Today's Read Team 
Author Alexander Beresford, known for his reflective memoir The Inward Stage: A Performer’s Notes on Presence and Meaning, has released his latest book, Mr. Alabaster Fenwick and the Door That Stayed Closed (Until It Didn’t), through Three Stars Press. The novella explores themes of solitude, human connection, and the quiet transformation that occurs when someone unexpectedly enters a reclusive life.
Beresford lives in South Florida with occasional escapes to his haunted cottage in Derbyshire, England for periods of reflection. It is during one such reflective trip, while sorting through old drafts, that Beresford rediscovered the story of Mr. Alabaster Fenwick. The novella had sat untouched for years, but upon revisiting it, Beresford found it to be more poignant and relevant to his own life this time around.
In Mr. Alabaster Fenwick and the Door That Stayed Closed (Until It Didn’t), the titular character, Mr. Fenwick, leads an isolated life, enjoying the peace of a quiet home, minimal conversation, and a content existence without the need for external interruption. However, things begin to change when a woman named Lillian starts showing up uninvited with fig preserves and little expectations. Her mere presence, unaccompanied by any dramatic or overt gestures, begins to shift Fenwick’s carefully curated solitude.
According to Beresford, the novella is not about a grand adventure, a dramatic event, or romance in the usual sense. Rather, it’s about permission—the permission to let someone in, and in this case a quiet presence that doesn’t demand much in return. “It’s a story about human connection,” Beresford explains. “What happens when someone chooses you, and stays.”
The book’s understated nature and the quiet transformation of its protagonist resonate with readers on an emotional level. One such reader, Debbie G. from Miami, praised the novella, saying, “This is a heartfelt journey that lingers in the mind long after you turn the final page. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a touching story that celebrates the beauty of human connection.”
Beresford reflects that the decision to publish Mr. Alabaster Fenwick was unplanned. Although the novella had earned some recognition and a couple of small awards, it was not something he initially intended to release. That changed when his publisher, Three Stars Press, inquired about additional work for consideration. The memory of Fenwick returned to him, and upon rereading it, Beresford found the story unexpectedly resonant with his own life.
“I live alone, I don’t like people knocking on my door, and I have cats,” Beresford admits. “Though Mr. Fenwick is older and grumpier than I am, there were some parallels to the inner life the character and I both inhabit today.”
The novella is ultimately a story for readers who appreciate quiet, reflective narratives. It’s a work that asks for no recognition, but instead simply requests to be let in. The novella’s message is not about achieving grand recognition, but about experiencing small, significant moments of connection, an important theme in today’s digital landscape where true human connection lacks as technology progresses. Beresford emphasizes that Mr. Alabaster Fenwick is “a story for quiet readers,” those who understand the value of a simple but profound connection with another person.
The story’s subtle exploration of human nature and how it’s transformed by the presence of another is one that resonates with readers of all backgrounds. Beresford concludes. “Profound human connection. That’s what it’s about.”
For more information about Alexander Beresford and his works, visit Amazon Author Page.
Mr. Alabaster Fenwick and the Door That Stayed Closed (Until It Didn’t) is available now through Three Stars Press.
For further inquiries, please contact the author Alexander Beresford.