Guest Blogger: Liz Flaherty

About my friend, Liz
She doesn’t know where the time went, but Liz Flaherty swears it was only last week that she married her boyfriend-just-home-from-Vietnam. Duane wore a blue blazer and gray slacks with bell bottoms and she wore a blue dress, size five, that ended so far above her knees she’s not sure it was legal. He had all his hair and hers was its natural color and they were going to have three children and live happily ever after.

And so they did.

Of course, there’s more to it than that. The three children have all married and presented their parents with six grandchildren. Liz has worked at the post office since Ben Franklin was the postmaster—or at least it seems that way—and she’s always written. She’s one of those who can’t not write. There are stories hidden in her computer keyboards, and she just has the most fun dragging them out word by word.

When the words are being stubborn, Liz enjoys sewing and cooking--as long as someone else cleans up. She loves to walk the country roads where she lives, but if the wind is blowing or the mercury dips much below the 40-degree mark, she finds or invents an urgent reason to stay inside.

She and Duane live in the same farmhouse at the end of lane where they’ve lived for 30 years. They are owned by the aforementioned grandchildren and two longhaired cats named Gabe and Jessy.


And now let's hear from Liz:

I know this isn’t a good thing for a so-called professional to admit, but I get all in a dither when I think about being the guest of someone who’s been a favorite for so long. I just did it a little bit ago over at Shirley Jump’s site (with a “borrowed” cookie recipe), so you’d think I’d be a little less nervous, but it’s not working that way! However, I do have to say I’ve been reading Cheryl’s books ever since the beginning. I remember finishing Rain Shadow and being so sorry it was over that I read it again. On that note, I want to thank her for having me.

How many books have struck you that way? Have you ever sat and felt like weeping--even if the ending was wonderful--because the experience of the book itself was over? I’m reading the Harry Potter series now (I know, a little late, but that tends to be the story of my life.) I’m on the sixth book out of the seven and I’m already dreading reaching the end.

There were stories like that from when I was a kid, too. Janet Lambert wrote books on entire families--when the oldest daughter grew up, she wrote about a younger one--and I felt like they were friends. It broke my heart when they left home without me!

My new book, The Debutante’s Second Chance, isn’t part of a series, but I hope it leaves you wanting more. I have to admit, there were a few of those people I had trouble letting go.

I’m also giving away two autographed copies of the book, plus a couple of really, really old copies of Always Annie, my first book. Annie was published in 1999 (when I was a mere child) by Precious Gems. Cheryl will be drawing the names from her magic bowl and I’ll send the books out right away.

For now, I’m going back to Harry Potter. Oh, and maybe I should write a little, too. It was fun talking to you, and I’m anxious to find out what books you’ve had trouble saying goodbye to.


ABOUT THE DEBUTANTE'S SECOND CHANCE:
Landy Wisdom was a survivor. Her former husband's abuse hadn't broken her spirit—no, she'd picked herself right up and helped run the local Underground Railroad for battered women. But when it came to love, Landy felt that the train had left the station. She'd built a wall around her heart no man could breach…until journalist Micah Walker showed up and bought the hometown newspaper.

For Micah, returning to small-town life was a culture shock. But it was more shocking to see how things had changed for the local debutante. In high school Landy had seemed untouchable. Was she still? Micah would find out, as he patiently, tenderly dismantled her defenses to reveal the warm, compassionate woman underneath.…

TO ORDER A COPY OF THE DEBUTANTE'S SECOND CHANCE FROM AMAZON OR READ AN EXCERPT, CLICK HERE


NOTE FROM CHERYL:
AS ALWAYS EACH COMMENT ON LIZ'S BLOG POST/S IS AN ENTRY IN THE FISHBOWL