Ten Times Have the Lilies Blown by Mary Erickson

Long known for her poetry and paintings, Erickson has combined the lushness of both in this, her first novel. The characters are richly drawn, and the reader is quickly drawn to them—an unmistakable sign that a good story is sure to unfold. The setting is a ficticious town on the plains, the main character, Melora, a young woman who, after spending years caring for her mother and serving as the local librarian, falls in love with the wrong man. Charming but unscrupulous, he is absolutely determined to use her for his own ends. Melora has inherited a supposedly worthless oil fied. Blake knows it could be worth millions!

Toss in an ensemble of characters including an ailing mother, a young boy looking for a mother and his “grandad” who is about Melora’s own age and the county sheriff. Mix well with an old unsolved murder and a pending new one, and Erickson has cooked up a great story.

Mary Erickson’s poems and paintings have appeared in the Silver Stage over the last few years. She has won numerous awards, including first place in both poetry and creative writing for a competition sponsored by the American Association of University women and Mesa State College Foundation. She lives in Grand Junction, Colo. Erickson’s book is available through Publish America of Baltimore, www. publishamerica.com and at local bookstores, including Readmore Books, Hastings and Barnes & Nobles in Grand Junction, Colo.