HOLY DENVER
In 2009, at the height of the economic crash, Elizabeth Zwelland loses her prestigious Manhattan publishing job in the fallout from Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme. Forced to move to Colorado, the home of her Beat-poet father, she takes a minimum-wage job at an indie bookstore, shelving the very books she once edited.
Bitter and adrift, Elizabeth scorns her coworkers and customers—until a shocking confrontation forces her to reckon with herself. Her journey takes her through the shadows of the Columbine shooting and JonBenét Ramsey case, leading to an awakening forged in hardship and a deepening connection to the city Jack Kerouac once called Holy Denver.
About the Book: Holy Denver – An introduction to the novel, its second-edition release, and the story of a woman forced to rebuild her life after the 2008 financial crash.
Loss, identity, and starting over – How the sudden loss of career, home, and status exposes resentment and forces a personal reckoning.
Unlikable protagonists and emotional honesty – Why beginning with a deeply flawed main character makes meaningful transformation possible.
Privilege, class, and intellectual armor – How education and status become shields that distance people from empathy and connection.
Family legacy, neglect, and the Beat Generation – Growing up in the shadow of a famous poet father and grappling with inherited creative identity.
Compassion, shame, and self-forgiveness – Confronting harmful behavior and learning to change with honesty and empathy.
What’s Next for Florence Wetzel – Backlist re-releases, AI-narrated audiobooks, and an upcoming novel set in Crete.
Florence Wetzel was born in Brooklyn, NY. She writes in different genres, including the memoir Sara My Sara: A Memoir of Friendship and Loss. Her novels include the thriller The Woman Who Went Overboard; the Swedish mystery The Grand Man; and Dashiki: A Cozy Mystery. She has also authored horror short stories, a book of poems and memoir essays, and co-authored jazz clarinetist Perry Robinson’s autobiography. Aspasia is her latest novel, published in July 2025.
You can learn more about Florence Wetzel and her work at https://linktr.ee/FlorenceWetzel
