Martha Baker Sutton, once a child of precocious intellect and now a woman of fierce resolve, bears the weight of both legacy and survival. In 1920s rural Georgia, she secretly enrolled in business school, defying convention and her family's expectations. Upon returning home, she assumed the role of Attorney-in-Fact for the family-owned Bank of Ellenton. But the dream of stewardship unraveled as she uncovered reckless lending practices. With quiet fortitude, she liquidated the bank under the eye of the Georgia Banking Commission and assumed personal responsibility for its debts—an act that tethered her future to a vanishing past. As the 1929 crash spread its long shadow, what once seemed manageable became a near-mythic burden, leaving Martha to navigate the thin line between duty and endurance…

This is her story.

—Semi-finalist in the William Faulkner Novel Competition—

After a career in corporate tax, where the author, Melanie Hill, wrote exquisite protests and insightful research memos, she decided to hang up her day job and become an author. It was an easy switch because she was inspired to tell an intriguingly true Southern story in fiction form.  Sorghum Winter will be published in the Fall of 2025 by ACTA Publications of Chicago, www.actapublications.com. For further information or to pre-order, contact the publisher, Greg Pierce, at gfapierce@actapublications.com or 800-397-2282.

SORGHUM definition

www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sorghum

1. any of an economically important genus (Sorghum) of Old World tropical grasses similar to corn in habit but with the spikelets in pairs on a hairy rachis. especially : any of various cultivars (such as grain sorghum or sorgo) derived from a wild form (S. bicolor synonym S. vulgare)

2. syrup from the juice of a sorgo that resembles cane syrup

3. a period of deprivation represented by ample sorghum in the pantry to the exclusion of other staples

   ADVANCE PRAISE FOR Sorghum Winter

“Sorghum Winter is a haunting and lyrical literary manuscript that delves into memory, displacement, loss, and resilience through richly poetic prose. With a strong sense of place and an emotionally resonant voice, the narrative moves fluidly between past and present, offering a reflective, layered experience that engages the reader both intellectually and emotionally. It demonstrates a clear literary sensibility and emotional intelligence.” - Blue Mount Publishing Co.

“This story is not only a portrait of a small bank’s collapse and resolution during a volatile economic time, but also a compelling narrative of female leadership, resilience, and sacrifice.” - Dr. Harry Kemp