Finding Acceptance at the Raleigh Hotel
Finding Acceptance at the Raleigh Hotel is set in downtown Waco, Texas, in the 1980s. Once a prestigious first-class hotel built for dignitaries and with a guest list that included sports legends like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, the Raleigh fell into decline. By the 1980s, it was home to bums, derelicts, and alcoholics, a situation that local officials and the newspaper portrayed as a threat to the city’s safety.
The novel follows nine people who called the Raleigh Hotel home, each facing personal and societal challenges. The narrative explores how these individuals coped with hardship, stigma, and the pressures of their environment. It also highlights the efforts of two key figures:
– Red, the fierce, protective hotel manager.
– Charlotte, a naïve social work intern who came to the hotel for a quiet lunch but found herself drawn into the lives of those in need.
Charlotte’s experience becomes a lens through which readers see the acceptance and advocacy offered to marginalized residents, and the moral dilemma of being blamed for the city’s problems.
Published September, 2025
The Books Theme:
– Social justice and advocacy — Charlotte’s role as a social work intern underscores the importance of empathy and intervention.
– Stigma and blame — The novel examines how communities and institutions can unfairly assign responsibility for systemic issues.
– Resilience and community — The residents’ lives are shaped by both adversity and the small acts of compassion that sustain them.
If you’re interested in a short, character-driven story that blends history, social work, and human resilience, this novella offers a compelling read.