Once Upon a LieAuthor: Michael French
Genre: Fiction / Murder Mystery
Book Description:
Once Upon a Lie is about a smart, ambitious sixteen year old, Alexandra, who chooses to keep silent when she learns terrible secrets about both her father and her mother, whom she grew up adoring. The price of keeping her "perfect" family together soon unravels her well-planned future, and puts in jeopardy the life of a young stranger whom she befriends and ultimately falls in love with. We learn how your life can end at any time, and it can end more than once. And then it can be saved.
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Excerpt
Mom hurried to put in a load of wash and organize dinner. Her focus was usually like a laser beam, but on this afternoon, she had spaced out that I was in the house. When I picked up the kitchen phone to call Joyce, I overheard her talking from her bedroom extension.
“No, no, you’re not listening,” the man said in an upset voice. I recognized the voice of Charlie Diggs.
“I am listening,” my mother insisted.
“Julia nags me, day and night, about her biological clock.”
“I thought you two agreed you weren’t having children.”
“We did agree. Isn’t that the point? She doesn’t even realize when she changes her mind.”
“I’m sorry she makes you miserable.”
“Louis doesn’t know how lucky he is,” Charlie added. “Jesus, what you have to go through with him. He should treat you better, Gloria. Does he know how much I love you? Why can’t you get up the courage and tell him?”
“Oh, Charlie, poor Charlie,” my mother responded whenever his voice fell silent.
Mom was still on the phone when I burst into her room. She knew instantly that I’d heard everything. Charlie was still talking as she hung up.
“Mom, what are you doing?! What’s going on?!” My face was hot and cold at the same time.
All she could do was stare back helplessly, like a ghost haunting her own life.
“No, no, you’re not listening,” the man said in an upset voice. I recognized the voice of Charlie Diggs.
“I am listening,” my mother insisted.
“Julia nags me, day and night, about her biological clock.”
“I thought you two agreed you weren’t having children.”
“We did agree. Isn’t that the point? She doesn’t even realize when she changes her mind.”
“I’m sorry she makes you miserable.”
“Louis doesn’t know how lucky he is,” Charlie added. “Jesus, what you have to go through with him. He should treat you better, Gloria. Does he know how much I love you? Why can’t you get up the courage and tell him?”
“Oh, Charlie, poor Charlie,” my mother responded whenever his voice fell silent.
Mom was still on the phone when I burst into her room. She knew instantly that I’d heard everything. Charlie was still talking as she hung up.
“Mom, what are you doing?! What’s going on?!” My face was hot and cold at the same time.
All she could do was stare back helplessly, like a ghost haunting her own life.
About the Author
Michael R. French graduated from Stanford University where he was an English major, focusing on creative writing, and studied under Wallace Stegner. He received a Master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University. He later served in the United States Army before marrying Patricia Goodkind, an educator and entrepreneur, and starting a family. In addition to publishing over twenty titles, including award-winning young adult fiction, adult fiction, biographies ad self-help books, he has written or co-written a half-dozen screenplays, including Intersection, which has won awards in over twenty film festivals. He has also had a long business career in real estate, living in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His passions include travel, collecting rare books, and hanging with friends and family. He describes his worst traits as impatience and saying "no" too quickly; his best are curiosity, taking risks, and learning from failure.
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***GIVEAWAY***
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Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeletethank you for the chance to win :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteMuch appreciate that you're showcasing Once Upon a Lie today. Writing the book was one thing, but to see it being appreciated on the blogosphere and sites like yours is equally thrilling. Many thanks, and cheers, Michael
ReplyDeleteread the Excerpt thanks for your giveaway
ReplyDeletetiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com
Sounds like a great read!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win!
The author has a very impressive resume per his bio. My last name is French, maybe we're distant relatives.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for offering a giveaway. Good luck everyone
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the excerpt! Thanks for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting
ReplyDeleteRare books sound like an interesting collection! Do you have a particular favorite rare book?
ReplyDeleteThanks for asking! My favorite first editions are Catch-22, Catcher in the Rye, Invisible Man (Ellison), Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, and everything that Flannery O'Connor ever wrote.
DeleteOnce Upon a Lie sounds like a good read! Thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeletethanks for holding this giveaway, good luck with the book
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great book... thanks for the excerpt!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win
ReplyDeleteWhat is your Favorite food?
ReplyDeleteMy favorite foods....pasta, steak, and great salads. I regret I'm not more of an adventurous eater!
DeleteSee people should learn a lesson. Lying is never good and it always come back to haunt you.
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds like a great read
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the excerpt - looks like an interesting read.
ReplyDeletewho is your ideal person
ReplyDeleteSomeone who learns from his mistakes, has a moral compass, and appreciates people who have very different life styles and points of view than yours.
DeleteAlexandra has lived her life holding her family together with lies. What happens when she has to face the truth?
ReplyDeleteAlex is angry (with herself as well as her parents) and humiliated for being deceived. But stripped of everything she once took for granted, she becomes a stronger, better person as she sets out on her own.
DeleteCongrats on the release. The excerpt sounds great.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the excerpt and the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteSeems like a good read. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteSecrets have a way of coming out and all you can do is prepare yourself for when that happens. Will Alexandra be prepared, how will she handle the aftermath and will her life be better or worse when it happens. I curious to find out!
ReplyDeleteShe is not prepared. She's devastated. I would like to say more here, but it would give away too much of the book :)
DeleteThanks for the quick peek at your book! Sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the excerpt!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the release! Sounds like a great read :)
ReplyDeletedeannankeller@yahoo.com
This is on my summer TBR list. (jozywails@gmail.com)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your new release! Do you find it easier to write books or screenplays?
ReplyDelete