Fiction Friday: No River Too Wide

No River Too WideIn less than a month No River Too Wide, book three of the Goddesses Anonymous series, will be at bookstores everywhere. Between now and then I want to introduce you to characters and story, just a peek at a time–because we only have so much room here.

If you’ve read the other Goddesses books you know they center around a small group of women who have banded together to reach out to other women who need them.  One Mountain Away tells the story of how Goddesses Anonymous, the name the women chose for themselves, came about. Somewhere Between Luck and Trust tells the story of Cristy Haviland, just released from prison, and one of the goddesses, Georgia Ferguson, who befriends her.

No River Too Wide features two goddesses you’ve already met, Harmony Stoddard and Taylor Martin, who have become good friends since the death of Taylor’s mother Charlotte, the major character of One Mountain Away. One Mountain explored the relationship between Taylor and Charlotte, and now No River explores the relationship between Harmony and her mom, Janine.

You haven’t yet met Janine. We only know she’s locked into an abusive marriage with Harmony’s father, and Harmony is afraid she might not survive it.

Domestic violence is an important and difficult subject for women. Some of you reading this blog will have experienced it or are still experiencing it.  Some of you will know women who were or are still abused.  Some of you will have worked to find solutions or desperately wish you could.

When I set about writing Janine’s story I wanted to do something different. I wanted to begin, not with Janine’s marriage, but with Janine’s escape. While domestic violence is the background of the novel, recovery and reinvention are the story’s underpinnings. Women can and do escape violent men, particularly when they have support and help. That was the story I wanted to tell.

No River Too Wide is much more than a study of one marriage gone wrong. It’s about the search for the right partner, about the ways we, as women, choose the men in our lives, both good and bad. It’s about learning to trust as well as learning not to. Each of the novel’s three major characters brings her past experiences along with her and must resolve them to move forward.

For fun I want you to see each of the three women in action, so beginning next week, I’ll share an excerpt where each woman “stars.” Watch for scenes with Harmony, Taylor and Janine.

I’m very proud of this novel. Let me share what Debbie Haupt at RT Book Reviews has to say, after giving it 4 1/2 stars and making it a top pick for July.

Richards’ breathtaking page-turner is intense, fusing genres and engendering joy and sorrow. Her inherent understanding of emotions and empathic storytelling is apparent in her handling, without sermonizing, a realistic and too frequent social reality. Her fluent narrative superbly matches the ecletic Asheville community and every genuinely cultivated, enigmatic character shines.

You can find No River Too Wide at *online bookstores using the links at my webpage. Shop for it locally, too, at your favorite independent bookstore.

*I am an Amazon Associate, which means I get a small royalty when you click and buy from one of my Amazon links. As you can imagine, I am delighted when you buy my book anywhere, and encourage you to find the best price and bookstore for your own needs.

5 Comments

  1. Jeanne Adamek on June 6, 2014 at 7:38 am

    I already pre-ordered!

  2. Joan Leopold on June 6, 2014 at 10:34 am

    I pre-order from Amazon a long time ago. Getting excited.

    • Emilie Richards on June 6, 2014 at 11:15 am

      I’m delighted. Pre-orders count during the first week of sales, which makes publishers take notice.

  3. Billie on June 6, 2014 at 4:13 pm

    I already ordered it. Can’t wait to read it.

  4. Kathleen O on June 7, 2014 at 8:27 am

    Your books always have such a wonderful message for me when I read them. Especially your message of friendship. Can’t wait to read book 3.

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