Liz Flaherty, Friend and Romance Author

I’m happy to welcome USA Today bestselling author Liz Flaherty to my blog. She’s introducing her new book that’s available for pre-order.

Nothing had prepared Maggie North to inherit a house she didn’t know existed on a lake she’d never heard of.

It was funny. Well, to me, anyway. I’ve lived in the same area my entire life. There were a few years of living in town when I was single and appreciated such things as convenient restaurants, movie theaters, and being able to walk to work because I didn’t have a car. Then a few more years in a subdivision because it was nice and had a good elementary school and the grocery store was just down the hill. Then—gasp—someone decided they’d build houses in the vacant lots behind us and my rural-upbringing mindset began to hyperventilate and we moved back to within five miles of my parents’ farm. We’re still here.

Oh, I forgot. I said it was funny. To me. A couple of years ago, someone mentioned Town Lake, saying it was less than 10 miles from here. But I’d never heard of it. Surely that was impossible, I insisted to anyone who would listen. I asked my sister about Town Lake. And she said, “Sure. It’s been there for as long as I can remember.”

Still sure I was right and everyone else was wrong, we followed my sister’s directions. Off the highway onto the first road south of town…no, not that one, the other first one…then turn right…in, oh, a half mile or so. There might be a sign.”

There was. We had to back up to find it, but there it was. We turned right onto a little bitty road, drove back a ways praying we wouldn’t meet anyone, and voila! there was a lake! It was small and private with houses scattered on its periphery. There was a field across from it, a woods beside the road that led back to it. 

By the time we turned around and headed toward home, I knew there was a story. Maybe not Town Lake’s story, but mine.

And Maggie North’s.

And Sam Eldridge’s.

A friend named the lake Harper Loch, and Pieces of Blue was born. I hope you like it. It will be released July 1 by Annessa Ink Publishing, but it’s available for pre-order now at https://books2read.com/FlahertyBlue

Blurb:

For all of her adult life, loner Maggie North has worked for bestselling author Trilby Winterroad, first as his typist, then as his assistant, and finally as his ghost writer. 

When he dies, she inherits not only his dachshund, Chloe, but a house she didn’t know existed on a lake she’d never heard of. On her first visit, she falls in love with both the house and the lake. Within a few weeks, she’s met most of the 85 inhabitants of Harper Loch and surprisingly, become a part of the tiny community. Her life expands as does a new kind of relationship with her friend Sam Eldridge. She finally feels not only at home, but safe.

Until her ex-husband is released from prison. The fragile threads of her new life begin to fray, and that feeling of safety is about to shatter into a thousand pieces.

Excerpt:

I think I’m more all right than I’ve been in years, which I feel bad thinking so close to the time of Trilby’s dying, but I also know about honeymoon periods. I understand that I’m enthralled by the newness of the Burl specifically and Harper Loch in general, but I would tire of the smallness soon enough if I stayed. I’d mind having to drive a half hour to find the ingredients I want for a recipe that falls outside the norm of rural central Michigan. I’d miss Muskegon’s library and its parks and going to the Black Dog with Ellie. I’d miss Ellie, too, and Sam. 

I had to admit, though, that it was fun seeing them here. I’d loved discovering Placer with Ellie, and Sam fit into this house as if he belonged here. 

Maybe he did. 

“So, tell me about the Burl,” I requested. “My mind’s been busy enough that it’s kept my curiosity on the back burner. But you know this house, the lake, some of the people here. How is it that in all the years we’ve known each other, you’ve never mentioned Harper Loch?”

“We’ve known each other, but only in relation to Trilby. You were his assistant, I was his lawyer, and we both loved him. Although you and I saw each other enough that we became friends, we leaned more toward just being acquaintances. Sometimes it was strictly professional, too. I was your lawyer. You helped my office staff sometimes if they were swamped.”

I was unexpectedly hurt by being thought of as a mere acquaintance, but he was right. I frowned at him. “You’re not answering my question.” Realizing I sounded grumpy and he couldn’t possibly know why, I stretched my hand across the table. “Hello. My name’s Maggie North. I’d like to be friends.”

When he took my hand, I understood what I’d read in romance novels about frissons—isn’t that a cool word?—of feeling going right up my arm. I’d read a few where that particular shudder of feeling was an open invitation into bed. That wasn’t happening, but still…a frisson is a frisson and I was going to enjoy it. And remember it.

Bio:

Liz Flaherty has spent the past several years enjoying not working a day job, making terrible crafts, and writing stories in which the people aren’t young, brilliant, or even beautiful. She’s decided (and has to re-decide most every day) that the definition of success is having a good time. Along with her husband of lo, these many years, kids, grands, friends, and the occasional cat, she’s doing just that. You can reach her at LizFlaherty50@lizflaherty.net She’d love to hear from you.

You can connect with Liz here:

http://lizflaherty.net/

http://www.facebook.com/lizkflaherty

http://wordwranglers.blogspot.com/

http://windowoverthesink.blogspot.com/