Ducks on the Pond

By: Amy Klinger

Narrated by: Phil Gilbert

Reuben Downes is a Mallard. The kind that dominates the Co-Ed Fastpitch Softball League for Adults in Western Vermont, aka COFSLAW VT, aka The Coleslaw League.

As a newcomer to the team and the town, Reuben is viewed as the oddball “from away” by his teammates and the quirky, curious, often opinionated locals. So, when he puts an “art” installation in his backyard that sets off a firestorm in the community, people demand answers for what it means.

But Reuben, always more inclined to let others call the shots, keeps his motivations to himself. That is, until his inaction raises an ominous threat to the people around him. And in the real world, as with softball, when the bases are loaded and your teammates are counting on you, it’s time to step up to the plate—even if for Reuben, there’s a real possibility of striking out.

Written with sharp humor and a deep affection for small-town living, sports, and the cadence of the seasons, Ducks on the Pond is about what it takes to fully engage with life.

©2024 Amy Klinger (P)2025 The Story Plant

Vividly told story.

Klinger has achieved a level of story telling that belies this being only her second novel. Reminiscent of Dickens and John Irving, Klinger brings together a baseball team of fully drawn characters to tell a tale of life in a Vermont town but with moral and political lessons. I listened on driving trips and would sit in the driveway not wanting to turn it off. Kudos to Klinger.

Surprises in every chapter!

This book kept me guessing what would happen next, and every guess I made was wrong! A great story that kept me coming can any time I had a free moment to listen.

Amy did an excellent job writing this story (and secretly I want a sequel to know where Rueben’s life takes him next) and Phil brought it to life so clearly I could almost see it as I was listening.