:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/Jenni-Walsh-061725-e8cca1c0a3734a7ba7d934fe72ab0e9b.jpg "Jenni L. Walsh Rides Again with Captivating Historical Novel 'Sonora' — See the Cover! (Exclusive) (1)")
NEED TO KNOW
- Jenni L. Walsh will publish her new historical fiction novel, Sonora, in fall 2025
- The bestselling author's new novel draws from the true story of Sonora Webster Carver, one of the first female horse divers
- Read an exclusive excerpt from Sonora below
Jenni L. Walsh is getting back in the saddle.
PEOPLE has an exclusive first look at Sonora, the bestselling author’s forthcoming novel, set to hit shelves this fall from Harper Muse, an imprint of HarperCollins.
Based on an incredible true story, the novel is a fictionalized account of the life of Sonora Webster Carver, one of the first female horse divers. Sonora follows Carver as she joins the American carnival scene while the Great Depression looms. Her diving talent soon catapults her into a sensational act (and even more so after she marries the showrunner).
But in the wake of a tragic accident, Carver finds her career at risk — and she must prove herself in her most difficult dive yet.
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Walsh, who writes fiction for both adults and young readers, tells PEOPLE that she’s always been fascinated by Webster’s life.
“Sonora Carver captured my imagination long before I ever set out to tell her extraordinary story,” Walsh tells PEOPLE. “I vividly remember watching the 1991 film Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken and being completely captivated — the love story, the horses, and above all, Sonora herself, who inspired me deeply.”
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“As a young person, I visited Atlantic City and the Steel Pier many times. I’d close my eyes, take in the sounds and smells of the bustling boardwalk, and picture Sonora and her horse soaring through the sky. It all felt so magical,” the author continues. “Now, I feel truly honored to help bring that magic back to life — for longtime admirers and new fans alike.”
Read an exclusive excerpt from Sonora below.
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There’s a large circle-shaped pool at the tower’s bottom, dug into the ground. The final spotlight is trained there. The water is still, untouched. I can’t see its depth, but I can’t imagine Doc Carver would allow one of his horses to be hurt. At one side of the tank of water, a ramp rises a platform raised above the ground.
At the top, the Girl in Red straightens from leaning over the tower’s edge. Her shoulders visibly rise and fall as she walks toward the backside of the tower. Is it nerves? Would they ever go away? Doc booms into the microphone, "We are the first act of its kind, the only women — the only performers — to complete such a daring feat! Because of the dangers involved, I ask you to hold your applause. Hold your voices."
A hush falls over the grandstands.
I pull my bottom lip between my teeth.
Doc Carver goes dark.
The girl raises her arm.
She holds it.
She drops her arm.
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It’s a signal, I realize, for the horse. I can’t see the horse, but in an instant, a galloping sound engulfs us. The mighty beast runs up a ramp barely visible in the night. I can feel him, as if his footfalls rumble every inch of the fairground. The horse’s shadow looms higher and higher. The strings of lights on the tower shake. Then his head, neck and shoulders appear. Within a heartbeat, the Girl in Red launches herself onto the horse’s back. He’s gray, my mind registers, before both the horse and the girl launch from the platform. They become a single silhouette against the dark night: the horse’s slender neck, his long legs, her torso. I find myself sitting taller, stretching my own torso. It’s marvelous, each and every glorious second they own the sky. And in that moment, my breath held and my body tense, I realize this is what I want for myself. I want to be on the back of a horse, owning the sky. And I want that feeling day after day, night after night. Then they splash, the horse meeting the water first, the Girl in Red following on his back. Water sloshes over the sides of the pool, a crescendo to the dive.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Instantly, the crowd is on their feet. I climb onto my seat, desperately needing to see the horse emerge from the water. When he does, the girl is still on his back. She thrusts an arm into the air. There’s nothing to hear save for applause, but for a moment, panic seizes me. The horse’s expression is fierce, with his teeth bared and his nostrils sucked in and I worry he’s been hurt. If he is, the Girl in Red doesn’t let on. I rip my gaze from him to gauge the reaction of the others in the grandstands. Ma has a hand over her mouth. Arnette may burst out of her skin. Most are clapping wildly. Some have tears in their eyes, as if they witnessed something momentous. They have. I focus again on the horse. Droplets drip from him as he climbs a ramp out of the man-made pool. I blow out a breath; if he was struggling, he’s successfully made it, not looking any worse for wear. In fact, his head is high and his tail is swingy freely. The girl slips off him. She bows. I begin shaking my head. A little from disbelief at what I just witnessed, a little from awe and a lot from envy at what the Girl in Red gets to do. Soaring through the air with that magnificent animal is her job. If I thought I was enamored with Roger Meadows, then I need lessons in love. Because I’ve truly fallen in love this time, simply and completely, with the idea of this here being my future. All I can hope is that Doc Carver hasn’t already hired a girl to teach to fly through the sky. I want to be his new Girl in Red.
Courtesy of Harper Muse.
Sonora will be published on Oct. 28 and is now available for preorder, wherever books are sold.
