The Lonely Wind is a novel with a message. Author Suzanne Schmidt, a mental health professional, explores family conflict created by a mother's attempts to control outcomes in her daughter's life--leading to events that have life-changing consequences for both. The story offers a nostalgic look at life in the early 1960s. Flamboyant widow Sudie Brennan is embroiled in a power struggle with her usually docile teenaged daughter Zoe. The source of trouble is one of the town's star athletes, whose antics on the basketball court excite the small West Texas town where they live. For Sudie, this powerfully sensuous young man threatens the stability and safety of her small family. In an attempt to control the uncontrollable, she unleashes a whirlwind of chaos that is life-changing for both mother and daughter.