
Readers familiar with the area will appreciate Stanley’s vivid descriptions of the local landscapes, fly fishing along the river, community dynamics and the teenage pop culture of the era.
Stanley, well-known throughout eastern Idaho as a former investigative reporter and anchor for KPVI Channel 6 in Pocatello, has made a name for herself with her now seven novels and four cookbooks.
“I believe you should write what you know. I’ve watched how important the water and land are to the people who live in this area. Living here for the past twenty years and hearing the stories of families who have been here for generations seemed like the perfect backdrop for this story,” she said. “Living near the river, riding horses, fishing — those experiences helped shape this story,” she said.
In the book, Stanley touches on the resilience of youth, inspired by her service on the Idaho Children’s Trust Fund board, which works to prevent child abuse and neglect.
“My work as a reporter, especially around cold cases and child protection, also influenced the plot and characters. The relationship between Landis and Old Tom reflects how just one caring adult can make a huge impact in a child’s life,” she said.
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She set the book in the 1980s to avoid distractions of modern technology and reflect a period she knows well, saying, “I grew up in the ’70s and ’80s and loved the popular culture of that time. It gave the characters a simpler, more grounded world.”
Writing from Benji’s unique perspective, stuck between heaven and earth, allowed her to express creative freedom and emotional depth.
“It was fun to weave his view of both the past and present, and how he was able to see things others couldn’t,” she said.
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Though she doesn’t write with a specific agenda, Stanley hopes readers will feel a sense of escape.
“Emotions like shame, love, and fear drive people to do things they never imagined,” she said. “I like to put characters in situations that challenge them — and hopefully lead to growth. But above all, I want people to enjoy the story.”
Stanley is the mother of five children — including two sets of twins — and eight grandchildren, ages 5 to 17. She lives on a small ranch near Blackfoot with her husband, Dave, where they have two dogs, six horses, nine sheep and twenty chickens.
Stanley will sign copies of “It Happened in the Hollow” on Wednesday, July 17, at 7 p.m. at The Nice Spot, 395 Lindsay Boulevard in Idaho Falls, and again on Wednesday, July 24, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Blackfoot Public Library, where longtime former local news anchor Karole Honas will moderate the book talk.
Books will be available for purchase at both events, or attendees can bring their copies. Books are available on
Amazon
starting July 15.
For more on Brenda Stanley and her books, visit
Brenda Stanley Books.
