Every Waking Moment

Fledgling documentary filmmaker Devin Hillis finds simple stories fascinating. When he arranges to film the residents of Desert Gardens Retirement Home, he thinks he has hit the mother lode. Unfortunately, investors are not as enamored with his concept of focusing on “old people sitting in a nursing home” and Devin’s inheritance is dwindling. Time, and the patience of his partner Jonah Verwer, is running out. When Desert Gardens’ director, Miriam Howard, is forced into her own retirement, she remains drawn to the lives of the residents and staff, especially a young janitor named Treha. Treha has a gift for connecting with residents that the new retirement home director does not particularly appreciate. As Devin and Miriam join forces to help Treha understand her own mysterious past, the story uncovered has momentous effects on all involved. Against the somber landscape of the physical and mental deterioration that often accompanies aging, Christy Award–winning novelist Fabry (Almost Heaven) crafts a character-driven tale of dignity and compassion for those who seem to have lost importance to society and, for some, even to their own families. This thought-provoking read challenges the prevailing cultural calculations of the value of a person’s life. Agent: Creative Trust Literary Group. (Sept.)