Conversations Over Cold Soup

Listen: Arthur “Art” Trent was a decent man, once. Then he retired and age crept up on him. Now, he mostly just waits for the inevitable, which, judging by the traffic noise outside his window, can’t come soon enough.

At eighty-four, Art is sharp-tongued, and allergic to nonsense. He’s the kind of man who grumbles at everything from craft hour to the nursing home’s perpetually cold soup—and somehow, he keeps everyone around him honest.

David Miller didn’t expect to be drawn into Art’s orbit. Visiting his mother, Margaret, should have been routine, quiet, uneventful. Instead, he finds himself swept into a world of sarcasm, stubborn wisdom, and unexpected camaraderie. Through shared meals, reluctant lessons, and countless bowls of cold soup, David begins to see life—and himself—through Art’s uncompromising eyes.

Alongside Margaret, the gentle bridge between them, and Nurse Kelly, the cheerful foil to Art’s gloom, David navigates grief, nostalgia, and the peculiar humor of old age. From arguments about technology and hobbies to reflections on memory, mortality, and the absurdities of modern life, Conversations Over Cold Soup is a wry, tender story about the people who teach us how to live—even when they do it grumbling all the way.

Then, when a chair at the lunch table sits empty, the lessons grow quieter but no less profound. Art’s sharp observations soften into reflection, showing David that life’s truths often arrive wrapped in humor, routine, and even the most inconvenient discomforts—a reminder that warmth, wisdom, and connection are often found in the unlikeliest of places.

Heartfelt, hilarious, and achingly human, this novel reminds us that life’s greatest lessons sometimes come from the crankiest voices—and that even the coldest soup can carry warmth if shared with the right company.

Coming 2026