The Second Mrs. Price

THE BOOK: The Second Mrs. Price

PUBLISHED IN: 2018

THE AUTHOR: Toni Fuhrman

THE PUBLISHER: Lagoon House Press

SUMMARY: From the moment Griff turns up in his dusty red pickup truck, Selene is infatuated. Unfortunately, she’s married to Alex—Griff’s brother.

Will Selene disregard her own scruples and risk everything—the security of her marriage and the husband she still loves, her career, her home—for an elusive man she passionately desires but who may leave as suddenly as he turned up?

THE BACK STORY: The Second Mrs. Price is a contemporary mainstream novel about a woman driven by obsession.

Like so many women these days, Selene is fighting for her place in the world—the outside world and the world of personal relationships. The novel is propelled by this struggle.

I began writing The Second Mrs. Price as a prose poem. As originally written, it was about the unspoken reflections of the two principal characters—Selene (my protagonist and Alex Price’s second wife) and Griff (Alex’s half-brother)—as they tackle their attraction for each other.

WHY THIS TITLE? Story titles are, for me, a vital part of the creative process. A title anchors my story and keeps it in focus.

The Second Mrs. Price went through many title changes. In all, I considered more than 100 titles.

On several levels, The Second Mrs. Price fits both the protagonist and the story itself. As Selene reflects: “It is as though she is a key employee. . .whose rise in the company is up for review. . . .in the mental file Alex labels: Selene Fugate Price, Second Wife, promising but still immature (may not make the grade).”

WHY WOULD SOMEONE WANT TO READ THIS BOOK? My ideal reader is intelligent, open-minded, looking for a novel that is character-driven rather than plot-driven.

As a “drama of the mind,” The Second Mrs. Price focuses on Selene’s interior struggle.

This approach enables the reader to understand—and to empathize with—Selene’s mixed emotions, her divided loyalties, and her overwhelming attraction to Griff.

REVIEW COMMENTS:

“A compelling tale woven from the eternal conflict between our need to belong, to be rooted, and our desire to escape those bonds and follow our passions.” –Judith Kirscht, novelist and author of The Camera’s Eye

“An intriguing view of life, of knowing one’s self, and of love within, without, or in spite of marriage.” –Mary Trimble, novelist and author of Maureen

“Dramatic, intimate, clear-eyed, incisive. Once you’ve spent time with Selene, Alex, and Griff, you’ll not only understand these people, you’ll fully believe in their lives.” –Holly Prado, poet and author of Really Truly: Autobiographies

AUTHOR PROFILE: I grew up in a small Ohio town and spent many years in the Midwest. I now live in Los Angeles, where I write novels, short stories, essays, and poetry. I also edit manuscripts for other authors.

I have a Master’s degree in English Literature and have taught English composition.

I’ve had extensive experience in the creative services field, including five years as creative director for a global consulting and technology services company.

The Second Mrs. Price is my second published novel. The fictional setting for the novel is a small midwestern town. As Jane Austen says in one of her letters: “Three or four Families in a Country Village is the very thing to work on.”

One Who Loves, my first published novel, is set in Ann Arbor, Michigan, during the 70s, 80s, and 90s. It’s an exploration of friendship, loyalty, and love between two couples who meet at a University of Michigan co-op.

My third novel, A Windless Place, is scheduled for publication in 2019. It’s set in a small midwestern town in the 1950s. It’s about the consequences of a young girl’s misguided adolescent hero worship.

AUTHOR COMMENTS: I write because I have stories to tell—or maybe just one story I need to keep telling.

I think we all have the impulse to create, and the impulse to connect. As E. M. Forster famously says in Howards End: “Only connect.”

My novels are intensely personal. I write about intimacy, obsession—and also about the complexity of family relationships.

My characters are driven by the universal quest for love, purpose, rootedness, a sense of belonging—what Virginia Woolf aptly calls “a room of one’s own.”

I don’t believe in happy endings, but I do believe in the resilient human spirit. We aspire, we struggle, we take risks, we often fail—but somehow we carry on.

SAMPLE CHAPTER: To read The Second Mrs. Price, Chapter One (as well as a portion of Chapter Two), “Look Inside!” the cover image on my Amazon page:

LOCAL OUTLETS: The Second Mrs. Price can be ordered through your local chain or independent bookstores.

WHERE ELSE TO BUY IT:

Amazon:

Barnes & Noble:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-second-mrs-price-toni-fuhrman/1128068290?ean=9780997260939

Kobo Books:

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-second-mrs-price

Apple iBooks Store

Contact Toni Fuhrman:
https://tonifuhrman.com/contact/

Toni Fuhrman’s Email Signup Form:
https://forms.aweber.com/form/04/1402388304.htm

Toni Fuhrman’s Website: