Authors: Georgia Beers
Tags: #Fiction, #Lesbian, #Romance, #Contemporary, #Family Life
96 Hours (28 page)
Georgia lives in Rochester, New York, with her partner of seventeen years, her teenage niece, two dogs, and a cat. Find out more at
www.georgiabeers.com
.
It was a long, hard road taking an event as serious and devastating as 9/11 and wrapping a feel-good romance around it, but I had a ton of help guiding me on my journey and the result is something of which I am very proud.
First, thank you to the people at NBC who produced and ran their heartwarming documentary on Gander during the 2010 Winter Olympics. Had I not seen that, the idea for this novel never would have occurred to me. Also, thank you to author Jim DeFede, who wrote the book
The Day the World Came to Town.
It really helped me get a feel for details and specifics on what the stranded passengers went through that fateful day.
Thank you to the staff at Bywater—Kelly, Val, Marianne, Caroline—for not being afraid of this setting and for not trying to talk me out of this idea. Rather, you let me run with it and were incredibly supportive along the way. To my editors, Kelly and Caroline, you pushed and poked at me—and I wasn’t always happy about it—but this book is better because of you. I am grateful.
Thank you to actress and philanthropist Erin Cummings, for your generous spirit and your dedication to and support of the LGBTQ community. You are the epitome of what it means to be a “straight ally,” and I am honored to call you a friend.
As always, mucho gratitude to my dual sounding boards, Steff Obkirchner and Jackie Ciresi. My stories always improve after you two read them. Your two cents are worth
way
more than that to me.
Thank you to my dedicated readers. I’m so lucky to have such a loyal following. All the e-mails, the Facebook messages, the blog comments, and the attendance at appearances mean so much to me. A simple thank you doesn’t seem like enough, but it’s what I have to offer. I hope you never doubt my appreciation of your support.
And to my family at home—which somehow keeps getting bigger, no matter what I do—Bonnie, Mikki, Finley, Kallie, and Duncan: It doesn’t seem scientifically possible, but you guys drive me crazy while helping me stay sane. Your love and encouragement keep me going and I’m so glad you’re mine. I love you all.
Copyright © 2011 by Georgia Beers
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafterinvented, without the express written permission of Bywater Books.
Bywater Books First Edition: October 2011
Cover designer: Bonnie Liss (Phoenix Graphics)
Author photo: Zoom’n Dog Productions
Bywater Books
PO Box 3671
Ann Arbor MI 48106-3671
ISBN: 978-1-932859-85-0(ebook)
This novel is a work of fiction. Although parts of the plot were inspired by actual events, all characters and events described by the author are fictitious. No resemblance to real persons, dead or alive, is intended.
Bywater Books
“Marianne Martin is a skilled writer who fully develops her characters and pulls the best from them.”
—Mega Scene Book Review
Ten years ago, Charlie Crawford shot dead his two lesbian neighbors. Sharon Davis was their avenging angel, the woman who fought to win justice for her murdered friends.
But justice didn’t ease the pain. Beer did, though. And Sharon’s love for the bottle cost her the love of her partner Laura. Laura’s departure was the cue for the descent into depression that finally forced Sharon to rebuild her shattered life.
Now the past is back with a vengeance. Charlie Crawford is terminally ill and seeking early release on compassionate grounds. Sharon has to fight for justice all over again.
When Laura comes back to town, Sharon’s history threatens to overwhelm her. Hate nearly destroyed her ten years before. Has Sharon learned enough about love and friendship since then to keep herself whole this time?
The
Indelible
Heart
reintroduces Sage and Deanne, and Kasey and Connie, from the best selling
Love
in
the
Balance.
Paperback Original | ISBN 978-1-932859-77-5 | $14.95
Available at your local bookstore
or call 734-662-8815
or order online at
www.bywaterbooks.com
Bywater Books
“What a great read! Character, story, dialogue—it’s a trifecta of a page turner.” —Kate Clinton, author of
I Told You So
“Opyr is a master of mixing light and dark—of telling a story about family dysfunction, alcoholic rage and life without a lover with laugh-out loud panache.” —
Book Marks
“Shaken and Stirred
is a fine, entertaining read, dealing with family complexity, the longings and ruminations that revisiting your childhood home can bring and a very unexpected love story. It’s a wonderful novel” —
Out in Print
Poppy Koslowski is trying to recover from a hysterectomy, but her family has other ideas. She’s the one with the responsibility to pull the plug on her alcoholic grandfather in North Carolina. So she’s dragged back across the country from her rebuilt life into the bosom of a family who barely notice the old man’s imminent death.
Plunged into a crazy kaleidoscope of consulting doctors, catching fire with an old flame, and negotiating lunch venues with her mother and grandmother, Poppy still manages to fall in love. Because nothing in the Koslowski family is ever straight forward. Not even dying.
Paperback Original | ISBN 978-1-932859-79-9 | $14.95
Available at your local bookstore
or call 734-662-8815
or order online at
www.bywaterbooks.com
Bywater Books
“In her debut novel, Bellerose deftly tells the story of Cora Rose, Marie, and Renee LaBarre, a trio of working-class sisters in small-town Massachusetts who are best friends, mortal enemies, and forever loyal to each other. . . . A fast-paced, well-written tale with characters who will linger in the reader’s memory long after the final page is turned.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Bellerose moves these wonderous creations of hers through the ordinary pitfalls of life, showcasing their heartbreaks, their triumphs and their shame with equal assurance.
The Girls Club
is an incredible book—not just for girls, but for everyone.” —
Out in Print
“Winner of the Bywater Prize for Fiction, this first novel provides an intense study of human frailty and hope; sure to appeal to readers who enjoy literate coming-of-age and coming-out fiction.” —
Library Journal
“Bellerose’s warm novel embraces the concept of sisterhood with propulsive gusto” —
Book Marks
Paperback Original | ISBN 978-1-932859-78-2 | $14.95
Available at your local bookstore
or call 734-662-8815
or order online at
www.bywaterbooks.com
Bywater Books
“Damn if I didn’t actually laugh out loud while reading it—several times, in fact. If you’re looking for a funny, well-written novel . . . give this a try!” —AfterEllen.com
Just when you thought it was safe to pitch your tent, the Santora family shows up. Lisa’s taken over a rundown campground, baby sister Marie’s been dumped (again!) by the actress, and the Santoras don’t know the meaning of minding their own business. When the whole clan decides to fix things for their girls, it’s a hilarious recipe for havoc.
Follow the Camptown Ladies crew when they hit the road for a much needed break in Provincetown, and for their triumphant return as they build what could be much more than just a campground, that is, until Marie falls for the one person in the world she can’t possibly have . . .
When the campfires start heating up, someone is likely to get burned . . . and the meatball could hit the fan for several members of the Santora clan!
Sequel to
Greetings
From
Jamaica,
Wish
You
Were
Queer.
Paperback Original | ISBN 978-1-932859-86-7 | $14.95
Available at your local bookstore
or call 734-662-8815
or order online at
www.bywaterbooks.com
Bywater Books,
represents the coming of age of lesbian fiction. We’re committed to bringing the best of contemporary lesbian writing to a discerning readership. Our editorial team is dedicated to finding and developing outstanding voices who deliver stories you won’t want to put down. That’s why we sponsor the annual Bywater Prize. We love good books, just like you do.
For more information about Bywater Books and the annual
Bywater Prize for Fiction
, please visit our website.
Table of Contents