When the River Flows out of its Bed

Is the truth worth losing it all?

One too many misdemeanors get nineteen-year-old Eliza Carlisle back from the United Kingdom to finish high school in wealthy Lorien, New Jersey. The bad news soon turns into a new challenge for the troubled young woman when she meets Julia, a fragile young girl purposely cut off from everyone. Determined to uncover the town-sized secrets surrounding Julia, their relationship grows into a special friendship. Unexpected feelings and dangers get in the way.

Is the truth worth losing it all?

One too many misdemeanors get nineteen-year-old Eliza Carlisle back from the United Kingdom to finish high school in wealthy Lorien, New Jersey. The bad news soon turns into a new challenge for the troubled young woman when she meets Julia, a fragile young girl purposely cut off from everyone. Determined to uncover the town-sized secrets surrounding Julia, their relationship grows into a special friendship. Unexpected feelings and dangers get in the way.

River has always been in my head, since I was a teen, long before it was called When the River Flows out of its Bed, long before Eliza was Eliza, and Julia was Julia. But it's the story of a meeting that changes two lives, a story I played in my head every night before going to bed for as long as I can remember, the main characters evolved along with my growing up/likings. Can you believe Eliza was once called David and was an Afro-American street dancer in New York City? (and a guy, obviously).

This story is very dear to me, and so are its characters. I'm happy that they are dear to my readers as well as they are always happy to see them pop up in some of my other novels (One Breath at a Time, That Week in Acapulco and What Happened Next).

Writing a story to me is much like writing down a movie. The movie that's playing in my head. I get all the ideas, the images, the dialogues, etc. in my head for many many nights until it's so clear that I just have to write it down.

So, here is how my characters look like in my head.

Eliza Carlisle is a mix of A. Jolie in Foxfire, (picture below), for the attitude and charisma, but more like Eliza Dushku (picture above) for the actual portrait.

If you didn't know I once was infatuated with Angelina Jolie, now you do.