First time authors with a rural setting

Finally, I finished The Story of Edgar Sawtelle: a novel by David Wroblewski! This is Wroblewski's debut novel and it is the story of a mute boy living in rural Wisconsin. Edgar, the main character, communicates with the world through American sign language as well as his own developed signals. His family has spent three generations breeding dogs, Sawtelle dogs, based on their intelligence rather than a particular breed. The novel also explores the relationship between Edgar's father, Gar, and his uncle Claude. I highly recommend the novel although it does take some effort to get through.

The tale was chosen as an Oprah Book Club selection in 2008.

My next recommendation is Every Last Cuckoo: a novel by Kate Maloy. This is also a debut novel set in rural Vermont. It tells the tale of Sarah Lucas and her life with her husband Charles and her three children. Sarah suddenly loses her husband and is left to find and define a new life for self. Interestingly her husband leaves a letter for her after his death stating that he expects she will do something special with her life after he his gone. Sarah for weeks can't figure out what that special something might be. However, as so often happens in life things happen and before she knows it she has gathered a collection of people who need her and her home as a sanctuary. I highly recommend the story it is a quick read and will give the reader plenty to think about.