The Other Emma
Serendipitous Moments...
I have long been intrigued by the life-altering effects of choices and random occurrences. Chance meetings that lead to renewed friendships or romance. A traffic jam that prevents a traveler from making a flight that crashes. A last-minute change in a route that avoids a washed-out bridge. My own decision in 1963 to change my Wednesday course schedule, and the serendipitous alphabetical seating that placed Sharon Gloger next to George Friedman in a University of Florida freshman writing lab.
I mention all this because it was a fortuitous discussion with friends about the consequences of choices, the capriciousness of life, and the nagging question of “what if?” that sparked the idea for what would become my third historical novel, The Other Emma.
Set against the glitter and greed of the Gilded Age and rich in historic detail, The Other Emma chronicles a young orphan’s journey from the despair of the tenements to the mansions of Fifth Avenue. But the happiness that has always eluded her is still out of reach—clouded by the unbearable weight of deception and the fear of losing everyone she holds dear. The Other Emma is both tragic and sweet—a rags-to-riches tale and a testament to the enduring power of family and forgiveness
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The Gilded Age
19th Century Etiquette
19th Century Etiquette
19th Century Etiquette
19th Century Etiquette
19th Century Etiquette