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Valerie Fraser Luesse returns to the podcast this week to chat about her new book, Letters from My Sister. We had such a good time, and she’s such a gracious lady. We talked about how her grandmother helped inspire the book, the difficulties writing about an African American character, Southern culture and how where you live affects all aspects of your life, and her story shack. Patrons will get to hear from Valerie what was so special about growing up in the South.
Letters from My Sister by Valerie Fraser Luesse
Two Sisters. One Single Event. A Family Changed Forever.
At the turn of the twentieth century, sisters Emmy and Callie Bullock are living a privileged life as the only daughters of a wealthy Alabama cotton farmer when their well-ordered household gets turned upside down by the arrival of Lily McGee. Arrestingly beautiful, Lily quickly–and innocently–draws the wrong kind of attention. Meanwhile, Callie meets a man who offers her the freedom to abandon social constraints and discover her truest self.
After Lily has a baby, Callie witnesses something she was never meant to see–or did she? Her memory is a haze, just an image in her mind of Emmy standing on a darkened riverbank and cradling Lily’s missing baby girl. Only when the sisters are separated does the truth slowly come to light through their letters–including a revelation that will shape the rest of Callie’s life.
Bestselling author Valerie Fraser Luesse weaves a complex and suspenseful tale dripping with intrigue, romance, and Southern charm.
Reviews for Letters from My Sister
“I have read every book by Ms. Luesse, and this is my favorite. I have often said that reading her books is like watching a movie, and this one was done beautifully. I found it hard to put down, once the mystery was set in place. I’m already looking forward to her next book!”
“This is my second book by Valerie and I must say that I really enjoy her writing. She brings not only the characters to life but the setting as well. She truly transported me to 1911 Alabama and made me a part of this wonderful cast of characters. This wasn’t your typical story it was haunting, beautiful and full of emotions.”
“Bring your own sweet tea for this one because Letters from My Sister by Valerie Fraser Luesse is southern fiction at its finest!”
“This novel has multiple elements focusing on different types of hardships from loss, grief and deeper hurts known between sisters. It pulls from the fountain of hope even in the sadder moments.”
Get your copy of Letters from My Sister by Valerie Fraser Luesse.
Valerie Fraser Luesse is the author of Almost Home and the bestselling, Christy Award–winning Missing Isaac. Her third novel, The Key to Everything, was inspired by a true story. An award-winning magazine writer, Luesse is best known for her features and essays in Southern Living, where she is currently the senior travel editor.
Specializing in stories about unique pockets of Southern culture, she has published major pieces on the Gulf Coast, the Mississippi Delta, Acadian Louisiana, and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Her editorial section on Hurricane Katrina recovery in Mississippi and Louisiana won the 2009 Writer of the Year award from the Southeast Tourism Society. The author lives in Birmingham, Alabama, with her husband, Dave—and a mischievous orange cat named Cheeto.