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A Novel
by Leslie Gray Streeter
A successful journalist returns to her hometown just as her biggest mistake becomes headline news in this vibrant, funny, and heartfelt novel about facing the past, and its secrets, head-on.
Entertainment journalist Dawn Roberts has a lot to work through: a widow's grief, betrayals of family and friends, and scandals that almost tanked her reputation. Not that Dawn dwells on the past. Well, hardly. When she returns to Baltimore with her husband's ashes, she can't avoid it. In fact, she's diving into decades of backstabbing and treachery for her first trip home in years.
She's looking at you, Joe Perkins. Her former mentor, whose explosive exposé about big-city corruption is being turned into a slanderous movie, is also back in town. The villain of the piece? Dawn. The good news is that this could all be a chance to reset―heal family wounds, admit to her own mistakes, and maybe even reconnect with the one who got away. Oh, and get even with Joe any way she can.
With the surprising help of an up-and-coming journalist and a legendary R & B diva, Dawn will finally set the record straight. Returning home might just be the biggest story in Dawn's life, a fresh start―and happy ending―she never expected.
"[A] romp that plumbs emotional depths of family ties and what we sacrifice to follow our dreams. Streeter's debut novel is a winner." ―Booklist
"Family & Other Calamities is vintage Leslie Gray Streeter: hilariously funny, and with a powerful emotional punch. It's a deep study in the gifts we get from the people we love the most, even when we don't always like them." —Jen Lancaster, New York Times bestselling author of Housemoms
"Leslie Streeter's dialogue is delightful. Even when the good times slam into bad times, her heroine holds on to her sense of humor and you won't want to leave her side. As a bonus, this novel offers deep wisdom about being a journalist, so not only will you laugh—and be moved—but you will also learn how to be a better writer." —Nell Scovell, author of Just the Funny Parts
"At the core of this story about the journey of grieving and healing is a story of family, friends, and failure that will resonate with anyone. It's frank, messy, and wryly funny in turns." —Mikki Kendall, New York Times bestselling author
This information about Family & Other Calamities was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Leslie Gray Streeter is an award-winning journalist and columnist for the Baltimore Banner. She is the author of the memoir Black Widow: A Sad-Funny Journey Through Grief for People Who Normally Avoid Books with Words Like "Journey" in the Title, the cohost of the podcast Fine Beats and Cheeses, and a frequent speaker on grief. She is also a slow runner, an amateur vegan cook, and a fan of Law & Order. Leslie lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with her son, Brooks. For more information, visit www.lesliegraystreeter.com.
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