Ticket Home

"A heartfelt Love story celebrating the Greatest Generation." Kirkus Reviews

Ticket Home is the bestselling novel that proves some bonds can never be broken. An unforgettable tale of loyalty, honor, courage, and love takes us to the dawn of World War Two, in rural Oklahoma where identical twins Lucian and Norman Parker are bound by the tragic death of their mother, their railroad jobs, and an abiding well of brotherly devotion. But when both fall for the prettiest girl in town they learn the hard way that they can't share everything. It is brash Lucian who finally wins her hand, while gentle Norman must learn to live without the woman he cherishes and the brother who betrayed him.

At last reunited, and reconciled in the war-torn South Pacific, Lucian and Norman fight side by side. But only one will return home for a bittersweet reunion, burdened with the heartbreaking loss of his brother--and the weight of a shocking secret that will haunt him for decades to come..."

Pratt states:

"I got the seed for Ticket Home from a ninety-year-old woman seated in a wheel chair at one of my first book signings when The Last Valentine was published. During a break in the signing I was able to turn to her and focus my attention. She said she had stayed up all night and had read The Last Valentine even though her son told her to go to sleep. The theme of The Last Valentine is a metaphor of the rose, the stem with thorns, and the risk of pain to own the rose. She said, "I’ll bet you can never guess my name." I smiled and responded to this childlike aged woman with, "No I am sure that I cannot."

"Well," she said. "My first name is Ima."

"That is a very pretty name, Ima," I responded. She grinned like she had a wonderful secret to reveal then said, "And my last name is Rose. So, Ima Rose," she happily said.

“What followed was both touching and dramatic as I listened intently to her story of how her two brothers joined the Marines together and fought side by side in the Pacific. How one of them had to rescue the other who was wounded. How he went against orders to keep his promise to his parents to bring his brother back. Of course she was tearful and I was caught up in the tale of desperation. I placed myself in the situation, having six brothers, and tried to imagine the fear I would feel for any one of them, and the willingness I would of course had to risk my life to bring him back. I knew I had the seed of a great story.

"And so was born Ticket Home, a tale of twins who go off to war together, fall in love with the same hometown girl, and how they struggle to bring each other home from the war."

Facts About Ticket Home:

• Ticket Home was released nationwide in February 2001 as a hardcover.
  
  
• Twenty city national book tour. USA TODAY and regional bestsellers lists.
  
  
• National radio campaign.
  
  
• Audio rights for Ticket Home were sold to Brilliance Audio.
  
  
• The Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Clubs Main Selection.
  
  
• Ticket Home Foreign Rights sales included over one dozen languages.
  
  
• Mass Market edition of Ticket Home released nationwide March 2002.
  
  
• Film Script under option.

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