Prayers and Lies

"A sweet, revealing tale of family, friendship [and] long-held secrets" set in West Virginia--from the acclaimed author of The Sometimes Daughter (Kris Radish). When seven-year-old Bethany meets her six-year-old cousin, Reana Mae, it's the beginning of a kinship of misfits that saves both from a bone-deep loneliness. Every summer, Bethany and her family leave Indianapolis for West Virginia's Coal River Valley. For Bethany's mother, the trips are a reminder of the coal mines and grinding poverty of her childhood--a place she had hoped to escape. Still, her loving relatives, and Bethany's friendship with Reana Mae, keep them coming back. But as Bethany grows older, she realizes that life in this small, close-knit community is not as simple as she once thought. The riverside cabins that hold so much of her family's history also teem with scandalous whispers and harbor unimaginable secrets. Amid the dense woods and quiet beauty of the valley, the past is about to come to light at last, with a force devastating enough to shatter lives, faith, and the bond that Bethany once thought would last forever . . . "A strong debut . . . The characters are wonderfully drawn." --Publishers Weekly "A touching examination of all the different kinds of love: between friends, between sisters, and above all, for one's family." --T. Greenwood, author of Two Rivers "From the first sentence, the voice of the narrator, Bethany, rings true and never falters. By the end of the book, I cared for every aunt and cousin, mother and sister, even the most troubled and dangerous." --Drusilla Campbell, author of The Good Sister

About the Author :
Sherri Wood Emmons is a freelance writer and editor. Prayers and Lies is her first work of fiction. She is a graduate of Earlham College and the University of Denver Publishing Institute. A mother of three, she lives in Indiana with her husband, two fat beagles, and four spoiled cats.

Review :
Praise for Sherri Wood Emmons and Prayers and Lies From the first sentence, the voice of the narrator, Bethany, rings true and never falters. By the end of the book, I cared for every aunt and cousin, mother and sister, even the most troubled and dangerous. Prayers and Lies is the story of a family that knows how to love and forgive and get on with life. --Drusilla Campbell, author of The Good Sister Through the careful rendering of this dysfunctional family, Emmons makes us fall in love with Bethany Wylie, the young girl at the heart of this story, as well as her wayward cousin, Reana Mae. The evolution of their friendship--the way they grow together and grow apart--is heart-breaking. --T. Greenwood, author of Two Rivers Prepare to stay up all night reading! Sherri Wood Emmons perfectly captures the devastating impact of family secrets in her beautifully written--and ultimately hopeful--debut novel. With its evocative setting and realistically crafted characters, Prayers and Lies is a must read for fans of rich family drama. --Diane Chamberlain, author of The Lies We Told A sweet, revealing tale of family, friendship, long-held secrets and includes the all-important ingredients of forgiveness and love. --Kris Radish, author of The Shortest Distance Between Two Women I loved it. --Cathy Lamb, author of Such A Pretty Face